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1949 Map of Nabesna D-6

Name: 1949 Topographic Map of Nabesna D-6
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1970
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1970

About this map

Mentasta Lake and its surrounding mountain passes dominate this 1949 interior Alaska landscape, captured during a period of transition for northern transportation. The map reveals the critical geographic importance of Mentasta Pass, where the Glenn Highway follows a path through the Mentasta Mountains, paralleling the older historic Eagle Trail. Along the shores of Mentasta Lake, the presence of Ruins and a Lodge near a Landing Strip suggests a mid-century hub for travelers and local transport in an otherwise remote wilderness.

The complex hydrology of the Slana River basin is visible through the intricate network of the Mabel Slough and Slana Slough, which drain the valley floor between high peaks like those at Indian Pass. This survey provides researchers with a look at the infrastructure of the era, from a primitive Tractor Trail in the northwest to established water bodies like Carlson Lake and Kennedy Lake in the southern reaches.