Forbidden Plateau, Vancouver Island

The Forbidden Plateau is on the eastern side of Vancouver Island in the Strathcona Provincial Park, nestled between Mount Albert Edward and Mount Washington. According to the indigenous coastal hunting Comox (Komox, K’omoks) people the Forbidden Plateau is inhabited by evil spirits that supposedly consume any women and children that venture up there.

Mount Washington from Forbidden Plateau

The Forbidden Plateau was also the epicentre of the strongest earthquake (on land) in Canadian history, measuring on the Richter Scale at 7.2 (though I have seen 7.3 quoted). This took place on Sunday, 23 June 1946, at 10.15am. Offshore, west of Vancouver Island has the most seismic activity in Canada with over 100 earthquakes measuring 5 or more on the Richter Scale having been measure in the last 70 years.