1953 Map of Mount McKinley A-4

About this map

Mt McKinley National Park encompasses a significant portion of this wilderness landscape, showcasing the transition from massive ice fields to the braiding river systems that drain the Alaska Range. The massive Herron Glacier and Foraker Glacier dominate the southeastern topography, feeding into the glacial meltwaters of the Herron River and Foraker River. These drainage patterns reflect the raw environmental forces that have shaped the region's geography for millennia. The map also identifies smaller tributaries like Highpower Creek, White Creek, and Somber Creek, providing a detailed look at the hydrology of the interior before it reaches the broader valley floors. This survey, based on 1952 aerial photography with minor revisions in the late 1960s, documents the state of these receding ice sheets and river courses during a period of active glacial mapping in the territory.