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35-516: The plateau features gently sloping sub-alpine terrain broken up 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 Becher in the southwest corner of the plateau is one of only a few locations in Canada where

70-479: A bit of mystery would help publicize the attraction of the plateau. [REDACTED] Media related to Forbidden Plateau at Wikimedia Commons Strathcona Provincial Park Strathcona Provincial Park is the oldest provincial park in British Columbia , Canada , and the largest on Vancouver Island . Founded in 1911, the park was named for Donald Alexander Smith, 1st Baron Strathcona and Mount Royal ,

105-522: A fact which has been documented by sources such as Comox Valley environmentalist Ruth Masters and Pat Trask, curator at the Courtenay Museum. Clinton Wood and Ben Hughes appear to be the creators of the false legend, the first record of which can be found in an article by Hughes in The Province newspaper in 1927. In a book published in 1967, Wood takes credit for the legend, stating that he believed

140-497: A survey party, which included photographer W.R. Kent and Einar Anderson, throughout the park area in 1913 and 1914. They climbed many of the peaks and named geographic features throughout the park. The First World War caused elaborate plans for a railway and two hotels to be abandoned. As part of the war effort, there was logging in the Elk River Valley. Over the years which have followed, other industrial uses have affected

175-488: A wealthy philanthropist and railway pioneer. It lies within the Strathcona Regional District . The Clayoquot Sound Biosphere Reserve , established in 2000, includes three watersheds in the western area of the park. The park is 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) east of Gold River and 25 kilometres (16 mi) west of Campbell River . At 2,458 km (949 sq mi), it contains the highest peaks of

210-593: Is called Craigdarroch Castle and is today a popular tourist destination and National Historic Site of Canada . He and Joan had the following children together: His son James Dunsmuir became premier of British Columbia and later, lieutenant governor of the province . His daughter Effie (Anne Euphemia) Dunsmuir was married at St. George's, Hanover Square in London, England on February 27, 1900, to Captain Somerset Gough-Calthorpe , R.N., Naval Attache to

245-513: Is intended to cease its existence and return to the main park when the mine eventually ceases operations. The mine is currently owned by Nyrstar and produces zinc, lead, copper, silver and gold concentrates. In the mid-1950s, 600 hectares (1,500 acres) around the shoreline of Buttle Lake was logged to accommodate the increase in water levels from the creation of the Strathcona Dam in 1955-1958, impounding Upper Campbell Lake . Strathcona Dam

280-534: Is named, first explored the area in the 1860s. In 1890, the British Columbia government conducted a survey to define the boundaries of the E&;N Railway land grant. The grant, given to Robert Dunsmuir 's company in exchange for the construction of the railway, extended from Muir Creek, near Sooke at the southern end of Vancouver Island , in a straight line to Crown Mountain . All of the land between that line and

315-607: Is one of the three hydroelectric dams built to power the John Hart Generating Station on the Campbell River . The variation in water levels in Buttle Lake periodically exposes the stumps. In 1987, the provincial government announced plans to remove large areas from the park for logging and other industrial uses. The Friends of Strathcona formed a blockade which attracted significant media attention and resulted in

350-604: Is the most abundant rock unit in the park. It is a pile of tholeiitic pillow basalts and breccias . It is also the oldest, thickest and most widespread formation on Vancouver Island found on Triple Peak, Cat's Ears Peak and the Mackenzie Range . This area is the traditional territory of the Mowachaht and Muchalaht people of the Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nations . Commander John Buttle, for whom Buttle Lake

385-659: The Colony of Vancouver Island as an indentured $ 5 a week miner for the Hudson's Bay Company , he died the richest man in British Columbia in sole control of an empire estimated to be worth $ 15 million ($ 509 million today). His obituary in the Vancouver News-Advertiser said of him "he was neither a politician nor a statesman, as judged by the usual standards applied to such, but was a very practical, hard-headed and level-headed legislator who knew what he wanted and usually took

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420-504: The Olympic onion can be found. The plateau was the epicentre of the 1946 Vancouver Island earthquake that registered 7.3 on the Richter magnitude scale , the strongest ever recorded on land in Canada. According to the popular, though disproven, legend, when the K'ómoks faced raids from other coastal tribes, they took their women and children to the plateau for safekeeping. During a raid by

455-588: The Royal Navy . The company bought out Farquhar in 1879 and in 1883 Diggle was paid $ 600,000 for his half share of the business, then producing a profit of $ 500,000 per year. Dunsmuir was one of the founders of the Esquimalt and Nanaimo Railway Company which built the rail line from Esquimalt to Nanaimo , later extended to Wellington , Victoria and Courtenay . His company received a grant of land comprising 20% of Vancouver Island as an incentive to build and equip

