1959 Map of Gulkana B-1

About this map

Wrangell - St Elias National Monument dominates this mid-century topographic record, capturing the high-altitude glacial landscape of south-central Alaska. Based on aerial photography and field annotations from the late 1950s, the terrain is defined by the massive slow-moving ice of Sheep Glacier and West Glacier. These frozen features carve through the topography alongside Drop Glacier, feeding the headwaters of drainage systems like Boulder Creek and Sheep Creek. Near the center of the sheet, the peak of Capital Mountain rises as a prominent landmark amidst the contour lines. The map reveals an area of pure wilderness with no roads or trails recorded, emphasizing the remote nature of the monument before the era of modern accessibility.