1985 Map of Shungnak C-4

About this map

Selawik National Wildlife Refuge encompasses a significant portion of this Arctic landscape, reflecting federal conservation efforts established by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980. The terrain is defined by two prominent uplands: the Sheklukshuk Range in the north and the Kiliovilik Range in the southeast. Between these heights, the Rabbit River meanders through a complex network of wetlands and perennial streams, eventually joined by Kiliovilik Creek. This 1985 provisional survey, compiled from aerial photography taken in 1971, illustrates an area devoid of roads or trails, preserving the remote character of the Northwest Arctic. The absence of human-built infrastructure highlights the primitive state of the region during the late twentieth century, where drainage patterns and topographic contours provide the only navigational landmarks.