1954 Map of Lake Clark C-5

About this map

The Bonanza Hills dominate the northern landscape of this interior Alaskan region, as recorded through aerial photogrammetry in the early 1950s. The terrain is defined by a dense network of high-altitude drainages, most notably the Chilikadrotna River which cuts westward across the lower third of the quadrangle. This glacial and fluvial environment shows a complex pattern of seasonal water bodies and small tarns scattered among the ridges. Tributaries such as Bonanza Creek and Ptarmigan Creek descend from the heights to feed the larger river systems. In the southeast, the Little Mulchatna River joins the drainage network, illustrating the watershed's role in the broader Bristol Bay drainage basin. The map represents an era of systematic mapping where land lines were predetermined by the Bureau of Land Management but remained unsurveyed on the ground, reflecting the remote nature of the territory at mid-century.