1970 Map of Bettles D-1

About this map

The Trans-Alaska Pipeline is the defining human feature of this interior Alaska landscape, shown here as it was under construction in the 1970s. The pipeline route cuts diagonally across the terrain, crossing the upper reaches of Jim River and skirting the edge of Grayling Lake. This period of development marked a significant change for the region, introducing industrial infrastructure into a wilderness defined by its extensive drainage systems. The map details the complex network of waterways that flow through the area, including S K Koyukuk R, Prospect Creek, and Douglas Creek. Smaller tributaries such as Bear Creek, Davis Creek, and Grayling Creek feed these larger systems, illustrating the hydrological patterns of the northern wilderness before the full completion of the energy corridor. The topographic data reflects the survey work of the U.S. Geological Survey and the Bureau of Land Management as they mapped unsurveyed land lines during this era of infrastructure expansion.