Jumping Cairbou Lake Water Aerodrome

The primary reason for the aerodrome's closure was logistical and economic, driven by the improvement of ground transportation. The lodge served by the aerodrome, Jumping Caribou Camp, became accessible via a reliable road (the Red Squirrel Road). With guests and supplies able to arrive by vehicle, the necessity of maintaining an officially registered fly-in water aerodrome diminished. The operator likely decided it was no longer necessary to maintain the official Transport Canada registration, as floatplanes can still land on the lake on an ad-hoc basis without the site being officially listed.

The aerodrome is officially listed as 'closed' and is no longer a registered aviation facility with Transport Canada. The physical site, Jumping Caribou Lake, naturally still exists. The associated business, Jumping Caribou Camp, is still in full operation but now functions primarily as a drive-in lodge. While the official aerodrome designation is gone, the lake itself remains usable by floatplanes. It is common for private and charter aircraft to continue using the lake to access the lodge or other private cottages in the area, operating without the need for an official aerodrome listing.

The Jumping Caribou Lake Water Aerodrome was historically significant as the dedicated air access point for the Jumping Caribou Camp, a remote fly-in fishing and hunting destination in the Temagami wilderness. During its active period, it was a typical example of the small, essential aerodromes that supported Northern Ontario's tourism industry. Operations consisted exclusively of Visual Flight Rules (VFR) flights by float-equipped aircraft (seaplanes). Common aircraft would have included iconic Canadian bush planes like the de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver, DHC-3 Otter, and various Cessna models on floats (e.g., 185, 206). These planes ferried guests, staff, and supplies from regional hubs like Temagami, Sudbury, and North Bay, making the remote wilderness accessible to tourists.

There are no known plans or prospects to officially reopen or re-register the Jumping Caribou Lake Water Aerodrome. Since the camp it serves has successfully transitioned to a drive-in business model, there is no compelling logistical or financial reason for the operator to undergo the process and expense of re-registering it with Transport Canada. Any future floatplane traffic will almost certainly continue on the current unregistered, ad-hoc basis.