The Roosevelt Range or Roosevelt Mountains ( da, Roosevelt Fjelde) is a

mountain range A mountain range or hill range is a series of mountains or hills arranged in a line and connected by high ground. A mountain system or mountain belt is a group of mountain ranges with similarity in form, structure, and alignment that have arise ...

in Northern

Greenland Greenland ( kl, Kalaallit Nunaat, ; da, Grønland, ) is an island country in North America that is part of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is located between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Greenland is t ...

. Administratively this range is part of the

Northeast Greenland National Park Northeast Greenland National Park ( kl, Kalaallit Nunaanni nuna eqqissisimatitaq, da, Grønlands Nationalpark) is the world's largest national park and the 10th List of largest protected areas in the world, largest protected area (the only large ...

. Its highest peak is the highest point in

Peary Land Peary Land is a peninsula in northern Greenland, extending into the Arctic Ocean. It reaches from Victoria Fjord in the west to Independence Fjord in the south and southeast, and to the Arctic Ocean in the north, with Cape Morris Jesup, the north ...

. Located about from the

North Pole The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is the point in the Northern Hemisphere where the Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface. It is called the True North Pole to distinguish from the Mag ...

, the Roosevelt Range is the northernmost mountain range on Earth.2002 American Alpine Journal, p.286

History

The mountain chain was named by

Robert Peary Robert Edwin Peary Sr. (; May 6, 1856 – February 20, 1920) was an American explorer and officer in the United States Navy who made several expeditions to the Arctic in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He is best known for, in Apri ...

after U.S. President

Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Jr. ( ; October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), often referred to as Teddy or by his initials, T. R., was an American politician, statesman, soldier, conservationist, naturalist, historian, and writer who served as the 26t ...

, who would become one of the main backers of Peary's 1905 Arctic expedition. During the first half of the 20th century the range was quite unexplored, except for the mapping from the coast in 1907 of the

Daly Range The Daly Range or Daly Mountains ( da, Daly Bjerge) is a mountain range in Peary Land, Northern Greenland. Administratively this range is part of the Northeast Greenland National Park. It forms the eastern end of the northernmost mountain range ...

Johan Peter Koch Johan Peter Koch (15 January 1870 – 13 January 1928) was a Danish captain and explorer of the Arctic dependencies of Denmark, born at Vestenskov. He was the uncle of the geologist Lauge Koch Career J.P. Koch participated in Amdrup's expeditio ...

Aage Bertelsen Aage Bertelsen (28 September 1873 – 9 September 1945) was a Danish painter. He was a member of the Denmark Expedition to North-East Greenland. He has also worked for Kähler Keramik in Næstved. Biography Early life and career Aage Bertels ...

and

Tobias Gabrielsen Tobias is the transliteration of the Greek which is a translation of the Hebrew biblical name he, טוֹבִיה, Toviyah, JahGod is good, label=none. With the biblical Book of Tobias being present in the Deuterocanon/Apocrypha of the Bible, To ...

, the northern team of the ill-fated

Denmark expedition The Denmark expedition ( da, Danmark-ekspeditionen), also known as the Denmark Expedition to Greenland's Northeast Coast, and as the Danmark Expedition after the ship, was an expedition to the northeast of Greenland in 1906–1908. Despite being ...

, as well as

aerial survey Aerial survey is a method of collecting geomatics or other imagery by using airplanes, helicopters, UAVs, balloons or other aerial methods. Typical types of data collected include aerial photography, Lidar, remote sensing (using various visible ...

s and mapping begun by

Lauge Koch Lauge Koch (5 July 1892 – 5 June 1964) was a Danish geologist and Arctic explorer. Biography Lauge Koch was born in 1892 to Karl and Elisabeth Koch. His development as a scientist was greatly influenced by his father's second cousin Johan Pet ...

in the 1920s. In 1953 a geological expedition crossed the range through the ''Polkorridoren'' pass from

Frigg Fjord Frigg Fjord ( da, Friggs Fjord) is a fjord in Peary Land, far northern Greenland. The archaeological remains in the northern shore and at the head of this fjord belong to the northernmost human settlements in human history.Bjarne Grønnow, Jens Fo ...

Sands Fjord Sands Fjord is a fjord in Peary Land, northern Greenland. To the north, the fjord opens into the Lincoln Sea of the Arctic Ocean. Administratively it belongs to the Northeast Greenland National Park. The fjord was named by Robert Peary in honor ...

