Tantalus Traverse

getting there

Drive to Squamish on BC-99 and take Squamish Valley Road northwest to access trailheads that enter Tantalus Provincial Park.

approach

Sigurd Creek Trailhead

Use this trailhead for a north to south traverse, generally the best direction for this traverse. The trail ends at the lateral moraine below Pelion and Ossa Mountains. It's ~8 hours to the Pelion/Zenith Col. If descending from Pelion Mountain, look for markers traversing skiers right from a boulder field into the forest. A helicopter drop off at Pelion/Zenith Col is another option.

Lake Lovely water

The approach from (or return to) this trailhead requires crossing the Squamish River by canoe, water survey cable car, Tyrolean Traverse, or hiring a ferry or seaplane. The trail heads along the river bank from the canoe landing up to Lake Lovely Water and the Alpine Club of Canada's "Tantalus Hut."

Traverse Route

Suggested Itinerary

Day 1: Travel to the Pelion/Zenith Col.
Day 2: Travel from the Pelion/Zenith Col over Mount Tantalus and Mount Dione to Haberl Hut. It's ~14 hrs with rock climbing difficulty to low Class 5, and some glacier travel and rappelling. There are options to climb Mount Tantalus,  Pelion Mountain, Serratus, and Alpha Mountain.
Day 3: Travel over Serratus's West Face, Alpha Mountain's Southwest Side, and descend east ridge Alpha Mountain's East Ridge to Lake Lovely Water It's ~12 hrs of travel.
Day 4: Hike out from Lake Lovely Water and then to Squamish River. It's ~6 miles and  3,000 feet of elevation loss.

equipment

Standard glacier travel gear and rappel gear. 

small rack .75- 2 

guidebooks

• Alpine Select: Climbs in Southwest British Columbia & Northern Washington by Kevin McLane (High Col Press 2001).
• Exploring the Coast Mountains on Skis, 3rd ed. by John Baldwin (John Baldwin 2009).
• Scrambles in Southwestern British Columbia by Matt Gunn (Cairn Publishing 2005).
• A Guide to Climbing & Hiking in Southwestern British Columbia by Bruce Fairly (Gordon Soules Book Publishers Ltd 1993).

Information for Leaders

Considerations for travel to Canada

• Start by reviewing the latest regulations. Look for information on border crossing and travel to Canada on these websites:
  
  • U.S. Customs and Border Protection
  • U.S. Department of Homeland Security
  • WSDOT (Washington State Department of Transportation)
  • Government of Canada
• Everyone must have a passport or other valid ID like a NEXUS card.
• NEXUS cards can save a lot of time but only work if everyone in the car has one.
• Make sure your vehicle insurance is valid for Canada.
• Make sure your health insurance is valid for Canada.
• Border crossing regulations are strict in both directions. Know what you’re allowed to take and declare everything to avoid problems.
• You may be able to save time by checking alternate border crossings.
• See the Travel Industry Council of Ontario's 9 Travel Tips for Crossing the Canadian/U.S. Land Border blog post for some good tips on traveling to Canada.

• Suitable Activities: Climbing
• Climbing Category: Intermediate Alpine
• Seasons: July, August
• Weather: View weather forecast

• Difficulty: Intermediate Mountaineering Climb
• Length: 24.0 mi
• Elevation Gain: 15,000 ft

• Land Manager: Tantalus Provincial Park
• Parking Permit Required: see Land Manager
• Recommended Party Size: 12
• Maximum Party Size: 12
• Maximum Route/Place Capacity: 12