1986 Map of Survey Pass D-4

About this map

The Continental Divide anchors the southern portion of this landscape, marking the high crest where waters part toward separate oceans. This mid-1980s provisional survey, based on 1973 aerial photography, documents the headwaters of the Killik River as it winds north through the heart of the Gates of the Arctic National Park. The topography is dominated by steep drainage systems and tributary waters like April Creek in the northeast. This area, spanning the boundary into the North Slope Borough, remains one of the most preserved wilderness environments in the Brooks Range. The inclusion of the Gates of the Arctic Wilderness designation reflects the era's land conservation efforts following the Alaksa National Interest Lands Conservation Act. The map captures a high-elevation environment where seasonal perennial streams define the shape of the land without the presence of established roads or permanent settlements.