1949 Map of Nabesna D-6

About this map

Mentasta Lake and the surrounding Copper River Basin corridor are captured in this mid-century survey as the region's transportation network began to solidify. The Glenn Highway provides the primary arterial through Mentasta Pass, paralleling the historic Eagle Trail which represents an older era of overland travel. The landscape is defined by the broad, braided drainage of the Slana River and its associated Slana Slough, which create a complex wetland environment between the high ridges of the Alaska Range. Settlement remains sparse, represented by a Lodge and Landing Strip near the pass, indicating the importance of bush aviation for accessing this interior wilderness. Further south, the terrain transitions toward Indian Pass and the remote waters of Carlson Lake and Kennedy Lake, where high-altitude markers like VABM 6447 Siko anchor the geographic survey of this formidable terrain.