1952 Map of Nulato A-5

About this map

The Kateel River Range dominates the western landscape of this interior Alaskan territory, where the terrain descends into a vast network of watercourses and wetlands. Mapped primarily from 1952 aerial photography, the sheet documents a wilderness dominated by the meandering Kateel River and the complex drainage of the Mud River and Little Mud River. The absence of roads or permanent settlements in this 1950s survey reflects the remote nature of the region, where surveyors relied on benchmarks like VABM Katel 1550 to navigate the high ground. Interpretation of the landscape reveals a heavy reliance on natural hydrology, with Yukon Creek and Magitchlie Creek carving through the low-lying basins. This map captures the area in its raw, undeveloped state before modern infrastructure reached this portion of the Alaskan interior.