A tantalus is a stand on which crystal decanters are displayed, and Mount Tantalus certainly displays the frozen crystals on its slopes to best advantage. Tantalus is also the name of a mythological Greek king, and the names of adjacent peaks here, including Alpha and Omega, also reflect this.
Much of the first 19 km (11.8 mi) of the road passes through a series of Squamish First Nation reserves, which are posted as private property.
> SQUAMISH RIVER FOREST SERVICE ROAD
Access: 17.5 km (10.6 mi) from the Cheekye River Bridge
Just past the farmyards of Cloudburst (watch for cattle on the road) is the gateway to Tree Farm 38. The Squamish Valley and the Squamish River widen here for the next 20 km (12.4 mi). By July, when water levels have usually dropped to their seasonal lows, sandbars appear and provide excellent picnicking, camping, and fishing spots. Dolly Varden char and cutthroat trout run in the silty gray river, which never warms up enough for more than a quick plunge, even on the hottest days.
Squamish River
Just north of Cloudburst a bridge spans the Squamish near its confluence with Ashlu Creek. Rough picnic and camping spots dot the far bank. The creek is one of the few major tributaries that feed the Squamish from the west.
Beyond Ashlu Creek on Squamish River Road, granite walls rise above the east side of the Squamish River, forcing the road to hug the slopes. You soon pass BC Hydro’s Cheakamus powerhouse. It receives water pumped through a tunnel from Daisy Lake—a reminder of how interconnected this valley is with Whistler.
Cars are often parked near a water tower north of the powerhouse. This is a good spot to begin a hike of the High Falls Creek Trail or to launch a raft, kayak, or canoe. In summer the current here is often ideal for a leisurely paddle downstream. If you’re traveling with a group, leave one vehicle at the tower and another at one of several locations along Government Road, or even at the Squamish Spit, for when you pull out of the river. You can then drive back with a partner to reclaim the vehicle at the water tower.
> HIGH FALLS CREEK TRAIL
Access: 20 km (12 mi) from the Cheekye River Bridge Ability Level: Intermediate
Picture yourself standing beside a towering torrent of water falling with such force that the ground shakes like the boxcars coupling in the Squamish railway yards. Welcome to High Falls, one of the most powerful places I’ve ever visited around Whistler—which says a lot.
From the well-marked trailhead just north of the powerhouse, the High Falls Creek Trail follows the north side of the creek from which it takes its name. On busy days, parked vehicles line the shoulders of the road at this popular location.
This is a challenging fourto five-hour hike (best undertaken May through October), though hikers can make use of fixed ropes as they scramble hand-over-hand across outcroppings on the steepest stretches of the rock-and-root trail. The trail is not recommended for young children. Viewpoints of the falls, the Tantalus Range to the northwest, and the Squamish River as it braids its way through the valley below await you along the 6 -km (3.7-mi) route. Some require short detours to reach. In places, signs warn of treacherous footing and steep drop-offs. That said, the greatest threat along this well-worn trail is dehydration.
The canyon into which High Falls Creek cascades is so steep and narrow that what lies above and below is not revealed at any viewpoint— only a slice of white effervescence endlessly repeating itself as plummeting water shatters into millions of droplets. The hydraulic motion is so hypnotic that you’ll be hard-pressed to pull yourself away.
Expect to catch your first good look at the falls after an hour of steady climbing. The higher you hike, the better the views. Eventually, the trail leads away from the falls into a forested zone of welcome quiet before connecting with the Branch 200 Road. Rather than retrace your steps, you may well decide to descend along this open road that leads 4.5 km (2.8 mi) to the Squamish River Forest Service Road. From there it’s a 1.6 -km (1-mi) ramble south back to the trailhead. Along the way you’ll be rewarded with some of the best views of the Squamish Valley seen all day.
> ELAHO RIVER
Access: 39 km (24.2 mi) from the Cheekye River Bridge
Almost year-round, one of the Squamish Valley’s most compelling sights is the hundreds of small glacier-fed waterfalls that pour off the mountains on the western side. The silty waters of Shovelnose and Turbid creeks, cascading down off the slopes of Mount Cayley, Mount Fee, and Brandywine Mountain above, pass beneath the road as it nears the northern end of the valley. Stop at one of several bridges for panoramic look-arounds in the area. The ragged crest of Mount Cayley is particularly distinctive.
A bridge leads across the Squamish next to its confluence with the Elaho River. Here, at last, a half-hour drive from Cloudburst, are easily reached sites along the river for picnicking and camping. A short, steep, rocky access road descends to riverside beside the bridge. (Check from the bridge for a good place to park and spread out.) Above, vast icefields spill down the slopes of the Pykett and Icecap peaks to the west.
The Elaho main road climbs, in dramatic contrast to the mostly level road you’ve just traveled from Cheekye. Look down into the canyon of the Elaho River and you’ll understand how it got its reputation for danger. One mistake in a raft or kayak can lead to serious trouble. Drive slowly as you climb through this section of the canyon. Park and explore on foot for a better look. Interestingly, views of mountains and glaciers in the Squamish Valley are best when traveling south versus north. Make sure you stop and take in the big picture.
The road continues to climb above the Elaho canyon until it passes over Blanca (Maude Frickert) Creek, then enters a long level valley. The most interesting part of your journey is behind you now. Heavy logging has cleared the forest right to the banks of the Elaho in places, accounting for much of the debris that jams up the canyon— and for the scarcity of wildlife, which once thrived here. Only the moose in a protected herd farther up the valley by Sims Creek have stayed in any numbers. The southern boundary of Clendenning Park, a rugged 30,330 -ha (74,946 -acre) undeveloped provincial park set aside in 1997 as part of the proposed Randy Stoltmann Wilderness Area, lies nearby. Together with Upper Lillooet Headwater Park (see chapter 25), these two massive swaths represent a major portion of the land that Stoltmann sought to preserve prior to his death in 1994 (see sidebar, page 205).
To the northwest are the glaciers of Mount Ralph, which feed the Elaho. Over the icy peaks to the west, a short distance by air, is Princess Louisa Inlet. To the north, the Pemberton Icefield leads up towards Mount Meager. Looking back to the east, you can finally see the glaciers of the Pacific Ranges on the tops of Callaghan, Powder, and Brandywine mountains—three of the extinct volcanoes that molded this region.
BEST SWIMMING HOLE Levette Lake—wildly popular with cyclists who have pumped their way up from Squamish. The shoreline plunges quickly; to swim, hop off logs into bathtubwarm heaven.
> PARADISE VALLEY
Access: 4 km (2.5 mi) west of Highway 99 off Squamish Valley Road; 12.5 km (7.8 mi) north of downtown Squamish via Government Road. See page 60 for a detailed map of this area.
A narrow stretch of land that was carved by the Cheakamus River, Paradise Valley is flanked by high ridges on either side. Highway 99 climbs above the valley to the east, a series of small lakes
