The West Antarctic Ice Sheet flows seaward around and through the Ellsworth Mountains to feed the Ronne-Filchner Ice Shelf. A high ice-sheet surface, featuring a major inland divide, abuts the western mountain flank. The present-day grounding line of the Ronne-Filchner Ice Shelf is near the eastern mountain flank.

Two major erosion glacial features characterize the Ellsworth Mountains. First, the exposed mountains show classic features of alpine glacier erosion. These are best developed in the Sentinel Range of the northern Ellsworth Mountains where cirque erosion has left horns, arêtes, and sharp spurs. Only the summit plateau of Vinson Massif (4,897 m)...