490-518: The Vancouver Island Ranges . Some notable mountains located within the park boundaries include: Strathcona Park is also known for its lakes, waterfalls, and glaciers. Buttle Lake is a popular destination for swimming, canoeing, kayaking, and fishing. Also located in the park is Della Falls which, at 440 m (1,440 ft) in height, is among the highest waterfalls in Canada. The 6,500 m (21,000 ft) thick Karmutsen Formation

525-718: The British Embassy, St. Petersburg. He was the son of Lieut-General Hon. S. J. Calthorpe, and grandson of the 6th Lord Calthorpe. His daughter Maud Dunsmuir was married, in London, Eng., June, 1898, to Captain Reginald Spencer Chaplin, 10th Royal Hussars, only son of Col. J. W. Chaplin, V.C., C.B., of Kenilworth Hall, Leicestershire. He served as an A.D.C. to Field Marshal Lord Roberts and served in South Africa. Jessie Sophia became Lady Musgrave on her marriage to Sir Richard Musgrave. Thirty-eight years after arriving at

560-576: The Cowichan, the women and children vanished without a trace. When a member of the tribe went looking for the women and children within the Forbidden Plateau, he found red lichen covering the snow and nearby rocks and assumed the lichen to be blood from the family members. Since then, the plateau became taboo for it was believed that it was inhabited by evil spirits who had consumed those they had sent. This legend, however, has no basis in K'ómoks history,

595-450: The area was explored by Reverend William W. Bolton. Bolton's explorations and federal government interest in establishing a national park led BC Premier Sir Richard McBride to set aside a park reserve in June 1910. McBride's Minister of Lands, Price Ellison, lead an expedition to explore the new park reserve which included the first ascent of Crown Mountain on July 29, 1910. W.W. Urquhart led

630-471: The arrest of 63 protesters. The government engaged Peter Larkin to conduct an independent review of the future of the park which eventually resulted in the Strathcona Park Master Plan. Most of the park is designated a conservation area under this plan. The Strathcona Park Public Advisory Committee was set up at this time to provide advice to BC Parks when making management decisions concerning

665-459: The capital it needed to exploit its claim. Once the crown lease the HBC held expired in 1859, it had become possible for claims to be staked by others. In October 1869 Dunsmuir was fishing for trout at Diver Lake, a few miles north and west of Nanaimo, when he found a coal outcrop. He staked a claim to 1,600 acres (647 ha) in a band 1,000 yards (914 m) wide and 4 miles (6 km) long including

700-588: The company to purchase the 6,193 acres (2,506 ha) that made up its Nanaimo operation. With the new pit operational, the HBC sold its entire Nanaimo operation to the Vancouver Coal Mining and Land Company in September 1862 for $ 200,000. Dunsmuir worked from time to time as Superintendent of that company and, as well, for the Harewood Coal Company of his friend Dr Alfred Benson, which failed to raise

735-552: The contract with the Hudson's Bay Company began. Gilmour struggled unsuccessfully to develop a producing coal operation at Fort Rupert until August 24, 1852 when Governor Douglas instructed them to move on to Nanaimo where a coal seam had been discovered. Work proceeded but living conditions were difficult. In 1854 when the term of their HBC contracts came up and Governor Douglas refused to increase their pay rates, Gilmour left to return to Scotland. Dunsmuir stayed on. He went on to propose to Douglas that he carry on personally with

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770-424: The days before the arrival of the railway in the 1840s permitting him to increase prices. In 1832, in the midst of this prosperity, Robert's mother, father, grandmother and two of his three sisters died within days of each other in a cholera epidemic which swept the area. Three years later, grandfather Robert died a relatively wealthy man, leaving a third of his estate in trust for his orphaned grandchildren. Dunsmuir

805-412: The east coast of Vancouver Island was included in the grant. The line that formed the west boundary of the grant became the east boundary of Strathcona Park when it was created in 1911. Although originally planned to reach Campbell River , the railway was never constructed past Courtenay . At the time of the grant, the area within the present park boundaries was considered unexplored. In 1894 and 1896,

840-612: The first to use Dunsmuir's coal, invested $ 8,000 in the venture. Rear Admiral Arthur Farquhar , Commander in Chief of the Pacific Fleet invested a further $ 12,000. The two investors left the operation of the company to Dunsmuir. By 1873 the Wellington colliery was producing 16,000 of the 40,000 tons produced on Vancouver Island. By the end of 1875, Dunsmuir was producing 50,000 tons per year. Its two principal markets were San Francisco and

