ke, which begins at the east foot of Cheam and lies in a high-altitude valley ringed by the Cheam Range. The far east ridge of Cheam is not alpine and is heavily forested and is pierced by the BC Hydro diversion tunnel to Wahleach Powerhouse, which is in the area of the Trans-Canada Highway that Cheam first becomes visible coming from the east. A few miles east along the highway the highway's course diverts around the foot of another mountain. History Cheam Peak was part of the oral history of the Sto:lo peoples. The Halkomelem name for the peak, Theeth-uhl-kay, means "the source" or "the place from which the waters spring." For the Sto:lo, the peak is the "mother mountain" or old woman overlooking her children dwelling in the valley. Lady Peak, to the south is the old woman's dog. Cheam, the official name of the peak, is said to be the Halkomelem word for "wild strawberries," though the British Columbia Geographical Names Office description says that name is a reference to the lowland below. This describes the ridge that includes Cheam and Lady Peaks, and the lower slopes around Spoon Lake and upper Airplane Creek. The first recorded ascent of the mountain was in 1888 by A. O. Campbell, Ebe B. Knight and party. Climbing history The north face, plunging 2,000 m (6,562 ft) to the valley floor, has rarely been climbed. However, an easy trail provides access to the summit from a subalpine bowl to the south