1955 Map of Mount Michelson C-3

About this map

The Sadlerochit Mountains and Shubelik Mountains dominate this northern landscape, which was documented during the mid-1950s by the Army Map Service. Located within the Arctic National Wildlife Range, the terrain is defined by a series of parallel ridges separated by the Ignek Valley. Glacial and fluvial erosion are evident in the drainage patterns of the Katakturuk River, which cuts a prominent path through the mountains, and the Tanayariak River to the west. This mapping effort, based on 1955 aerial photography, captures the unpopulated wilderness and complex water systems of the North Slope, including Ignek Creek and Fire Creek, before modern environmental management shifted the region's focus. The land lines shown represent unsurveyed locations predetermined by the Bureau of Land Management, emphasizing the remote nature of this Arctic frontier.