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1956 Map of Baird Mountains

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Baird Mountains
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1988
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1988

About this map

The Baird Mountains and Maiyumerak Mountains dominate this 1950s survey of the Northwest Arctic, where the drainage basins of the Noatak River and Kobuk River meet. The geography is defined by narrow canyons and sprawling river systems, including the Noatak Canyon and the high peaks of the Isachefuich Mountains. Human presence is sparse and temporary, evidenced by scattered Cabins and the Squirrel River Landing Strip, reflecting an era of aviation-dependent access and seasonal subsistence.

Transportation follows the natural contours of the land, most notably along a Winter Trail that cuts through the southern reaches near the Kiana Hills. This map represents the landscape before the 1980 expansion of federal protections, though later revisions overlay the boundaries of the Kobuk Valley National Park and Noatak National Preserve. From the Kallarichuk Hills to the Ahaliknak Peaks, the topography reveals a complex network of creeks like Klery Creek and Bear Creek that have long served as landmarks for travelers in the Alaskan interior.