Forbidden Plateau
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Forbidden Plateau is a small, hilly plateau in the east of the Vancouver Island Ranges in British Columbia, located roughly between Mount Albert Edward to the southwest and Mount Washington (site of the Mount Washington Alpine Resort) to the northeast. The gently sloping sub-alpine terrain is broken by small, rugged hills and pitted with small lakes. Much of it is contained within Strathcona Provincial Park, and a network of trails facilitate hiking, cross country skiing, and access to Mount Albert Edward. A sub-alpine meadow on Mount Beecher in the southwest corner of the plateau is the only site in Canada of the Olympic onion (Allium crenulatum).[1]
In 1946, it was the epicenter of an earthquake that registered 7.3 on the Richter scale, the strongest ever recorded on land in Canada.[2]
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[edit] The Legend
When the Comox people faced raids from other coastal tribes, they took their women and children to the plateau for safekeeping. Once, during a raid by the Cowichan, the women and children vanished without a trace and, since then, the Plateau has become taboo for it was believed that it was inhabited by evil spirits who had consumed those they had sent. [2] [3] [4]
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[edit] Notes and references
- ^ Schaan, Gary. 2004. "Managing Towards the Gold Standard—Ecological Values of Second Growth Small Woodlands on Vancouver Island." In T.W. Droscher and D.A. Fraser (eds). Proceedings of the 2003 Georgia Basin/Puget Sound Research Conference. CD-ROM or Online. Available: http://www.psat.wa.gov/Publications/03_proceedings/start.htm [1] [February 2004]
- ^ Derek Sidenius (January 24 1999). Shake, Rattle and Roll in '46 Earthquake. Victoria Times Colonist Islander Magazine. Retrieved on 2006-07-14.
