Tatla Lake Airport

The closure was not due to a singular event like an accident or military conversion. The most likely reasons are economic and logistical. As a private airstrip, it was probably closed due to the high cost of maintenance for the landowner, a change in land ownership, or because it became redundant for public and charter use after the establishment and improvement of the main Tatla Lake Airport (CYTC), which offers more reliable services and is officially certified by Transport Canada.

The site is private land. Satellite imagery from the specified coordinates shows a clearly visible but unmaintained gravel or dirt runway. The surface appears weathered and partially overgrown, indicating a lack of regular maintenance. However, faint tire tracks suggest it may still see occasional, unofficial use by private pilots with bush aircraft, likely with the permission of the landowner. It is not a registered or certified aerodrome and has no facilities or services.

This airstrip was a private or ranch airfield typical of those found in the remote Chilcotin region of British Columbia. Historically, such strips were essential lifelines for communities and ranches, providing vital access for supplies, mail, medical transport, and personnel before reliable road networks were established. It would have primarily handled small, single-engine bush planes like the Cessna 185, Piper Super Cub, or de Havilland Beaver, which are designed for short, unprepared runway operations. The airstrip represents a key part of the region's pioneering aviation history, where private air travel was fundamental to connecting isolated areas.

There are no known official plans or prospects to reopen this specific airstrip as a public or registered facility. The aviation needs of the Tatla Lake community are adequately served by the active and maintained Tatla Lake Airport (CYTC). Any future formal use or reopening would depend entirely on the private initiative and investment of the current landowner.