1961 Map of Skagway B-8

About this map

The Alsek River cuts through the northwest corner of this 1961 survey, where the glacial landscape is dominated by high-altitude ice and snow. This unique sheet, based on aerial photographs taken as early as 1948, focuses on a remote section of the international boundary between the United States and Canada. The topographic detail emphasizes the extreme glaciology of the region, noting numerous crevasses across the ice fields. The line of the British Columbia and Alaska border is the primary human-defined feature on this otherwise wild landscape, marking the high ridges and frozen basins that separate the two nations. This map serves as a vital record of the ice extent and international boundary positioning before the shifts of later decades.