Cache Creek Airport

Cache Creek Airport
IATA: YZA ICAO: none TC LID: CAZ5
Summary
Airport type	Public
Operator	Village of Cache Creek
Location	Cache Creek, British Columbia
Time zone	PST (UTC−08:00)
• Summer (DST)	PDT (UTC−07:00)
Elevation AMSL	2,040 ft / 622 m
Coordinates	50°46′30″N 121°19′16″W
Website	Official website
Map
CAZ5 Location in British Columbia
Runways
Direction Length Surface ft m 15/33 3,275 998 asphalt
Source[1]

Cache Creek Airport (IATA: YZA, TC LID: CAZ5), also known as Campbell Hill Regional Airport, or formerly as Ashcroft/Cache Creek Regional Airport, is about 2.2 nautical miles (4.1 km; 2.5 mi) south of Cache Creek, British Columbia, Canada.

Former local landing sites

Unknown

Determining the first aircraft to land in the Ashcroft area is speculative. In December 1932, R.L. (Ginger) Coote arrived with three passengers.^[2] A. Eric de Pencier landed in January 1933, followed by B.R. Ronald that September. In October 1934, de Pencier returned.^[3]

Barnes Lake

The lake is about 2.0 nautical miles (3.7 km; 2.3 mi) southeast of Ashcroft. Ginger Coote became district manager for United Air Transport (later renamed Yukon Southern Air Transport). In January 1938, he flew the inaugural Ashcroft–Fort St. John airmail route.^[4][5]

Cornwall Field

The runway, immediately north of Ashcroft Manor, was completed in February 1938.^[6] A United Air Transport Fokker Universal landed that month. A Northern Airways Waco Custom ZQC-6 flew in at this time. From March 1938 to October 1939, the latter used the field as a stopover on the Vancouver–Whitehorse route.^[7] In 1939, the DOT erected a radio range station at the site, which provided weather information to aircraft pilots until 1966. During World War II, two trainers from a civil flight training school relocated to the field.^[8]

Private field

After the war, a private airfield was established about 3.0 nautical miles (5.6 km; 3.5 mi) south of Ashcroft, near the present Sundance Guest Ranch. The gravel strip was 823 by 23 metres (2,700 by 75 ft).^[9]

Ashcroft Airport

By 1970, a new field had been built on the Ashcroft 4 First Nations reserve, which is northeast of Ashcroft Manor. It is unclear if the Mesa Vista Airfield was the same or different from this location. The Ashcroft runway was 610-metre (2,000 ft).^[9]

Being subject to a year-to-year lease, expenditure on any substantial improvements was unwise.^[10] The opening of the current airport ended aircraft use.^[9] In 1986, plans to repurpose the site for drag racing began.^[11] This facility, called the Nl'akapxm Eagle Motorplex, closed in 2016.^[12]

Present airport

The site is halfway up Campbell Hill, named after local pioneer James Campbell, one-time owner of the Bonaparte House in Cache Creek.^[13]

In October 1983, the province gave preliminary approval to develop an airstrip at Campbell Hill.^[14] Completed in 1984, the airport was largely built by volunteer labour. The work involved moving about 92,000 cubic metres (120,000 cu yd) of material for the airstrip and building an access road and fencing.^[15]

In March 1985, the grass runway was gravelled.^[16] In May, the Aero Club purchased a trailer for club premises.^[17] In September, the runway and access road were paved and Premier Bill Bennett officiated at the opening ceremony.^[18]

In 1988, extensive cracking discovered in the runway required expensive repairs.^[19]

Since 2000, the airport has hosted an annual Mother's Day Fly-In that attracts dozens of planes, which perform an aerial show.^[13] In March 2008, Ashcroft Council wished to opt out of the airport joint management with Cache Creek because of considerable operational costs.^[20] The next month, Ashcroft agreed to stay as long as planning and management concerns were examined.^[21] That December, Ashcroft ended the partnership.^[22]

The 2017 a wildfire destroyed two hangars and one house at the airport.^[23] Following the fire, the condition and future of the airport were examined, where questions were raised as to the viability of continued use by emergency air ambulances, other first responders, and revenue streams such as film crews.^[24] Airport fencing, which was destroyed by the wildfire, was replaced in 2020.^[25]

