Forbidden Plateau

Located on the lower slopes of Mount Becher, Forbidden Plateau is better known today as a year round recreation area for skiing, snowboarding, biking, hiking, climbing and fishing but, in the history of the Comox First Nations, the Plateau has a much darker side. Slavery amongst the coastal tribes was common at one time and, for the most part, this was carried out by enemies attacking in canoes from the sea. When the Comox where threatened in this way they would send their women and children up to the Plateau for safekeeping. But, on one occasion when they were under attack by the Cowichans, 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.