Muddy Lake, BC - Canada

Location Overview

The airstrip sits in the middle of the backcountry, in a valley carved by glaciers of the Chechidla and Cheja ranges. Bearskin Lake lies just east of the strip, and its murky, silted appearance — caused by fine glacial sand carried in by the glacial outflow — is what gives the area its name. That same outflow drains into the Samotua River a few miles to the east. The Alaska border is roughly 30 miles to the west. The airstrip is registered near Atlin, British Columbia, with a gravel runway approximately 1,529 meters long.

Camping & Recreation

No formal camping facilities exist at the airstrip itself. However, the surrounding wilderness offers exceptional backcountry opportunities for those willing to pack in their gear — think remote hiking, fishing in the glacially fed lakes and rivers, and wildlife watching in an area that sees very few visitors. The nearby Bearskin Lake and Samotua River drainage are prime destinations for solitude seekers and anglers. This is true fly-in wilderness; plan to be self-sufficient.

Notes & Warnings

The runway is quite short and no longer as smooth as it once was, so pilots should be prepared to bring a bush plane suited for rough backcountry strips. There are no services, fuel, navigation aids, or communications infrastructure at the strip. The remote glacial valley setting means weather can change rapidly, and pilots should be prepared for mountain flying conditions. No VORs are reported within 50 nautical miles. This is not a destination for anything other than a capable short-field aircraft with an experienced backcountry pilot at the controls.

History

Muddy Lake airstrip was originally built as a support strip for nearby mining facilities in the region. Over time, the gravel access road that once connected it to the outside world washed out, effectively cutting off ground access and leaving the strip isolated. Without road access or active mining operations to justify maintenance, the strip fell into gradual disuse and disrepair. The nearby Sheslay mining camp, to the east, represents the broader era of mineral exploration that once brought activity to this remote corner of northwestern British Columbia — a region that, today, has largely returned to wilderness.