Around 10,000 years ago Squamish saw the end of the last ice age, the major peaks we see today were already built but encased in thousands of meters of thick, glacial ice. As the glaciers receded, their movement ground down and rounded the tops of mountains that were not tall enough to poke through the ice; but for ranges like Tantalus, whose peaks were tall enough to reach beyond the ice sheet, their profile was left jagged and dramatic.
Glaciers are just one, and possibly the most visible, force that carved and shaped the Squamish mountains that we can still see today. The landscape that surrounds Squamish, BC, is one of the most interesting geological regions in the whole of Canada, and arguably North America.
Most people who visit Squamish pass through on their way to Whistler or Vancouver. But if you take an afternoon or a day to stop and explore you’ll get to see, touch, and experience the true magnitude of what has happened here over the last 250 million years. Here are a few surprising facts about the Squamish region, see how many you already know.
Did you know that:
On any one day, we can fly over 1500 sq kilometres of untouched, untravelled, and mostly unseen terrain. Mountain ranges, valleys, and glaciers so rugged and isolated that the only footsteps belong to wildlife such as grizzlies and mountain goats.
Being among truly wild places is a transformational experience. There’s a feeling that you get when you rise above the clouds and ahead of you in every direction is a sprawling sea of mountain peaks, it’s called awe. True awe. The kind of awe that brings with it a wave of clarity, peace and calm. A knowing, that you’re part of this huge landscape and every rock, every snowflake, every bear, bobcat, raven, and salmon are all made of the same stuff you are, and that we’re all on this journey in Squamish, together.
Giving that incredible experience to guests day after day is why we do what we do. It’s our mission as a company.
To get you started on the journey of “knowing” Squamish, here is an A – Z list of our favourite mountains and glaciers in this magnificent landscape!
Do you have a photo of Exodus Peak? Would you like it to be featured in our post?
Tag @seatoskyair in your photo on Instagram or email us fly@seatoskyair.ca
Do you have a photo of Fissile? Would you like it to be featured in our post?
Tag @seatoskyair in your photo on Instagram or email us fly@seatoskyair.ca
The Garibaldi Névé is a 35 km² large icefield in the Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains in southwestern British Columbia, Canada, located on the eastern flank of Mount Garibaldi.
Do you have a photo of Icecap Peak? Would you like it to be featured in our post?
Tag @seatoskyair in your photo on Instagram or email us fly@seatoskyair.ca
Do you have a photo of Mount Jimmy Jimmy? Would you like it to be featured in our post?
Tag @seatoskyair in your photo on Instagram or email us fly@seatoskyair.ca
Do you have a photo of Katzie Mountain? Would you like it to be featured in our post?
Tag @seatoskyair in your photo on Instagram or email us fly@seatoskyair.ca
N – Niobe
Do you have a photo of Mount Niobe? Would you like it to be featured in our post?
Tag @seatoskyair in your photo on Instagram or email us fly@seatoskyair.ca
Do you know the name of a mountain or glacier in the Squamish region beginning with the letter Q?
Would you like it to be featured in our post and forever famous as the most knowledgeable man/woman who helped us complete our A-Z?
Tag @seatoskyair on Instagram with your suggestion, leave a comment on Facebook, or email us fly@seatoskyair.ca
U – Can you fill in this blank?
Do you know the name of a mountain or glacier in the Squamish region beginning with the letter U?
Would you like it to be featured in our post and forever famous as the most knowledgeable man/woman who helped us complete our A-Z?
Tag @seatoskyair on Instagram with your suggestion, leave a comment on Facebook, or email us fly@seatoskyair.ca
Do you know the name of a mountain or glacier in the Squamish region beginning with the letter X?
Would you like it to be featured in our post and forever famous as the most knowledgeable man/woman who helped us complete our A-Z?
Tag @seatoskyair on Instagram with your suggestion, leave a comment on Facebook, or email us fly@seatoskyair.ca
Y – Can you fill in this blank?
Do you know the name of a mountain or glacier in the Squamish region beginning with the letter Y?
Would you like it to be featured in our post and forever famous as the most knowledgeable man/woman who helped us complete our A-Z?
Tag @seatoskyair on Instagram with your suggestion, leave a comment on Facebook, or email us fly@seatoskyair.ca
Do you have a photo of Zenith Mountain? Would you like it to be featured in our post?
Tag @seatoskyair in your photo on Instagram or email us fly@seatoskyair.ca
We’ve tried as hard as we can to create a complete A-Z, but there are still 4 letters missing.
