Sanctuary Cliffs (64°27′S 57°12′W) is a rock cliffs at the north edge of the ice cap which covers the central part of Snow Hill Island, James Ross Island group. First seen and surveyed by the Swedish Antarctic Expedition, 1901–04, under Nordenskjold. They gave the name "Mittelnunatak," presumably because of their position near the middle of the north coast of the island. Following survey by Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey (FIDS) in 1952, it was reported that the term "cliffs" is more suitable than "nunatak" for this feature. Since the word "Middle" has been accepted in several other Antarctic names, the United Kingdom Antarctic Place-Names Committee (UK-APC) recommended an entirely new and more distinctive name be approved. Sanctuary Cliffs is descriptive of the aspect of these cliffs which face into the sun and provide shelter from the prevailing southwesterly winds.
This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Geological Survey document "Sanctuary Cliffs" (content from the Geographic Names Information System).