1952 Map of Kwiguk D-2

About this map

The Pastolik River meanders across the low-lying western reaches of this 1952 Alaskan coastal interior terrain, where the marshy tundra of the Yukon Delta gives way to the rising elevations of the east. These eastern highlands are defined by the watershed of the Pikmiktalik River, which cuts through narrow valleys before descending toward the coastal plains. Based on 1951 aerial photography by the Army Map Service, the survey captures a landscape of extreme contrast, where thousands of small lakes and ponds dominate the flat western half of the quadrangle. This transition from aquatic tundra to defined river valleys reflects the complex drainage patterns of the region before any modern infrastructure or permanent settlements were documented by the Geological Survey.