Loading map...

1952 Map of Russian Mission D-4

Name: 1952 Topographic Map of Russian Mission D-4
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1962
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1962

About this map

The Yukon River dominates this 1952 topographic study, carving a wide path beneath the rising elevations of the Paimiut Mountains. The landscape is defined by a complex hydrologic network of interconnected waterways, where the main river channel is flanked by a series of significant side channels including Twelvemile Slough and Paimiut Slough. This intricate lattice of water and silt suggests a dynamic environment where seasonal shifts dictate movement across the terrain.

Surface transportation in the early 1950s relied on a specialized network of paths, most notably a Winter Trail that provided passage when the ground was frozen and the river impassable by boat. The presence of the Paimiut Portage indicates traditional travel routes between the river systems, while features like Great Paimiut Island mark significant landmasses within the shifting current. This map serves as a detailed record of the Yukon’s seasonal navigation routes and its natural floodplains before later environmental changes.