1960 Map of McCarthy

About this map

The confluence of the Nizina River and the Chitina River anchors this massive survey of the Copper River region during a period of expanding federal conservation. The map documents the vast Wrangell-St Elias National Park and Preserve, an area defined by the convergence of the Wrangell Mountains, St Elias Mountains, and the Chugach Mountains. Small outposts like McCarthy, May Creek, and Chitina represent the sparse human footprint in a landscape dominated by massive ice fields, including the Barnard Glacier, Klutlan Glacier, and Nabesna Glacier. Rising above these glacial systems are some of the continent's highest peaks, such as Mount Blackburn, Mount Bona, and Mount Churchill. The eastern margin follows the United States Canada international boundary, where the White River crosses into the Yukon, illustrating the remote and transboundary nature of this northern wilderness.