Parson Airport

The closure was primarily due to an operational shift by its main user, Canadian Mountain Holidays (CMH), a prominent heli-skiing operator. The airport's function became redundant as CMH streamlined its logistics. Instead of flying guests into the small Parson airstrip via fixed-wing aircraft and then transferring them to helicopters, CMH shifted to bussing guests from major airports (like Calgary International Airport) directly to their various heliport locations, eliminating the need for the intermediate airstrip.

The airport is completely abandoned and decommissioned. The site, located adjacent to the Columbia River, is returning to nature. Satellite imagery shows the faint outline of the former gravel/turf runway, but it is heavily overgrown with grass, shrubs, and young trees. It is unusable for any aviation purposes and is not maintained. The land is private property and there are no remaining airport facilities or infrastructure.

Parson Airport was a private aerodrome (registered aerodrome, not a certified public airport) of significant local importance, almost exclusively for the tourism industry. Its primary historical role was as a critical staging and transfer point for Canadian Mountain Holidays (CMH). For many years, it served as the gateway for heli-skiing clients flying into the region. Small to medium-sized STOL (Short Take-Off and Landing) aircraft, such as the de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter, would transport guests from larger urban centers to Parson. Upon arrival, guests would be transferred to helicopters for the final leg of their journey to remote backcountry lodges, most notably the CMH Bugaboo Lodge. The airport was essential to the growth and logistics of the heli-skiing industry in this part of the Purcell Mountains.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Parson Airport. The original operational need for the airstrip by its primary user no longer exists. Given the small size of the Parson community and the significant cost that would be required to clear, restore, and potentially certify the airstrip, there is no economic or public demand to support its reactivation. Transportation logistics in the region are now well-established via road networks connecting to larger, certified airports like Golden Airport (CYGE) and Canadian Rockies International Airport (CYXC) in Cranbrook.