The Tantalus Range is a subrange of the

Pacific Ranges , photo = Mount Garibaldi (50997016501).jpg , photo_size = 280px , photo_caption = Mount Garibaldi massif as seen from Squamish , map = , map_image = South BC-NW USA-relief PacificRanges.png , ...

of the

Coast Mountains The Coast Mountains (french: La chaîne Côtière) are a major mountain range in the Pacific Coast Ranges of western North America, extending from southwestern Yukon through the Alaska Panhandle and virtually all of the Coast of British Columbi ...

in southern

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, for ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by to ...

. The range is easily viewed from the " Sea to Sky Highway" that travels from

Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the city, up from 631,486 in 2016. ...

to Squamish and Whistler. To

Squamish people The Squamish people (Squamish language, Squamish: ''Skwxwú7mesh'' , historically transliterated as Sko-ko-mish) are an Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast, indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest Coast. Archaeological evidence sh ...

, the local indigenous people of the area, the name of the Tantalus Range is ''Tsewílx’'' (). The range's southern end is on the western edge of Squamish and it runs only about 35 km northwest on the west bank of the

Squamish River The Squamish River is a short but very large river in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Its drainage basin is in size. The total length of the Squamish River is approximately . Course The Squamish River drains a complex of basins in the ...

and is less than 16 km wide at its widest. It is about 460000 ha (4600 km² or 1775 mi²) in area.

Mount Tantalus Mount Tantalus is a mountain in southwestern British Columbia, Canada, located southeast of Falk Lake and south of Monmouth Mountain. It is the highest mountain in the Tantalus Range of the Pacific Ranges and is famous for its snow-covered fa ...

, , is the highest in the range. The origin of the name, as well as the names of many of its peaks, are from

Greek mythology A major branch of classical mythology, Greek mythology is the body of myths originally told by the ancient Greeks, and a genre of Ancient Greek folklore. These stories concern the origin and nature of the world, the lives and activities o ...

. Tantalus was doomed in

Hades Hades (; grc-gre, ᾍδης, Háidēs; ), in the ancient Greek religion and myth, is the god of the dead and the king of the underworld, with which his name became synonymous. Hades was the eldest son of Cronus and Rhea, although this also ...

to be half-submerged in cold water with fruit dangling close but not close enough to eat, which is where the word ''tantalize'' has its root. Allegedly the name was conferred by a local mountain climber who was "tantalized" by the sight of the range's impressive spires and icefalls from across the turbulent waters of the

. Alternately, another version of the legend has Tantalus and his family frozen before a banquet, unable to move - very descriptive of the ice-draped and somehow regal character of the peaks and icefields of the range. . The Tantalus Range is a favourite with climbers, and also with photographers and filmmakers. The best views of it can be had just north of Squamish from the

Brohm Ridge Brohm is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Brian Brohm (born 1985), American football quarterback and coach *Jean-Marie Brohm (born 1940), French sociologist, anthropologist, and philosopher *Jeff Brohm Jeffrey Scott Brohm (bo ...

and

Cheakamus Canyon Cheakamus is an anglicization of Chiyakmesh, the Skwxw7mesh language name for one of their villages, now located on Cheakamus Indian Reserve No. 11. Cheakamus may also refer to: *Cheakamus River * Cheakamus Lake *Cheakamus Powerhouse, on the Squ ...

stretches of BC Highway 99 (the

Sea-to-Sky Highway Highway 99 is a provincial highway in British Columbia that serves Greater Vancouver and the Squamish–Lillooet corridor over a length of . It is a major north–south artery within Vancouver and connects the city to several suburbs as well ...

). Neighbouring ranges: *

Garibaldi Ranges The Garibaldi Ranges are the next-to-southwesternmost subdivision of the Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains; only the North Shore Mountains are farther southwest. They lie between the valley formed by the pass between the Cheakamus River and G ...

North Shore Mountains The North Shore Mountains are a mountain range overlooking Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada. Their southernmost peaks are visible from most areas in Vancouver and form a distinctive backdrop for the city. The steep southern slopes of the No ...

* Clendinning Range ''(unnamed ranges not listed at present)''

Gallery

File:Tantalus Range.jpg File:Tantalusrange2.JPG, Alpha Mountain (left) File:Tantalus Range from Sea to Sky Highway.jpg, Tantalus Range from Sea to Sky Highway

References

{{Pacific Ranges Pacific Ranges Sea-to-Sky Corridor

See also

Gallery

References