Aishihik Airport

The airport's closure was a direct result of the end of World War II and the subsequent decline in its strategic importance. Its primary purpose was military, and with the conclusion of the Lend-Lease program and the reduction of military presence in the north, the high cost of maintaining a remote subarctic airfield was no longer justifiable. The closure was part of a broader demobilization and consolidation of military infrastructure.

The site is abandoned and in a state of decay. The two large gravel runways are still clearly visible from the air and on satellite imagery but are unmaintained, overgrown with vegetation, and considered unusable for any official aviation purposes. Several original WWII-era buildings, including large hangars and various smaller structures, are still standing but are derelict and deteriorating. The site is a point of historical interest for tourists, photographers, and locals, and it lies within the traditional territory of the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations. It has no official function and is essentially a ghost town and historical landmark.

Aishihik Airport was a critical component of the Northwest Staging Route during World War II, constructed in 1942-1943. Its primary function was to serve as a vital refueling, maintenance, and emergency landing field for thousands of American-built aircraft being ferried from the United States to Alaska and onward to the Soviet Union under the Lend-Lease Act. Operated by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) as RCAF Station Aishihik, it was a major logistical hub in a remote wilderness. The station was equipped with two large runways, hangars, barracks, a hospital, and a control tower, supporting a significant population of Canadian and American military personnel. Its existence was essential for the successful execution of the aircraft ferry operations that supported the Allied war effort on the Eastern Front.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Aishihik Airport. The cost to restore the runways and infrastructure to modern standards would be prohibitive. Furthermore, there is no economic or strategic demand for an airport at this remote location, as the aviation needs of the region are adequately served by the nearby, operational Haines Junction Airport (CYHT). The site's value is now primarily historical and cultural.