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1956 Map of Lookout Ridge

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Lookout Ridge
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1959
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1959

About this map

Naval Petroleum Reserve No 4 dominates the central landscape of this mid-century survey, a vast expanse of the North Slope defined by its complex drainage systems and prominent structural ridges. The topography is anchored by the east-west trending Lookout Ridge and Shaningarok Ridge, which dictate the paths of numerous waterways such as the Awuna River and the Meade River. The presence of several Tractor Trails cutting across the tundra suggests the era's early industrial and scientific exploration for oil resources.

Researchers will find a landscape marked by dozens of Vertical Angle Bench Marks, including VABM 1360 Birthday near the high point of Birthday Pass. These survey markers, with names like Hatchet, Foxhole, and Omalik, provide precise reference points for those tracing the history of Arctic mapping and the logistics of mid-century geological field annotation. The network of creeks, such as Discovery Creek and Quartzite Creek, illustrates the intricate hydrology of this permafrost environment.