Bear River Airport

Economic reasons. Bear River Airport was a private airstrip built and maintained to serve a specific industrial purpose: mineral exploration. Its operator of record was Archer, Cathro & Associates (1981) Ltd., a geological consulting firm heavily involved in the Yukon's mining sector. The airstrip provided access to the nearby Goz Creek zinc-lead exploration project. Such airstrips are closed when exploration projects are suspended or terminated due to factors like low commodity prices, lack of funding, or unfavorable drilling results, making the cost of maintaining the airstrip unnecessary.

The site is an abandoned, unmaintained gravel airstrip. Satellite imagery clearly shows the runway outline, which remains visible due to the slow-growing alpine vegetation. There are no buildings, fuel caches, or any other airport facilities remaining on the site. It is a 'ghost airport'—a remnant of past mining activity in the region. While technically unusable for official purposes, it might be used in an emergency or by private bush pilots at their own extreme risk.

The airport's significance was purely logistical and industrial, not public. It served as a vital lifeline for the remote Goz Creek exploration camp in the Mackenzie Mountains. Operations consisted of charter flights carrying personnel (geologists, drillers, support staff), camp supplies, fuel, and heavy equipment parts. It was also used to fly out core samples for assaying. The aircraft that typically used such remote strips were STOL (Short Take-Off and Landing) capable, such as the de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver, DHC-3 Otter, and DHC-6 Twin Otter, which are essential for accessing rugged and remote Canadian terrain.

There are no current official plans to reopen Bear River Airport. Its future is entirely contingent on the resumption of significant mineral exploration or development at the Goz Creek property or adjacent claims. If a mining company were to acquire the project and invest in a new exploration program, they would likely need to re-establish and certify the airstrip to support their operations. Until then, it will remain closed and abandoned.