Dangerous River Airport

The airport's closure was due to economic reasons, specifically the shutdown of the private commercial enterprise it exclusively served. The airstrip was not a public facility but a private-use field for the Dangerous River Lodge, a sport fishing destination. When the lodge ceased operations, the airstrip was no longer needed, maintained, or used, and was subsequently abandoned.

The site is abandoned and the airstrip is completely unusable. Satellite imagery confirms the runway is heavily overgrown with alder, grasses, and other vegetation, making it indistinguishable from the surrounding terrain from ground level. The harsh coastal Alaskan weather has likely caused any remaining lodge structures to fall into severe disrepair or collapse entirely. The area has reverted to wilderness and is part of the vast, remote landscape of the Tongass National Forest, near the boundary of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve. Access to the site today would require a boat or helicopter.

The airport's significance was purely logistical and commercial, not military or strategic. It was constructed to provide the sole air access to the remote Dangerous River Lodge, which was renowned for its world-class steelhead and salmon fishing. When active, the airport handled general aviation charter flights, primarily bush planes (such as Cessna 206s, de Havilland Beavers, or similar aircraft) flying in from the main airport in Yakutat (PAYA). These flights transported guests, staff, and essential supplies to the otherwise inaccessible lodge. The unpaved, gravel runway was critical to the lodge's viability, making it a key piece of infrastructure for this niche tourism operation in the Alaskan wilderness.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening the Dangerous River Airport. A reopening would be a massive undertaking, requiring significant private investment to clear and regrade the runway, re-establish navigational aids (if any existed), and, most importantly, rebuild a commercial enterprise like a lodge to justify its existence. Given the high costs and logistical challenges of operating in such a remote part of Alaska, a revival of the airport is considered highly unlikely in the foreseeable future.