875-465: The last moment. On 24 hours' notice of this opportunity, Dunsmuir signed on. They sailed on the Pekin , for Fort Vancouver , via Cape Horn , on December 19, 1850. It took 191 days for them to arrive. Eight days later, on July 8, 1851, Joan Dunsmuir gave birth to their third child, James Dunsmuir . On July 18, 1851 they set sail for Fort Rupert , and when they arrived on August 9, the three-year term on

910-565: The nearby Strathcona Park Lodge and Outdoor Education Centre provides outdoors education. Visitor facilities are available in the nearby communities of Campbell River and Gold River . Mount Washington Alpine Resort , which offers downhill and cross-country skiing , is located adjacent to the park. The Strathcona Park Lodge also offers weekend camps for tourists or international students with activities such as rock climbing, kayaking, hiking, swimming, etc. Robert Dunsmuir Robert Dunsmuir (August 31, 1825 – April 12, 1889)

945-425: The north half of Diver Lake and running right to Departure Bay in the area known as Wellington . In order to stake a claim of this size, he was required to form a company, to be known as Dunsmuir, Diggle & Company. His sons James and Alexander and some others were partners but signed off once the legal requirement of partners in the venture had been met. Wadham Diggle, commander of the naval vessel Boxer , one of

980-456: The operation of a seam that Gilmour had thought was played out. On October 12, 1855, Dunsmuir commenced work on his own account and within a month was producing seven tons of coal a day. This venture was a modest success, but as the seam ran out, Dunsmuir was again employed to operate a new pit that the HBC opened in 1860. The lease from the crown that gave the HBC the rights to all of the coal found on Vancouver Island ran out in 1859, requiring

1015-557: The park. In 1995, the McBride Creek area (37.5 km (14.5 sq mi)) and the Megin watershed (273.9 km (105.8 sq mi)) were added to the park. Later, the Divers and Rossitor Lake addition was included as well. The park is a popular destination for hikers and mountain climbers, as well as swimmers, canoeists, and kayakers. There is an extensive network of hiking trails in

1050-524: The park. Mineral claims were staked in the park as early as 1911. In 1939, mining and logging became permitted in the park and in 1959 the Myra Falls Mine (originally owned by Westmin ) was opened. This mine continues to operate in a section of the park called Strathcona-Westmin Provincial Park . This area is entirely within the larger park and comprises 1.5% of the total area. As a Class B park, it

1085-413: The park; visitor facilities are located at Buttle Lake and Forbidden Plateau . The park includes campgrounds, backpacking and cross-country skiing trails, and downhill skiing. There is fishing, in season, for cutthroat , rainbow , and Dolly Varden trout . Campfires are banned in all areas of the park, except in provided fire pits. Although there are no commercial tourist facilities in the park itself,

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1120-602: The railway line to be owned and operated by the company. The Dunsmuir railway station was named after him. Dunsmuir was elected to the BC Legislature representing Nanaimo in the 1882 election while away on a European holiday, and was re-elected in 1886 . Shortly after election to the legislature, he entered the cabinet. Dunsmuir died at Victoria, British Columbia while still in office. The home he built for his wife Joan Olive (White) Dunsmuir in Victoria, British Columbia

1155-499: Was a Scottish-born Canadian businessman and politician. He was recognized as a National Historic Person by the government of Canada in 1971. Dunsmuir was born in Hurlford , Scotland , to 20-year-old James Dunsmuir and his wife Elizabeth in 1825. At the time of his birth, his family was engaged in the coal business in his native Ayrshire . Dunsmuir's grandfather, Robert, had leased coal properties and bought out local competitors in

1190-503: Was also born in Scotland in 1849. At the end of 1850, Dunsmuir's mentor, and his aunt's husband, Boyd Gilmour, had signed on with the Hudson's Bay Company to exploit a coal finding on the northeast coast of Vancouver Island at Fort Rupert (near present-day Port Hardy ). Because some of those who were to travel with him decided not to go upon hearing news of the conditions and prospects there, Gilmour sought replacements for his party at

1225-528: Was schooled locally at the Kilmarnock Academy and then at the Paisley Mercantile and Mechanical School , a training helpful in the coal business. He then went to work in local coal mines under his Aunt's husband Boyd Gilmour. On September 11, 1847, at the age of 22, Dunsmuir married 19-year-old Joan White. Eight days later, their first child, Elizabeth Hamilton was born. Their second child, Agnes,

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