Esker Lake Airport

Logistical and economic obsolescence. Esker Lake was a rudimentary airstrip built to support early mineral exploration. It was replaced by the larger, all-weather, and permanently maintained Donaldson Airport (CYAU), which was constructed to support the full-scale development and long-term operation of the nearby Raglan Mine.

The airport is abandoned and decommissioned. The runway, which was constructed on a natural esker (a long, winding ridge of sand and gravel), is still visible via satellite imagery but is unmaintained and no longer suitable for aviation. All associated infrastructure, such as buildings or fuel caches, has been removed or has fallen into ruin. The site is remote and not used for any formal purpose.

Esker Lake Airport was a private gravel airstrip that played a critical role in the initial exploration and proving phases of the Raglan nickel belt in the Nunavik region of Northern Quebec. Operated by mining company Falconbridge Limited (now Glencore), the airstrip was a vital lifeline to a very remote area. It enabled the transport of geologists, survey crews, drilling equipment, and essential supplies. Operations were limited to rugged STOL (Short Take-Off and Landing) aircraft capable of handling unprepared gravel runways, such as the de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter and DHC-2 Beaver. The airport's existence was fundamental to the successful exploration that ultimately led to the establishment of the major Raglan Mine.

None. There are no plans or economic incentives to reopen the Esker Lake airstrip. The modern and fully-equipped Donaldson Airport (CYAU) is located approximately 20 km to the northeast and capably serves all the aviation requirements for the Raglan Mine and the region.