"Nch’ḵay̓" is the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh name for Mount Garibaldi.

Source: BC place name cards & correspondence, and/or research by BC Chief Geographer & Geographical Names Office staff.

The Squamish Nation have called this mountain "Nch’ḵay̓" for thousands of years. The name means "Dirty Place" or "Grimy one" and comes from the tendency for the Cheekye River to look muddy in colour, a result of volcanic debris in the area that colours the water and surrounding landscape (information provided by from Squamish Nation, 2023).

Source: included with note

Nch’ḵay̓ is considered sacred by the Squamish people. Their oral history talks of a time of a great flood when Nch’ḵay̓ played a central role in the survival of the Squamish people. During the great flood, the waters rose to such an extent that only Nch’ḵay̓ and several other taller mountains remained above the water. The Squamish people tethered their canoes to the top of Nch’ḵay̓ using rope made from cedar trees until the water receded.

The Squamish oral history also speaks of Xwech’tál, the serpent slayer, who used the slopes of Nch’ḵay̓ and Brohm Ridge as a training ground.

Nch’ḵay̓ is also important to the Squamish people for ceremonial purposes, navigation, weather predicting, obsidian gathering, food and plant gathering, and animal hunting (information provided by from Squamish Nation, 2023).

Source: included with note

Occasionally, the omission of the "N" varies among language users. When transcribing oral accounts recorded by distinct speakers, some utilize the "N," while others do not. Therefore it can also be pronounced as Ch'ḵay̓ (information provided by from Squamish Nation, 2023).

Source: included with note