Tantalus Range

Access

There are 2 trails into the Tantalus Range, one to Lake Lovelywater and one up Sigurd Creek

Lake Lovelywater

Unless you are going to fly in (boooo!) you'll have to get yourself down to the Squamish River at the right place. To get there, turn left off highway 99 at the Alice Lake intersection, just north of Squamish. This road takes you back down into the valley (in fact it was part of the original highway). Keep your eyes peeled for a bridge over the Cheakamus River. Just past the bridge, keep left at an intersection. The side road to the river is 2.1km past the Cheakamus River bridge. It's also the third road on the left after the intersection. There is now a gate on this road, and you need permission from the land owner to get your vehicle down to the river. Otherwise it's an extra 1km or so of walking, which isn't so bad unless you are carrying a canoe.

A trail goes from the Squamish River up to Lake Lovelywater, where you will also find that Tantalus Hut. This trail is very steep, and usually takes 3-4 hours to get up it. The lowest section of the trail goes through a clearcut, and this part can be quite overgrown.

Canoe

An excellent crossing method. Faster and less gear intensive than the tyrolean, but requires a canoe and some paddling skill. Difficulty depends on how high the river is. It's easiest to paddle upstream on the east side of the river, and then ferry across to a beach on the west side. The beach landing where the trail starts is marked with flagging tape, and some sticks buried in the sand, but it's difficult to spot from downstream. If the gate on the road to the river is locked and the guy that lives there isn't home, you may be out of luck.

Alternatively you could put a canoe in upstream at the Ashlu Bridge and paddle down to the trailhead. On the return, paddle down to brakendale to get the canoe out, and then hitchhike (or stash a bike) to pick up your vehicle.

Tyrolean

	This article describes a technique or task that may be unsafe
	Please exercise caution when utilizing this information.

The cable for the disused Water Survey cable car can be used to cross the Squamish River as described in Kevin McLane's book Alpine Select. The crossing is about 150 meter long and there are two cables. The lower one is about 1 inch in diameter. The upper one is smaller, but has aircraft warning markers attached to it making a tyrolean impractical. Some people have been know to walk along the lower cable while holding the upper cable instead of doing a tyrolean.

If you choose to do this consider the following suggestions:

(figure courtesy S. Durocher)

• Use work gloves to avoid damage to your hands
• Suspending yourself from a bike U-lock instead of a large carabiner works well, but back it up with a carabiner
• Suspend your pack from a separate line on the cable, and pull it using a long length (e.g. 5m cordalette). This stops the pack swinging like a pendulum which impedes progress
• Use a short length (e.g. 30cm sling) to suspend yourself from the cable as pulling with straight arms is difficult
• Secure yourself to the towers when setting up the Tyrolean
• The two weighted carabiners used by this procedure become quite worn and should be retired from climbing after use. Alternatively, steel carabiners could be used.

Dharma style

Only champion swimmers need apply. The river is about 100m wide, fast flowing and cold.

Sigurd Creek

A trail up Sigurd Creek at the northern end of the Tantalus Range provides access to climbs on Pelion and Ossa Mountains. The squamish river can be crossed on a bridge here, so no shenanigans with canoes or tyrolians are required. Drive up the Squamish River and take the Ashlu Creek Road (first bridge on the left after hitting the gravel). This road goes over another bridge across Ashlu Creek itself, and then there is a spur road on the left just after this bridge. The trail leaves this road on the left where the road makes a sharp turn back to the right, only a couple hundred meters up from the junction with the Ashlu Main.

Helicopter

This is how the ACC got their nickname "Airborne Climbers of Canada". Recommended for those who want to fly in coolers full of wine to the Tantalus Hut and then lock everyone else out.