Yoyo Airport

The airport's closure was due to economic and logistical reasons tied to its industrial purpose. As a private airstrip built to serve the Yoyo gas field, its existence was dependent on the operational needs of the energy companies in the area. The closure was likely caused by a combination of factors: the completion of the primary exploration or construction phases it was built to support, the development of a more extensive network of service roads for ground transportation, and an increased reliance on more versatile helicopter transport for crew changes and urgent supplies, which made a dedicated fixed-wing airstrip redundant and economically unviable to maintain.

The site is completely abandoned and decommissioned. The former runway is now entirely overgrown with trees and shrubs, making it unusable for any aviation activity. While the faint outline of the airstrip is still visible in satellite imagery, it is effectively being reclaimed by the surrounding boreal forest. The surrounding area remains active with natural gas infrastructure, including wellheads, pipelines, and access roads, but the airstrip itself plays no role in current operations.

Yoyo Airport's significance was purely industrial and localized. It was a private, unpaved airstrip that served as a vital logistical link for the development and operation of the Yoyo gas field and other natural gas projects in the remote northeastern corner of British Columbia. It was never a public airport. During its active period, likely from the 1970s through the 1990s, it facilitated the transport of personnel (engineers, geologists, workers), time-sensitive equipment, and essential supplies. Operations would have exclusively involved rugged STOL (Short Take-Off and Landing) aircraft, such as the de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver, DHC-3 Otter, and DHC-6 Twin Otter, which are capable of operating from short, unprepared surfaces common in the Canadian north.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Yoyo Airport. The original operational requirement for the airstrip no longer exists. Modern logistics in the region are handled by an extensive road network and helicopter services. The significant cost required to clear the vegetation, regrade the surface, and potentially certify the airstrip for use is prohibitive and lacks any economic or industrial justification.