Batnuni Airport

Economic reasons and diminished need. The airport was a private airstrip, and its closure was almost certainly due to the high cost of maintenance (grading, insurance, marking) relative to its utility for the property owners. As road access to remote areas improves and the specific needs of landowners change (e.g., change of ownership, shift in business focus), private airstrips are often abandoned.

The site is an abandoned and unmaintained airstrip. Satellite imagery clearly shows the outline of the former dirt/gravel runway, but it is significantly overgrown with grass and shrubs and is being reclaimed by the surrounding natural environment. The land is part of the Batnuni Ranch property, and the former runway is no longer suitable for aviation. It may be used informally as a private track or field by the current landowners.

Batnuni Airport was a private aerodrome built to serve the historic Batnuni Ranch in the remote Chilcotin Plateau of British Columbia, Canada. Its purpose was to support the ranch's operations by providing direct air access for small general aviation aircraft, often referred to as 'bush planes'. It handled the transportation of ranch owners, guests, workers, and essential light cargo. In such a remote region, a private airstrip was a critical piece of infrastructure, significantly reducing travel time compared to the long and often difficult overland routes.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Batnuni Airport. Re-establishing it as a registered aerodrome would require substantial private investment to clear, grade, and bring the runway up to modern Transport Canada safety standards. Given its remote location and the likely availability of alternative transportation, a reopening is considered highly unlikely.