1952 Map of Healy A-1

About this map

The Denali settlement and its nearby Airstrip serve as the primary human footprint in this high-altitude landscape of the early 1950s. Located at the confluence where the West Fork Susitna River feeds into the glacial braided plains of the Susitna River, the area is defined by sharp topographic relief and a network of mining-adjacent drainages. Prospecting history is etched into the terrain with names like Gold Hill, Lucky Gulch, and Valdez Creek. The map documents a period of remote wilderness access, where travel followed natural corridors such as Windy Creek and Pass Creek. To the east, higher elevations around VABM Gate 6017 overlook a series of alpine waters including Roosevelt Lake and Tenas Lake. This survey provides a precise view of the central Alaskan interior before modern development, capturing the essential relationship between the river system and the high mountain passes.