Punta Guadalupe Airstrip

The closure was not due to a single event like an accident or military conversion. It was a gradual process resulting from a combination of factors common to many private airstrips in Baja California:

1. **Economic Reasons:** The primary cause was likely the high cost of maintenance (grading the dirt runway, managing vegetation, etc.) relative to its use. The private owner(s) of the adjacent property likely ceased funding its upkeep.
2. **Lack of Use:** As access by road improved and the economics of private aviation changed, the strip may have seen declining traffic, making its maintenance economically unviable.
3. **Regulatory Environment:** Over the past two decades, Mexican aviation authorities (AFAC, formerly DGAC) have increased regulations and oversight on private airstrips, making them more difficult and expensive to operate legally. Many owners opted to simply abandon them rather than comply with new requirements.

As of the latest satellite imagery and pilot reports, the Punta Guadalupe Airstrip is abandoned and unserviceable.

- **Runway Condition:** The physical outline of the runway is still clearly visible from the air and on satellite maps. However, the surface is no longer maintained, showing signs of significant erosion, vegetation growth, and unevenness. It is considered unsafe for landing or takeoff for any standard aircraft.
- **Land Use:** The land remains part of a private coastal property with residential villas. Access to these properties is now primarily via a dirt road branching off Mexico Highway 1.

Punta Guadalupe Airstrip was a classic example of a private, general aviation airstrip that supported tourism and recreation in a remote part of Baja California Sur.

- **Primary Function:** It exclusively served light, single-engine aircraft, such as Cessnas, Pipers, and Bonanzas. Its main purpose was to provide direct air access for the owners and guests of the private residence or small, exclusive development located at Punta Guadalupe.
- **Tourism Role:** It was part of a large network of dirt and gravel airstrips that made the Baja peninsula a legendary destination for American and Mexican private pilots, often referred to as 'Baja Bush Pilots'. These strips allowed access to remote fishing spots, beaches, and small hotels long before roads were well-established. Punta Guadalupe offered its users immediate access to the scenic beauty of Bahía Concepción.
- **Operations:** Operations were strictly visual (VFR) and at the pilot's own risk. The airstrip was a simple, unpaved dirt/gravel runway with no services, lighting, or navigational aids.

There are no known or published plans to reopen the Punta Guadalupe Airstrip. The prospects for its reopening are considered extremely low to non-existent. Re-establishing the airstrip would require a significant private investment to completely regrade and compact the runway, as well as a complex and expensive process to gain the necessary permits and certifications from the Mexican government (AFAC). Given the general trend of small, private airstrips in the region remaining closed, it is highly unlikely that Punta Guadalupe will ever be returned to active aviation service.