1971 Map of Sagavanirktok B-2

About this map

Braided river systems and glacial landforms dominate this high-latitude terrain of the North Slope. The wide, shifting gravel beds of the Echooka River and the Ivishak River carve through a landscape of low hills and seasonal wetlands, reflecting the hydrological patterns of the Alaskan arctic in the early 1970s. A solitary Winter Trail provides a glimpse into the seasonal transport routes required to traverse this territory before the development of permanent infrastructure. The presence of the Base Line and unsurveyed land lines predetermined by the Bureau of Land Management highlights the administrative effort to map and organize this remote region, even where permanent settlements like Gilead were few and far between. The drainage of the Kadleroshilik River further illustrates the complex watershed that defines this tundra environment.