Beaverdell, CA 🇨🇦 Closed Airport
CA-0042
-
2638 ft
CA-BC
Loading...
Loading...GPS Code: Not available
Local Code: Not available
Location: 49.457246° N, -119.088063° E
Continent: NA
Type: Closed Airport
Based on the conducted search, there are no recent traveler reviews or experiences available for Beaverdell Airport (CA-0042) in the typical sense of a commercial passenger airport. The available information suggests that CA-0042 is likely a very small, possibly abandoned or minimally maintained airstrip, primarily used for general aviation, forestry, or firefighting purposes, rather than a commercial facility with regular passenger traffic.
The nearest commercial airport to Beaverdell is Kelowna (YLW), approximately an hour's drive away.
A YouTube video from 2016 describes the Beaverdell airstrip as a "beautiful place to come and hang out" and mentions it has a crushed gravel runway that is "pretty clean". It notes some basic amenities like power and running water (though not always running) and temporary shelters, potentially maintained by forestry for firefighting use. The airstrip is located about a mile north of the village, which has a grocery store and gas. Access to the airstrip appears to be through a locked gate managed by forestry.
Due to the nature of Beaverdell Airport (CA-0042) as a non-commercial airstrip, there are no traveler reviews regarding terminal facilities, amenities, cleanliness, security wait times, customs/immigration experience, or transportation connections and parking as would be expected for a commercial airport. Information on security wait times, parking services, and general airport amenities found in searches pertains to larger commercial airports and not to CA-0042.
In summary, Beaverdell Airport (CA-0042) is not a commercial airport and therefore does not generate the kind of traveler reviews and experiences typically associated with such facilities. It appears to be a basic airstrip with limited infrastructure, primarily suited for small aircraft and operational support rather than passenger services.
Researching traveler experiences online...
Loading weather data...
| Designation | Length | Width | Surface | Status |
|---|
| Type | Description | Frequency |
|---|
The exact closure date is not officially documented, as it was likely a private, unregistered airstrip. Analysis of historical satellite imagery indicates the airport was still distinct and potentially usable in the early 2000s but fell into disuse and became significantly overgrown between approximately 2006 and 2011. It is considered to have been permanently closed by the late 2000s.
The primary reason for closure appears to be abandonment and a lack of maintenance rather than a specific incident or official decision. Small, private airstrips like this are often built for a specific purpose (e.g., supporting a logging operation, mining claim, or private ranch). The closure was likely due to the cessation of the activity it was built to support, a change in land ownership, or the owner no longer having the need or financial means to maintain it. There is no evidence of closure due to an accident or for military purposes.
The site of the former airport is completely abandoned and has reverted to nature. The faint outline of the north-south dirt runway is still visible on satellite imagery, but the surface is entirely overgrown with grass, shrubs, and young trees. A dirt track now cuts across the northern end of the former runway. There are no remaining hangars, buildings, or any aviation-related infrastructure on the site. The land is an empty field, indistinguishable from the surrounding wilderness except for the faint scar of the old runway.
Beaverdell Airport was a small, unpaved bush strip that served the remote community of Beaverdell. Its historical operations were tied to the region's primary industries: mining and forestry. The airstrip would have been used by STOL (Short Takeoff and Landing) aircraft, such as the de Havilland Beaver or Cessna 180/185, which are common in British Columbia for accessing remote areas. Its functions likely included:
- Transporting prospectors, geologists, and mining personnel.
- Flying in equipment, parts, and supplies for local operations.
- Supporting logging activities in the surrounding forests.
- Potentially serving as a forward base for BC Wildfire Service aircraft for reconnaissance or crew deployment during fire season.
- Use by private recreational pilots and property owners in the area.
There are no known plans, proposals, or prospects for reopening the Beaverdell Airport. The cost to clear the extensive overgrowth, regrade the runway, and restore it to a safe, usable condition would be substantial. Given the proximity of larger, well-maintained airports in Penticton (CYYF) and Kelowna (CYLW) that serve the broader region, there is no apparent economic or logistical driver to justify the investment in reopening this small, remote strip.