1956 Map of Lookout Ridge

About this map

Naval Petroleum Reserve No 4 dominates the central landscape of this North Slope interior, a region defined by extensive river systems and long, east-west trending ridges. The topography is marked by significant elevations like Shaningarok Ridge and Kulugra Ridge, which separate the north-flowing waters of the Meade River and Usuktuk River from the southern drainages. To the south, Lookout Ridge runs parallel to the Colville River, where tributaries such as Grayling Creek and Carbon Creek carve through the terrain. A solitary Tractor Trail provides a rare inland transport route, crossing Birthday Pass and connecting the Awuna River valley with the Titaluk River to the northeast. This 1956 survey, derived from aerial photography, illustrates the vast, unpopulated character of the Arctic tundra before modern infrastructure, dotted only by vertical angle bench marks like VABM 1360 Birthday and VABM 219 Nuki used for early geodetic mapping.