The range is easily viewed from the "Sea to Sky Highway" that travels from Vancouver to Squamish and Whistler.

The range's southern end is on the western edge of Squamish and it runs only about 35 km (22 mi) northwest on the west bank of the Squamish River and is less than 16 km (9.9 mi) wide at its widest.

Mount Tantalus, 2,603 m (8,540 ft) in elevation, is the highest in the range.

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 Squamish River.

[citation needed] 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.