1953 Map of Valdez A-5

About this map

Richardson Highway cuts through the Chugach Mountains at mid-century, following a vital transportation corridor through Thompson Pass. This 1953 survey, later updated with the path of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, shows a landscape defined by massive ice fields and high-altitude river systems. The northern section is dominated by the Worthington Glacier and the Tsina River valley, where small outpost markers like Ptarmigan Drop and Ptarmigan indicate early roadside development. To the south, the Lowe River winds through a deep canyon, fed by the runoff from the Heiden Glacier and Deserted Glacier. The inclusion of the Landing Strip near the highway and the Valdez Corporate Boundary at the southwestern edge provides a rare look at the infrastructure supporting this remote interior region during its transition into a modern energy corridor.