1949 Map of Gulkana A-6

About this map

Slide Mountain dominates the southern landscape of this interior wilderness, its massive slopes giving way to a complex network of glacial lakes and river systems. By the late 1940s, the Glenn Highway provided the primary corridor for travel, passing the Mendeltna Lodge and Mendeltna Springs near the eastern margin. The terrain is defined by its water, from the winding Nelchina River and Little Nelchina River to isolated pools like Phanaria Lake and Fossil Lake. Small-scale aviation infrastructure is noted at the Seaplane Base on Snowshoe Lake, a vital link in a region where road access was limited to a single main artery. Dozens of named water bodies, such as Old Man Lake and Nickoli Lake, suggest a landscape shaped by seasonal melt and persistent wetlands, punctuated by high-elevation survey markers like VABM Windy.