1955 Map of Umiat C-5

About this map

The Judy Creek drainage and the meandering Kikiakrorak River dominate this 1955 portrait of the Arctic coastal plain. The terrain transitions from the lake-saturated lowlands in the north to the increasingly dissected upland plateaus toward the south, where the Kogosukruk River carves through the landscape. This era of mapping was part of a larger effort by the U.S. Army Topographic Command to document remote territories for civil and industrial use. A notable human element in this otherwise undeveloped expanse is the Winter Trail, which cuts across the tundra and creek beds, marking a seasonal transport route vital for crossing the frozen landscape. The map's contour lines and numerous unnamed lakes illustrate the complex hydrology of the North Slope, where water and permafrost dictate the pattern of movement and land use.