1959 Map of Yakutat D-4

About this map

Russell Fiord and the surrounding wilderness of the Tongass National Forest dominate this 1959 survey of the Alaskan coastline. The landscape is defined by the massive glacial systems that feed into the tidal waters, including the expansive Variegated Glacier and Orange Glacier to the north, and the McCarty Glacier and Hendrickson Glacier to the west. These ice flows carve the steep terrain between peaks like Mount McCarty and Rasmusson Mountain. Coastal features such as Gilbert Point and Cape Enchantment mark the narrow passages where the ice meets the sea. The map provides a detailed look at the hydrography of Nunatak Fiord and Disenchantment Bay, where Osier Island sits at the head of the inlet, illustrating the state of these retreating glaciers and the resulting shoreline just before the 1960s.