1959 Map of McCarthy A-6

About this map

The confluence of the Chitina River and the Tana River dominates the northeastern corner of this interior Alaskan landscape, surveyed in the late 1950s. The terrain transitions from the broad river valleys to the high elevations of the Wrangell Mountains, centered on the prominent Goodlata Peak. Human presence in this wilderness is marked by isolated cabins and a Tractor Trail winding through the northern lowlands near Louise Lake and Sunshine Lake. A critical transportation point for the era is found at the Jakes Bar Landing Strip along the north bank of the Chitina. The drainage patterns of the Chakina River and its West Fork show a complex network of glacial-fed waterways including Monahan Creek and Granite Creek, providing a detailed record of the hydrography before significant modern environmental changes.