Bronson Creek Airport

Economic reasons. The airport was a private aerodrome built for the sole purpose of servicing the high-grade Snip Gold Mine. When the mine ceased operations in 1999 due to declining gold prices and exhausted reserves under the then-current mining plan, there was no longer a need for the airstrip. It was subsequently decommissioned as part of the mine's closure and reclamation process.

The airport is closed, unmaintained, and considered unusable. The runway surface has likely degraded significantly over the last two decades due to weather and lack of maintenance. The site is part of the larger Snip Mine property, which is currently owned by Skeena Resources Ltd., a mineral exploration and development company. The area is subject to ongoing exploration and environmental monitoring.

Bronson Creek Airport was a critical piece of infrastructure for one of British Columbia's most significant gold mines of the 1990s. Its primary historical importance was as a logistical lifeline to the remote Snip Mine, which was operated by Cominco Ltd. and later Barrick Gold. When active, the airport handled:

- **Personnel Transport:** Flying miners, geologists, engineers, and other staff in and out of the remote site on a rotational basis.
- **Cargo and Supplies:** Transporting essential supplies, food, medical equipment, and critical machinery parts to the mine.
- **High-Value Cargo:** Shipping out high-value products, such as gold dore bars or concentrate, for further processing.

The approximately 3,500-foot gravel runway was designed to accommodate STOL (Short Takeoff and Landing) aircraft capable of operating in rugged, remote environments, such as the de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter and Dash 7/8.

There are no confirmed, immediate plans to reopen the airport. However, the prospect for its reopening is significant and entirely dependent on the redevelopment of the Snip Mine. Skeena Resources is actively advancing the Snip project towards a potential restart of production. If the mine is brought back into full operation, rehabilitating and reopening the Bronson Creek Airport would be a highly probable and logical step to support the complex logistics of a remote mining operation. Any reopening would be as a private-use airport for the mine operator, not for public use. The decision hinges on the final economic studies and a formal decision to recommence mining.