1971 Map of Sagavanirktok C-3

About this map

The Sagavanirktok River braids across this 1971 North Slope landscape, illustrating the complex hydrology of the Alaskan arctic before extensive infrastructure development. This survey, compiled from 1970 aerial photography, captures the region at a pivotal moment in the state's energy history. A single Sag River Oil Well stands as a sentinel of early exploration in the vast wetlands and tundra. The terrain is traversed only by a Winter Road and a Winter Trail, seasonal routes that reflect the extreme environmental constraints of the territory. These temporary transportation corridors and the isolated well site document the transition from a remote wilderness to an active petroleum frontier during the early 1970s.