The Monolith

From Encyclopedia Westarctica
Jump to navigation Jump to search
The Monolith

The Monolith is a group of two small islands in the Balleny Islands to the immediate south of Sabrina Island. It rises 360 ft high and is thought to be a volcanic plug.

There are no known lifeforms of any kind on the island, including chinstrap penguins, which have established breeding colonies on the neighboring islands. The Monolith stands as a bleak dagger of barren rock pointing directly upward into the sky. Its craggy geography makes landing extremely treacherous and there have been no known assents of the peak.

New Zealand's Antarctic research division has conducted numerous research trips to Sabrina Island, but has never successfully landed upon The Monolith.