1985 Map of Lookout Ridge C-2

About this map

The National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska dominates this 1980s landscape, illustrating a remote stretch of the North Slope defined by its complex hydrological network. Significant watercourses including the Meade River, Usuktuk River, Topagoruk River, and Titaluk River wind across the terrain, creating a series of intricate drainage patterns across the tundra. Evidence of human transit is sparse but notable through the presence of a Tractor Trail, which provides a rare landmark of ground-based movement in an otherwise roadless expanse. This survey, mapped using photogrammetric methods from 1971 aerial photographs, captures the region at a time of increased interest in the petroleum reserves, recording the untouched character of the subarctic rivers before more modern infrastructure could alter the surface drainage.