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1952 Map of Valdez A-6

Name: 1952 Topographic Map of Valdez A-6
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1959
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1959

About this map

The Richardson Highway snakes through the glacial valleys of the Chugach Mountains, providing a vital land link in the early 1950s. This survey illustrates the proximity of aviation and traditional transport, with the Valdez Airport and a Seaplane Landing positioned near the mouth of the Valdez Glacier. The settlement pattern is sparse and utilitarian, marked by scattered Cabins and Camp 13 along the roadway.

South of the massive ice fields like Corbin Glacier and Hogback Glacier, the landscape transitions into the braided channels of the Lowe River. Notable landmarks for researchers include a Cem near the riverbank and the dramatic narrow passage of Keystone Canyon, which contains a Tunnel and the high walls of Washbowl Basin. The map captures the era when the mountain peaks, such as Mt Francis and West Peak, dictated the movement of goods and people toward the coast.