. The highest peak,

Helvetia Tinde Helvetia Tinde (Helvetia Peak) is the highest mountain in the Roosevelt Range, Northern Greenland. It is also the highest mountain of the northernmost mountain range on Earth. Administratively it belongs to the Northeast Greenland National Park ...

was first climbed in 1969 by the members of an expedition of the British Joint Services during a topographic and geological survey of the northern part of Peary Land.2002 American Alpine Journal, p.286 The second ascent of the summit was made in 1996. Later expeditions also went to the northern foothills of the range, not far from

Cape Morris Jesup Cape Morris Jesup ( da, Kap Morris Jesup) is a headland in Peary Land, Greenland. Geography Cape Morris Jesup is the northernmost point of mainland Greenland. It is from the North Pole#Geographic North Pole, geographic North Pole. It is located ...

, and sought to identify and climb the "northernmost mountain on earth". North America, Greenland, North Peary Land, North Peary Land, First Ascents, a Traverse of the Peninsula and Confirmation of the World's Most Northerly Peak
/ref>

Geography

The Roosevelt Range is an up to high mountain range in Northern Peary Land, formed by

alpine Alpine may refer to any mountainous region. It may also refer to: Places Europe * Alps, a European mountain range ** Alpine states, which overlap with the European range Australia * Alpine, New South Wales, a Northern Village * Alpine National Pa ...

-type mountains. The topography of the mountains is deeply eroded, with sharp, jagged ridges and precipitous cliffs. The area of the range is uninhabited.Crossing North Peary Land in Summer 1953
/ref> Owing to a structural continuum in the mountains between Johannes V. Jensen Land in the east and

Nansen Land Nansen Land is a peninsula in far northwestern Greenland. It is a part of the Northeast Greenland National Park. The Arctic wolf is present in the peninsula. The northern shore facing the Lincoln sea slopes evenly and is fertile for the area, b ...

in the west, American geologist William E. Davies called the wider range the "Nansen-Jensen Alps" in a work he published in 1972. The Roosevelt Range would be thus a subrange of a wider mountain chain with its westernmost foothills in Nansen Land, reaching all the way to Johannes V. Jensen Land in the east.W. E. Davies, ''Landscape of Northern Greenland'' 1972 The Roosevelt Range proper rises in

Roosevelt Land Roosevelt Land ( da, Roosevelts Land) is a peninsula in far northern Greenland. It is a part of the Northeast Greenland National Park.Google Maps The territory was named by Robert Peary after US President Theodore Roosevelt (1858 – 1919). Ge ...

in the west and stretches eastward across

Gertrud Rask Land Gertrud Rask Land ( da, Gertrud Rasks Land) is an area in Peary Land, North Greenland. Administratively it is part of the Northeast Greenland National Park.Google Maps The territory was named by Lauge Koch after Gertrud Rask (1673 – 1735), the ...

, north of a valley between the heads of the Harder Fjord in the west and the

in the east. It extends eastwards in Johannes V. Jensen Land north of the

Frederick E. Hyde Fjord Frederick E. Hyde Fjord is a fjord in Peary Land, far northern Greenland. History The fjord was named by Robert Peary during his 1900 expedition after Frederick Erastus Hyde, one of the founding members and first vice-president of the Peary Arct ...

beyond the

Polkorridoren Polkorridoren (meaning "Polar Corridor" in Danish), formerly known as Nordpassagen, is a mountain pass in Peary Land, Greenland. Administratively it is part of the Northeast Greenland National Park. In 1953 a geological expedition went through t ...

(Polar Corridor), a

mountain pass A mountain pass is a navigable route through a mountain range or over a ridge. Since many of the world's mountain ranges have presented formidable barriers to travel, passes have played a key role in trade, war, and both Human migration, human a ...

connecting two glacial valleys running from North to South between the heads of

to the north and Frigg Fjord to the south. Its easternmost subranges almost reach the eastern end of northern Peary Land. The area near the

Lincoln Sea Lincoln Sea (french: Mer de Lincoln; da, Lincolnhavet) is a body of water in the Arctic Ocean, stretching from Cape Columbia, Canada, in the west to Cape Morris Jesup, Greenland, in the east. The northern limit is defined as the great circle lin ...

coast, southwest of

is known as ''Ulvebakkerne'' (Wolf Hills).

Peaks

Apart from its highest point Helvetia Tinde, not many peaks of the Roosevelt Range have been named. Other relevant mountains in the range are Paradisfjeld and

Mary Peary Peaks The Mary Peary Peaks ( da, Mary Peary Tinder) are a mountain in the Roosevelt Range, Peary Land, Northern Greenland. Administratively they belong to the Northeast Greenland National Park. The peaks were named by Robert Peary after his mother, ...

''(Mary Peary Tinder)'', located east of the Polar Corridor in a roughly central position, as well as Birgit Koch Peaks ''(Birgit Koch Tinder)'' and

Rink Mountain Rink may refer to: * Ice rink, a surface of ice used for ice skating ** Figure skating rink, an ice rink designed for figure skating ** Ice hockey rink, an ice rink designed for ice hockey ** Speed skating rink, an ice rink designed for speed ska ...

