1962 Map of Beechey Point A-2

About this map

Foggy Island Bay dominates the northern coast of this Arctic landscape, where the Beaufort Sea meets the low-lying tundra of the North Slope. Surveyed by the Army Map Service in the late 1950s, the terrain is characterized by a complex network of thaw lakes and braided drainage systems. The Shaviovik River and Kadleroshilik River flow northward through this water-saturated plain, their shifting channels and sandbars meticulously documented by photogrammetric methods. A solitary Tractor Trail provides the only evidence of overland passage across the frozen marshes, marking a vital transportation route used for seasonal supply and exploration before the development of permanent infrastructure. This map captures the region in a transitional period, after initial coastal hydrography was established by the USC&GS but prior to the large-scale industrialization of the nearby oil fields.