Alaskan Boundary 1908

Current Issue October 2008
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Marking the Alaskan Boundary

Images from the March 1908 National Geographic article on the survey of Alaska.

/2008/06/alaskan-boundary/img/1-mountains-alaska-714.jpg /2008/06/alaskan-boundary/img/alaska-60-01.jpg Photograph by Radcliffe Hordern, Alaskan Boundary Commission Note the woman's face outlined by the profile of the mountain. ]]> /2008/06/alaskan-boundary/img/2-brady-glacier-714.jpg /2008/06/alaskan-boundary/img/alaska-60-02.jpg Photograph by E.R. Martin, Alaskan Boundary Survey This view shows the face of the Brady Glacier in the upper end of Glacier Bay, and about 20 miles from the international boundary. This glacier runs through to the coast, sloping from its summit each way. No indication of recession was seen and its surface is so rough and broken up that it is quite impassable as far as observed. ]]> /2008/06/alaskan-boundary/img/3-cliff-man-475.jpg /2008/06/alaskan-boundary/img/alaska-60-03.jpg Photograph by E.R. Martin, Alaskan Boundary Survey Some of the difficulties of triangulation. Climbing an almost vertical cliff by a rope. This cliff is almost 100 feet high, and affords the only means to reach the summit. The man on the rope has a theodolite on his back. This ascent had to be made five times before the necessary observations were completed. ]]> /2008/06/alaskan-boundary/img/4-men-glacier-714.jpg /2008/06/alaskan-boundary/img/alaska-60-04.jpg Photograph by E.R. Martin, Alaskan Boundary Survey No difficulty was found in traveling at will over this glacier. ]]> /2008/06/alaskan-boundary/img/5-rowboat-ice-714.jpg /2008/06/alaskan-boundary/img/alaska-60-05.jpg Photograph by E.R. Martin, Alaskan Boundary Survey This outfit spent fourteen successive hours working the boat through the floating ice. In eight of the fourteen hours no land was visible, and part of that time the bow of the boat was almost invisible from the stern. A dense fog covered everything, and the boat was navigated by a pocket compass. Some of the bergs were very large, and the fact that they break up and roll over without any apparent reason and without any warning, made this trip extremely dangerous.]]> /2008/06/alaskan-boundary/img/6-muir-glacier-714.jpg /2008/06/alaskan-boundary/img/alaska-60-06.jpg Photograph by E.R. Martin, Alaskan Boundary Survey /2008/06/alaskan-boundary/img/7-mountains-aerial-714.jpg /2008/06/alaskan-boundary/img/alaska-60-07.jpg Photograph by E.R. Martin, Alaskan Boundary Survey /2008/06/alaskan-boundary/img/8-soles-shoes-475.jpg /2008/06/alaskan-boundary/img/alaska-60-08.jpg Photograph by E.R. Martin, Alaskan Boundary Survey /2008/06/alaskan-boundary/img/9-climbing-cliff-475.jpg /2008/06/alaskan-boundary/img/alaska-60-09.jpg Photograph by E.R. Martin, Alaskan Boundary Survey /2008/06/alaskan-boundary/img/10-tent-camp-714.jpg /2008/06/alaskan-boundary/img/alaska-60-10.jpg Photograph by E.R. Martin, Alaskan Boundary Survey /2008/06/alaskan-boundary/img/11-camp-mountain-714.jpg /2008/06/alaskan-boundary/img/alaska-60-11.jpg Photograph by E.R. Martin, Alaskan Boundary Survey /2008/06/alaskan-boundary/img/12-hiking-mountain-714.jpg /2008/06/alaskan-boundary/img/alaska-60-12.jpg Photograph by E.R. Martin, Alaskan Boundary Survey /2008/06/alaskan-boundary/img/13-camp-dog-714.jpg /2008/06/alaskan-boundary/img/alaska-60-13.jpg Photograph by E.R. Martin, Alaskan Boundary Survey The chief of parties feeding the pet of the outfit. A triangulation station signal and cairn, with the cook tent in the background. ]]> /2008/06/alaskan-boundary/img/14-ship-mountains-714.jpg /2008/06/alaskan-boundary/img/alaska-60-14.jpg Photograph by E.R. Martin, Alaskan Boundary Survey This view was taken between 9:30 and 10:30 P. M.]]> /2008/06/alaskan-boundary/img/15-sun-clouds-714.jpg /2008/06/alaskan-boundary/img/alaska-60-15.jpg Photograph by E.R. Martin, Alaskan Boundary Survey This view was taken between 9:30 and 10:30 P. M.]]> /2008/06/alaskan-boundary/img/16-pool-mountain-714.jpg /2008/06/alaskan-boundary/img/alaska-60-16.jpg Photograph by E.R. Martin, Alaskan Boundary Survey