''(Rink Bjerg)'', a little further to the east.

Subranges

The H. H. Benedict Range ''(H. H. Benedict Bjerge)'', highest point

Stjernebannertinde Stjernebannertinde (Starry Banner Peak) is the highest mountain in the H. H. Benedict Range, a subrange of the Roosevelt Range, Northern Greenland. The peak was first climbed in 1996 by the members of the American Top of the World Expedition ( ...

, and the

''(Daly Bjerge)'', both located at the eastern end in Johannes V. Jensen Land, are subranges of the Roosevelt Range.

Glaciers

The valleys between mountains are filled with glaciers or icefields, none of which are very large. In the same manner as other features in this range many glaciers are unnamed. *

Thomas Glacier (Greenland) Thomas Glacier ( da, Thomas Gletscher) is a glacier in northern Greenland. Administratively it belongs to the Northeast Greenland National Park. The glacier was named by Robert Peary after E. B. Thomas, one of the founding members of the Peary ...

Raven Glacier Raven Glacier is a glacier in northern Greenland. Administratively it belongs to the Northeast Greenland National Park. The glacier was named by Robert Peary after Anton A. Raven, one of the founding members of the Peary Arctic Club in New Y ...

A. Harmsworth Glacier A. Harmsworth Glacier or Alfred Harmsworth Glacier ( da, A. Harmsworth Gletscher) is a glacier in northern Greenland. Administratively it belongs to the Northeast Greenland National Park. The glacier was named by Robert Peary after British newspa ...

* Modvind Glacier *

Nord Glacier Nord, a word meaning "north" in several European languages, may refer to: Acronyms * National Organization for Rare Disorders, an American nonprofit organization * New Orleans Recreation Department, New Orleans, Louisiana, US Film and televisi ...

* Syd Glacier * Malcantone Glacier * Nysne Glacier * Sif Glacier * Borup Glacier *

Moore Glacier Moore Glacier ( da, Moore Gletscher) is a glacier in northern Greenland. Google Earth Administratively it belongs to the Northeast Greenland National Park. Between 2006 and 2010 there was an automatic weather station in the glacier. The glacier ...

* Ydun Glacier * Bertelsen Glacier

Geology

The Roosevelt Range forms the northern sub-region of the

Innuitian orogeny The Innuitian orogeny, sometimes called the Ellesmere orogeny, was a major tectonic (mountain building) episode responsible for the formation of a series of mountain ranges in the Canadian Arctic and Northernmost Greenland. The episode started wit ...

.H.P. Trettin (ed.), ''Geology of the Innuitian Orogen and Arctic Platform of Canada and Greenland.'' 1991, p. 46 It is part of the belt

Caledonian folding The Caledonian orogeny was a mountain-building era recorded in the northern parts of the British Isles, the Scandinavian Mountains, Svalbard, eastern Greenland and parts of north-central Europe. The Caledonian orogeny encompasses events that ...

that extends eastward from north

Ellesmere Island Ellesmere Island ( iu, script=Latn, Umingmak Nuna, lit=land of muskoxen; french: île d'Ellesmere) is Canada's northernmost and List of Canadian islands by area, third largest island, and the List of islands by area, tenth largest in the world. ...

. The ages of rocks in the range area are from

Precambrian The Precambrian (or Pre-Cambrian, sometimes abbreviated pꞒ, or Cryptozoic) is the earliest part of Earth's history, set before the current Phanerozoic Eon. The Precambrian is so named because it preceded the Cambrian, the first period of the ...

Upper Silurian The Silurian ( ) is a geologic period and system spanning 24.6 million years from the end of the Ordovician Period, at million years ago ( Mya), to the beginning of the Devonian Period, Mya. The Silurian is the shortest period of the Paleozo ...

, with low-grade

marble Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or Dolomite (mineral), dolomite. Marble is typically not Foliation (geology), foliated (layered), although there are exceptions. In geology, the ...

psammite Psammite (Greek: ''psammitēs'' "(made) from sand", from ''psammos'' "sand") is a general term for sandstone. It is equivalent to the Latin-derived term areniteU.S. Bureau of Mines Staff (1996) ''Dictionary of Mining, Mineral, & Related Terms.'' R ...

s, sandstone, shales, quartzite and mudstones.Alan Nairn (ed.), ''The Arctic Ocean'', p. 246

Bibliography

*H.P. Trettin (ed.), ''Geology of the Innuitian Orogen and Arctic Platform of Canada and Greenland.'' 1991

References

{{Reflist, 2

External links

North America, Greenland, Roosevelt Range, J.V. Jensen Land, Avanarsuasua, ExplorationNordpasset; Peakbagger