1952 Map of Mount McKinley D-3

About this map

The Kantishna River meanders through this interior Alaska landscape, forming a complex network of oxbows and wetlands characteristic of the region's wilderness during the mid-century. Based on 1952 aerial photography with revisions in 1967, the map documents a terrain largely shaped by water, from the expansive Chilchukabena Lake on the western edge to the northern flow of Bear Creek and Moose Creek. A notable human element in this remote environment is the Sled Road, which cuts across the central wetlands. This trail represents a vital link for winter transport in an era when seasonal trails were often the only reliable overland routes through the marshy lowland tundra. The map's detail provides a clear view of the drainage patterns and elevation changes before more modern development reached this part of the territory.