FORT Hamlffl to KOTZEBUE SOUND, ALASKA
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(A, Economic Geology, 20 Professional Paper No. 10 I B, Descriptive Geology, 23 DEPARTMENT OF TILE JNTKKJOR UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CHAKLES J). WALCOTT, DIRECTOR RECONNAISSANCE FKOM FORT HAMLffl TO KOTZEBUE SOUND, ALASKA BY WAY UF DALL, KANUTI, ALLEN, AND KOWAK RIVERS BY "WALTER C. MENDENHALL WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1902 CONTENTS. Page. Introduction..________.___._.____._......_._._....................-..............-.....-.. 7 itinerary ___.....-....._....... ...-........._......_.......---.......................---.- 8 Historical summary............1.......................................................... 11 Conditions and methods of work........................................................... 18 General geography........................................................................ 20 Local geography and routes............................................................... 21 Ball River.............................................................................. 21 Kanuti River......................'.........:......................................... 22 Routes via Dall and Kanuti rivers ................................................ 23 Alien Biver.._....,..-........................................................_........ 24 Kowak River. .............'............................................... ............ 25 Kotzebue Sound.._................................_..'............ 1................... 27 Tables of distances.......................... 1......................................... 27 General geology ........................................................................... 31 Metamorphic complex ................................................................ 31 General statement................................................................ 31 Age......-..............---.............-..........-.-----.........--.-.--..--.-- 32 Localities and descriptions ..............-.....--'.................................. 32 Dall River area. ............................................................... 32 Intrusives ..............'.................................................. 33 Kowak area......................"............................................ 33 Kotzebue Sound area ---...-...--..-.......-......-----.........-...::.:..-... 35 Structure .......................................................................... 36 Veins ............................................................................. 36 i Kanuti series......................................................................... 37 Localities and descriptions ........................................................ 37 Interrelations..................................................................... 38 Age and equivalents.............................................................. 38 Bergman series ..........'............................................................. 39 Localities and descriptions ......................................................... 39 Structure............;...........-...-............................................. 40 Age.............................................................................. 40 Kenai series.......................................................................... 41 Localities and descriptions ......................................................... 41 Structure .............. ........................................................... 42 Age.--.-----.....-----.------:---------- ------..------------...-.------'-------- 42 ' 3 4 CONTENTS. General geology Continued. Page. Lavas ................................. .............................................. 42 Basalt...........'......................................................... 42 Andesites and tuffs ............................'........................... 43 Age....---.---.-..---..-....-.--..-....--.--..--..----..--.-.--..-....--......... 43 Unconsolidated deposits................................................................ 43 Ball River................................................................ 43 KaiHiti River ............................................................. 43 Alien Kiver ............. -. ...... ......................................... 44 Kowak River........................... :^................................ 44 Kotzebue Sound .......................................................... 45 Glaciation ............ ....................... ........................................ 45 Economic geology..--..--.-..-.......-_..._......._............_............-........_..... 49 Coal.................................................................................. 49 Dall River................................................................ 49 Kowak River............................................................. 49 Gold..........--.-.-....-............................:......:.................-...... 50 Ball River.................................;.............................. 50 Alien River .............................................................. 50 Noatak River............................,...............'................. 50 Kowak River.................................. ; ..............__....-..... 50 Kotzebue Sound .......................................................... 50 Natives................................................................................... 51 Yukon Valley .........................................'.....................-......... 51 Kowak Valley...,.........._.......................-................................. 52 Climate................................................................................... 53 General _....._........_..._..._..._..........._....'............-.................,... 53 Open season....----.........--.. .................................................... 53 Meteorologic data..................................................................... 54 Fish and game .....--.-.....--.-........-.---..-.......-....-.-----.-.-.--.-.-....--..... 55 Vegetation.....'..........................'........ ........................................ 56 List of plants collected in northern Alaska by W. L. Poto in 1901, identified chiefly by Frederick V. Coville and \V. F. Wight.............................................. 58 Index.................................................................................... 67 ILLUSTRATIONS. Page. PLATE I. Outline map of Alaska.--...........-............................,..__.....:...-._. 7 II. A, Tracking along the edge of the ice, Lake Laberge; B, Rouuding a bad point, Lake Laberge....................................................................... 8 III. A, A riffle, Dall River; B, Sledding, Lake Laberge................................. 10 IV. A, Lower end of Kowak River gorge; B, Looking toward the head of Lake Walker.. 14 T Vo. Topographic reconnaissance map.................................................. 20 V. General geologic map. .......................'.................................... 31 VI. A, View along the upper Kowak 1 mile below the mouth of Kichaiakaka Creek; U, Slaty aspect of Berginau series in lower gorge of Kowak River.................. 34 VII. Geologic map of area above Kowak-Allen portage .................................. 38 VTIT. A, Outcrop of Tertiary (Kenai) sediments, Coal Creek; B, Rapids in outlet of Walker Lake........-........................,..................-......-.-.........'.--. 42 IX. Neariug the headwaters of Helpmejack Creek...................................... 56 RECONNAISSANCE FROM FORT HAMLIN TO KOTZEBUE SOUND. BY WAY OF J)ALL, KANUTI, ALIEN, AND KOWAK" RIVERS. By WALTER C. MENDJRNHALL. INTRODUCTION. The reconnaissance described in the following pages was carried out in pur suance of a plan which has been followed for some years by the United States Geological Survey in the topographic and geologic exploration of the little-known parts of Alaska and in the collection of such information as will be of value not only to the scientific world, but to the prospector, the miner, and the trader. Capital disappears and years are wasted by prospectors who push out beyond the shifting frontier and pursue their search for gold where gold is not to be expected, and lives are being continually lost because the location and character of trails, drainage ways, and mountain ranges and passes are unknown, or because the knowledge which a few possess is not in a form available for the use of others. Gradually the great waterways and mountain systems are being mapped, and reliable information is being gathered concerning the distribution of timber, the number and character of the native inhabitants, and the presence or absence of game all matters of vital interest to the traveler who, whatever his object, ventures away from the great central waterway of the Yukon or from the trading stations on other streams. An important object of the work in the region under consideration is to con tribute to the increasing but as yet inadequate knowledge of the interior of the great Territory, and to present such conclusions concerning the known and prob able distribution of mineral wealth as are justified by a hasty reconnaissance. Those immediately responsible for the work, Mr. D. L. Reaburn and the writer, desire to express their appreciation of the cheerful service rendered at all times, and often under trying circumstances, by the other members of the party, Messrs, li. C. Applegate, W. B. Reaburn, W. W. Von Canon, George Rcvine, and W. L. Poto, without whose individual