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1950 Map of Cordova C-4

Name: 1950 Topographic Map of Cordova C-4
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1968
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1968

About this map

Shephard Glacier and the massive ice fields of the Chugach National Forest dominate this mid-century landscape east of the Copper River delta. The survey reveals a dynamic glacial environment, heavily marked with crevasses and calving into a complex network of freshwater bodies and drainage streams. To the south and west, the ice retreats into a labyrinth of lakes and ponds, including Lake Elsner, Beaver Lake, and the uniquely named Siamese Lakes.

Evidence of human presence in this wilderness is sparse but specific, noted by a lone Cabin near the base of the mountains and a Radio Tower positioned near the glacial runoff. The mapping of Ibeck Creek and the lower reaches of the Copper River illustrates the shifting hydrology of the region as meltwater feeds into the braided river systems. This 1950s record captures the glacial margins before subsequent decades of documented retreat transformed these specific coastal Alaskan ice fronts.