THE REEVES GLACIER 57 



Reeves Glacier. Viewed from the Drygalski-Reeves Piedmont, the Reeves 

 Glacier is a magnificent spectacle, some slight idea of which may be gained from 

 the photograph, Plate XIT. Fig. 5. 



Mount Nansen is here seen from a distance of about 35 miles, and Mount 

 Larsen from a distance of about 20 miles. Hansen Nunatak, near the centre of the 

 glacier, rises to a height of about 2800 feet. It is a most impressive and majestic 

 monolith. The most striking glacial feature in this landscape is the stupendous 

 granite cliff of Mount Larsen, which towers some 3000 feet above the glacier ice 

 at its base. There can be no doubt that during the maximum glaciation the ice of 

 the Reeves Glacier pressed high up against the giant cliff of Mount Larsen, and must 

 have almost, if not altogether, overtopped it. The general outline of its summit is 

 very suggestive of its having been completely glaciated. The Reeves Glacier is an 

 immense outlet glacier, about 12 miles in width, and about 25 miles in length 

 measured up to the area on the west side of the great horst, where it merges 

 gradually into the snow-field of the Magnetic Pole Plateau. Fig. 14 shows details 

 of the Larsen-Gerlache-Crummer Massif, which separates the Reeves Glacier from 

 the Larsen Glacier. 



The Reeves Glacier falls about 4000 feet in its 25 miles of length. Two 

 moraines derived from it are conspicuous, the northern and larger one derived from 

 near TeaU Nunatak, and the other ft-om neighbourhood of Hansen Nunatak. As 

 already stated, these sweep out to sea across the Nansen Piedmont. The surface of 

 this glacier undulates strongly, and is very heavily crevassed.* 



Backstairs Passage is a shallow and narrow breach in the rocky massif which 

 divides the Reeves Glacier from the Larsen Glacier. It may be described as a 

 small spillway and branch of the Lai'sen Glacier. It is about a quarter to a third 

 of a mile in width, and about 2 miles in length. In this distance it ascends about 

 1500 feet. Though somewhat steep it is only slightly crevassed, and on the whole 

 offers a good surface for sledging. 



The next glacier to the south is the Larsen. It is from 2 to 3 miles in width, 

 and, like the Reeves Glacier, is about 25 miles in length. In this distance it falls 

 over 3000 feet, its slope being very steep just before it reaches the coast. It 

 descends there in a turmoil of great pressure ridges, heavily crevassed, to join the 

 Drygalski Piedmont. North-westwards fi'om its junction with Backstairs Passage 

 right on to the plateau the Larsen Glacier is not very seriously crevassed, and 

 affords a good road on to the plateau for sledging parties. The Larsen Glacier 

 shows every evidence of having at one time overridden Mount Crummer, which now 

 rises approximately 1500 feet above its surface. 



* When attempting to force a passage up it our sledge was on several occasions all but engulfed 

 from the collapse of the snow lids, and dragging a sledge up the rolls of slippery ice is extremely 

 laborious. The glacier might, nevertheless, be traversed by a party who could afford an abundance 

 of time for the pm-pose. By far the best track so far found for any one desirous of mounting the 

 plateau in this vicinity is Backstaiis Passage. 



