Field Surveying and Topographic Mapping in Alaska: 1947-83
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FIELD SURVEYING AND TOPOGRAPHIC MAPPING IN ALASKA: 1947-83 By Robert C. Foley U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CIRCULAR 991 A chronological review of surveying activities in Alaska from 1947 to 1983, including a brief description of camp life and some of the hardships and unusual experiences encountered DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR DONALD PAUL HODEL, Secretary U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Dallas L. Peck, Director Free on application to the Books and Open-File Reports Section, U.S. Geological Survey, Federal Center, Box 25425, Denver, CO 80225 Foreword Field surveying and mapping in Alaska over the years have provided a unique opportunity for many not-so-ordinary experiences worthy of being recorded before they are lost forever. The author, Robert C. Foley, has pro- vided a historical recounting of the Geological Survey's Alaska field map- ping activities and related experiences during the period 1947-83. Robert retired from the Rocky Mountain Mapping Center in 1980 after 36 years of Federal service, including 16 field seasons spent in Alaska. He was hired as a reemployed annuitant until 1983. Robert is unquestionably this map- ping center's foremost Alaska mapping authority and was awarded the De- partment of the Interior's Superior Service Award in 1983 in recognition of his contributions, Although some editorial changes have been made to improve the organi- zation and flow of this publication, we have purposely avoided major changes in wording to preserve the author's style in recounting these events. Merle E. Southern Chief, Rocky Mountain Mapping Center U.S. Geological Survey Denver, Colorado Contents Foreword .......................................... Mapping activities. 1947-83-Continued Abstract ........................................... 1969 ........................................... 25 Introduction ....................................... 1970 .......................................... 25 Mapping activities before 1947 ..................... 1971 ............................................ 26 Mapping activities. 1947-83 ........................ 1972 ............................................ 26 1947 ............................................ 1973 ............................................. 27 1948 ............................................ 1974 ............................................ 28 1949 ........................................... 1975 ............................................ 28 1950 ............................................ 1976 ............................................ 28 1977 ....................................... 28 1978 ............................................ 29 1979 ...................... .... .. ............. 30 1980 ........................................ 31 1981 .......................................... 31 1982 ............................................ 32 1983 ........................................... 32 Summary .......................................... 34 Selected references ................................ 36 Appendig A-Alaska project campsites .............. 38 Appendix B-Alaska field crews .................... 39 Appendix C-Alaska geographic features named for U.S. Geological Survey employees .............. 43 Appendix D-History of explorations and surveys, by Alfred H . Brooks (1906) ........................ 45 Appendix E-Surveying and mapping in Alaska. by Gerald FitzGerald (1951) ....................... 75 page Map showing the location of project campsites ................................................................................. h pocket Figures Page First helicopter used in Alaska. near Big Delta ................................................................ 3 Author insmallboat at Pelicancamp ........................................................................ 4 CrewatGlacierBay ......................................................................................... 6 %air stylisf 'on the Gulkana-Tok project ....................................................................... 7 Triangulation station near Taku Harbor ...................................................................... 8 Fieldman going to work at Clarence Lake .................................................................... 9 Typical Survey camp in Alaska .............................................................................. 11 AU of the comforts of home-shower at Tanana ............................................................... 11 Inserting glass plate in phototheodolite ....................................................................... 12 Bell Model 476 helicopter after a bad landing near Northway .................................................. 14 Changing damaged helicopter blades onsite, Gardiner Creek .................................................. 14 Figures-Continued Page Widgeon after breaking through the ice at Schrader Lake ..................................................... heparing to haul fuel off Schrader Lake to designated areas for helicopter caches .............................. Dog team hauling fuel off the ice at Old John Lake ........................................................... Camp on Black River during the flood caused by heavy rains in Canada ....................................... Drivingthe AlcanHighwayto Alaska ........................................................................ First electronic distance-measuring equipment in use at Bering Glacier ......................................... Camp at Chisana, Wrangell Mountains ....................................................................... R. E . Isto. the Survey's first Alaska Resident Engineer, on the Juneau Ice Cap .................................. Damage from the Good Friday earthquake near Turnagain Slide ............................................... Amchitka Island showing quonset huts left from World War I1 ................................................. Geological Survey office in Fairbanks before the 1967 flood ................................................... Hiller 12-E helicopter, electrotape, and signal light on a map control point south of Bettles ...................... Survey convoy on the Alcan Highway en route to Anchorage .................................................. Satellite tracking instrument used for establishing geodetic positions from satellites ............................. Field classification of mapworthy features in Alaska suburbia .................................................. Mount McKinley as seen through the clouds from north of Talkeetna .......................................... Walter Cronkite inspecting equipment during filming of Survey operations for 'Universe" TVseries ................................................................................................. Satellite tracking receiver set up near pumping station as part of 1983 control tie work along the AlaskaPipeline ....................................................................................... Readying the Tiloma for a day's work near Juneau ............................................................ Field Surveying and Topographic Mapping in Alaska: 1947-83 By Robert C. Foley Abstract cal Survey's presence in Alaska, other Federal and State agencies were engaged in surveymg, The U.S.Geological Survey's earliest presence in Alaska dates back to 1889. A decade later, topographic mapping mapping, and charting activities in Alaska. The became an integral part of the Geological Survey's Alaska cooperative spirit and support that existed program, mostly as reconnaissance-type mapping and among these agencies made a difficult map- special-purpose mapping of specific sites. It was not until ping task somewhat easier. after World War I1 that the Survey's Alaska topographic Much of the early exploration work and map- mapping efforts began to bear fruit. This circular retraces surveying and topographic mapping ping effort in Alaska has been ably docu- by the Geological Survey in Alaska from 1947 to 1983 and mented by Alfred H. Brooks in The Geography describes camp life and some of the unusual happenings and Geology of Alaska (p. 104-132 are repro- involved in working In virtually uninhabited country, ad- duced as Appendix D in this circular) and by verse weather, and difficult terrain. A year-by-year recap of Gerald FitzGerald in Surveying and Mapping activities documents the transition from early small-scale mapping efforts to more accurate and detailed 1:63,360- in Alaska (reproduced as Appendix E), scale mapping for Alaska except the Aleutian Islands and The intent of this circular is not only to docu- isolated islands in the Bering Sea. Recent 1:25,000-scale ment Alaska field activities during the period metric mapping and the preparation of orthophotographs from 1947 to 1983, but to preserve something of and special mapping efforts for other Government agencies the past before all personal contact with the also are recounted. fieldmen involved is lost. The Geological Sur- vey workforce has gone through a transition of I Introduction sorts, where most of the older continqent of Alaska field personnel have assumed other 1889, As early as U.S. Geological Survey per- duties or retired. This circular presents a sonnel were sent to Alaska as members of vari- chronological recap of the work of ths sea- 1898 ous scientific expeditions. It was not until soned group of fieldmen and something of their that an organized and systematic topographic Alaska experiences-the favorite stories and mapping effort became an integral part of the anecdotes that could