1955 Map of De Long Mountains C-3

About this map

Kukpowruk River and its meandering tributaries dominate this mid-century topographic study of the remote North Slope. Based on aerial photography and field annotation from the mid-1950s, the terrain is defined by a dense network of watercourses and intricate contour lines that reveal the high-latitude drainage patterns of the region. The Pitmegea River cuts through the northwest, while the Sooner River and Ipewik River navigate the southern reaches, highlighting the natural hydrological divisions of the Arctic landscape before modern infrastructure reached this part of the De Long Mountains. The absence of named settlements or roads underscores the primary role of these rivers as the defining landmarks for navigation and land management by the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Army Topographic Command during this era.