Loading map...

1959 Map of McCarthy C-6

Name: 1959 Topographic Map of McCarthy C-6
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1969
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1969

About this map

Regal Mine and Erie Mine represent the industrial footprint of the copper region at the close of the 1950s. Located on the slopes of Donoho Peak and near the massive moving ice of the Root Glacier, these sites are connected by a Tractor Trail that skirts the glacial moraine. The landscape is defined by the convergence of the Kennicott Glacier and Gates Glacier, creating a terrain where high-elevation landmarks like Atna Peaks and Parka Peak rise above the surrounding ice fields.

A notable topographic detail is Packsaddle Island, a literal island of rock and vegetation surrounded by a sea of ice where the glaciers meet. The presence of Hidden Creek Lake and numerous drainages like Fourth of July Creek and Jumbo Creek illustrate the active hydraulic environment beneath the Stairway Icefall. This document preserves the exact placement of early mining infrastructure against one of Alaska's most dynamic glacial systems.