1953 Map of Valdez A-5

About this map

Thompson Pass and the surrounding ice fields anchor this 1953 survey, documenting the critical transport corridor into the Alaskan interior. The Richardson Highway snakes through the high-altitude terrain, passing through Ptarmigan Drop and alongside Blueberry Lake. This edition also captures the industrial footprint of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline as it parallels the highway and the Tsina River. The landscape is dominated by massive ice features including Worthington Glacier, Deserted Glacier, and Marshall Glacier. To the south, the Lowe River cuts through the dramatic Heiden Canyon, while drainage from Wortmanns Glacier feeds into the network of mountain streams. The map provides an essential look at the physical geography and infrastructure required to navigate this portion of the Chugach Mountains before late 20th-century developments changed the local footprint.