No fuel storage exists on site. The airport is also used for an annual drag racing event.^[26]

Filming location

Scenes from the following were shot at the airport:

• Shooter (2007).^[27]
• The Andromeda Strain (2008 mini-series).^[28]
• Afghan Luke (2011).^[13]

Footnotes

1. "Canada Flight Supplement" (PDF). www.navcanada.ca. 31 Dec 2020. p. 27.
2. Weicht 2004, p. 74.
3. Weicht 2004, p. 75.
4. Weicht 2004, pp. 75–77.
5. "Nelson Daily News". library.ubc.ca. 17 Jan 1938. p. 1.
6. Weicht 2004, p. 77.
7. Weicht 2004, p. 79.
8. Weicht 2004, p. 81.
9. Weicht 2004, p. 82.
10. "Ashcroft Journal". www.newspapers.com. 3 Jan 1984. p. 14. …the airport…is on Indian land and operates on a year-to-year lease making any improvements a gamble
11. "Ashcroft Journal". www.newspapers.com. 24 Jun 1986. p. 1. The drag strip construction would incorporate use of an unpaved airstrip which is no longer in use, Warren said, as well as the old airport tower.
12. "Ashcroft Journal". www.newspapers.com. 19 Dec 2019. p. A7. The last drag racing in the area was at the Eagle Motorplex near Ashcroft in 2015 but the facility closed in spring 2016.
13. "Campbell Hill" (PDF). www.exploregoldcountry.com.
14. "Ashcroft Journal". www.newspapers.com. 25 Oct 1983. p. 1.
15. "Ashcroft Journal". www.newspapers.com. 18 Sep 1984. p. 2. …the Airport Committee received about $330,000 worth of work (engineer's estimate) at the Cache Creek/Ashcroft Regional Airport for about $60,000, thanks to volunteer work…The money has been used to move approximately 120,000 cubic yards of material to complete 3500 feet of airstrip and construct an access road from the airport site to the TransCanada Highway…grant was used to build the log-roll fence around the airport site.
16. "Ashcroft Journal". www.newspapers.com. 12 Mar 1985. p. 2.
17. "Ashcroft Journal". www.newspapers.com. 11 Jun 1985. p. 3. The Aero Club recently purchased a 28-foot trailer…as a flight centre.
18. "Ashcroft Journal". www.newspapers.com. 17 Sep 1985. p. 4. The action was fast and furious at the Campbell Hill Airport last week as workmen made an all-out effort to pave the airstrip and the road leading to the airport prior to Premier Bill Bennett's visit last Thursday.
19. "Ashcroft Journal". www.newspapers.com. 14 Jun 1988. p. 13.
20. "Ashcroft Journal". www.newspapers.com. 4 Mar 2008. p. A1. Ashcroft Council decided at its Feb. 25 meeting to opt out of the airport agreement with Cache Creek…The costs of the airport are split equally..
21. "Ashcroft Journal". www.newspapers.com. 22 Apr 2008. p. A3. Council agreed to continue its support of the Campbell Hill Airport as long as two conditions are met: that the two villages form a committee for planning and management and that a three-year plan be developed.
22. "Ashcroft Journal". www.newspapers.com. 30 Dec 2008. p. A3.
23. "Castanet News". www.castanet.net. 18 Jul 2017.
24. "Today in BC". www.todayinbc.com. 3 Apr 2018.
25. "Cache Creek Council Meeting Oct 13 2020 Part 2". www.commediaportal.ca.
26. "Campbell Hill Regional Airport". cachecreek.ca.
27. "Ashcroft Journal". www.newspapers.com. 3 Oct 2006. p. A10. Another movie, The Shooter...A lot of the filming took place in Ashcroft and at the Ashcroft-Cache Creek airport (Campbell Hill)...
28. "Ashcroft Journal". www.newspapers.com. 24 Jul 2007. p. A9. the shooting of the TV mini-series remake of the Andromeda Strain, a science fiction movie from 1971…the crew to use the airport where a simulated helicopter crash…

References

• Weicht, Christopher (2004). North By Northwest. Creekside Publications. ISBN 1-4120-2456-0.