1951 Map of Valdez B-5

About this map

Tonsina Glacier dominates the central portion of this 1950s landscape, illustrating the raw hydrological systems of the Alaska interior. The meltwater from this massive ice field feeds the Tonsina River, which flows into the expansive Tonsina Lake to the north. This survey, compiled from aerial photography taken in 1950 and 1957, documents a wilderness devoid of roads or trails, where natural drainage patterns define the geography. The presence of Greyling Lake and its corresponding Greyling Creek suggests a sub-basin tucked between the high peaks, while the Tsina River skirts the southern margin. The map provides a baseline for geomorphological change, recording the exact extent of the glacial ice and the braided channels of the river valleys before more modern climactic shifts altered these features.