1948 Map of Mount Fairweather A-2

About this map

Glacier Bay National Monument and the Tongass National Forest meet in this mid-century topographic study of Alaska's coastal wilderness. The landscape is defined by the deep waters of Cross Sound and the intricate coastline of Yakobi Island and the Chichagof Peninsula. Small coastal outposts like Elfin Cove and Bingham Cove serve as markers of human presence at the edge of the Pacific, while the interior is dominated by peaks like Vein Mountain and Mount Althrop. This era of mapping relied on 1948 aerial photography to chart the complex glacial geography of Dicks Arm and the treacherous Inian Pass. The map illustrates a maritime economy dependent on these narrow waterways, showing the relationship between freshwater sources like Hoktaheen Lake and the salt-water channels of Lisianski Inlet and Lisianski Strait.