Colbert Hills (Antarctica)

The Colbert Hills (-84.2°N, 162.58333°W) are a line of hills and bluffs, including Coalsack Bluff, lying east of Lewis Cliffs, between Law Glacier and Walcott Névé in Antarctica. The hills trend southwest for 16 nmi from Mount Sirius.

Exploration and name
The Colbert Hills are named for Edwin H. Colbert, curator of vertebrate paleontology at the American Museum of Natural History, leader of the paleontology team with the Ohio State University Geological Expedition, 1969–70, which discovered Lystrosaurus fossils in these hills. The discovery is one of the truly significant fossil finds, with great implications on calculations concerning Gondwanaland.

Location
The Colbert Hills are to the east of the Antarctic Plateau and south of Law Glacier, which separates them from the Queen Elizabeth Range. The Walcott Névé is to the south, and the Queen Alexandra Range to the east. Features include Coalsack Bluff, Bauhs Nunatak and Mount Sirius. Nearby features to the west include Jacobs Nunatak, Morse Nunataks, MacAlpine Hills and Mount Achernar.

Coalsack Bluff
-84.23333°N, 162.41667°W. A small rock bluff standing at the northern limits of Walcott Neve, 6 nmi west-southwest of Bauhs Nunatak. So named by the New Zealand Geological Survey Antarctic Expedition (NZGSAE) (1961–62) because of the coal seams found running through the bluff.

Bauhs Nunatak
-84.2°N, 163.4°W. A prominent nunatak, 2,225 m high, at the north side of Walcott Névé, about 3.5 nmi south-southeast of Mount Sirius. Named by the United States Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names (US-ACAN) for Luvern R. Bauhs, United States ArmyRP ionospheric scientist at South Pole Station, 1959.

Mount Sirius
-84.13333°N, 163.25°W. A peak, 2,300 m high, surmounting a prominent, wedge-shaped, ice-free spur between Walcott Névé and Bowden Névé, 3.5 nmi north of Bauhs Nunatak. Named by the NZGSAE (1961–62) for the star Sirius which was used in fixing the baseline in the area.

Jacobs Nunatak
-84.28333°N, 159.63333°W. A nunatak on the west side of Mac Alpine Hills, just west of the head of Sylwester Glacier. Named by US-ACAN for Willis S. Jacobs, USARP geomagnetist and seismologist at South Pole Station, 1959.

Morse Nunataks
-84.26667°N, 160.83333°W. Isolated rock nunataks standing 4.5 nmi south of Mount Achernar, between Lewis Cliff and MacAlpine Hills. Named by US-ACAN for Oliver C. Morse III, USARP ionospheric scientist at South Pole Station, 1960.

MacAlpine Hills
-84.21667°N, 160.5°W. A chain of mainly ice-free, bluff-type hills extending from Mount Achernar southwest along the south side of Law Glacier, to Sylwester Glacier. Named by US-ACAN for Ens. Kenneth D. MacAlpine, United States Navy Reserve. A member of United States Navy Squadron VX-6, MacAlpine was injured in an airplane crash at McMurdo Sound, October 1956.

Mount Achernar
-84.2°N, 160.93333°W. A peak forming the northeast end of Mac Alpine Hills, on the south side of Law Glacier. Named by the NZGSAE (1961–62) after the star Achemar used in fixing the survey baseline.

Lewis Cliff
-84.28333°N, 161.08333°W. An irregular cliff, about 12 nmi long, extending south from Mount Achernar along the west side of Walcott Névé. Named by US-ACAN for Richard E. Lewis, Aviation Electronics Technician, United States Navy, who was injured during United States Navy Operation Deep Freeze II, 1956–57.