The collection contains mostly photographic materials of Washburn's work in
periglacial processes, permafrost, and other geologic activities. There are over
15,000 slides, all of them are 35mm, about 9,500 negatives, with the majority of
them 35mm as well, and approximately 3,500 prints. Many of the regions have
photograph lists and notes describing the images. The collection also contains
correspondence, maps, publications, and other writings and data pertaining to his
research.
Washburn's system for cataloging his images is such: the first letter or letters
relates to the location of the image, the next number is the year the image was
taken, after that is the number of the film roll that he used, and finally is the
frame number. For example, the image A57:1-5 would mean Antarctica, 1957, roll 1,
frame 5. Note: the letters for the location are not always clear.
