Wall MapPrince William Sound |
Wall Map of Prince William Sound in Alaska. Published by Tom Patterson / shadedrelief.com.
As a cartographer and admirer of Alaskan landscapes, I have always been fascinated by the intermingled islands, fjords, glaciers, and mountains of Prince William Sound. I started this map in February 2019 and finished it nine months later, working on and off. My aim was to make a physical map showcasing this magnificent place. Prince William Sound turned out being the most laborious map that I have ever made. The culprit: climate change. Although much of the data that went into making the map was of recent vintage, glaciers in the region have melted noticeably these last few years. Updating physical features—glaciers, coastlines, rivers, and lakes—from recent satellite images took up ninety percent of my time. Nevertheless, the completed map is only a snapshot in time. Columbia Glacier, for example, receded three miles (4.8 kilometers) between 2019 and the most recent update in 2025. Much of what the map depicts will be out-of-date again before too long. Enjoy it while it lasts! Tom Patterson
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source
shadedrelief.com, September 2025
