1971 Map of Sagavanirktok B-5

About this map

White Hills dominate the northern terrain of this 1971 Alaskan survey, which captures the remote landscape of the North Slope before extensive infrastructure arrived. This map documents a transitional period in Arctic transportation, highlighting the reliance on seasonal routes such as the Winter Road and Winter Trail. These paths reflect the logistical challenges of the era, where heavy movement was often restricted to the frozen months to protect the tundra and navigate the low-relief marshlands. The presence of the Base Line running through the center of the sheet underscores the systematic effort of the U.S. Geological Survey to bring formal cartographic structure to this unorganized wilderness. For researchers of North Slope history, the map provides a rare look at the original alignment of these early access routes across a landscape of countless unnamed lakes and ponds.