Mount Prevost ( hur, Swuq'us) is a mountain on

Vancouver Island Vancouver Island is an island in the northeastern Pacific Ocean and part of the Canadian Provinces and territories of Canada, province of British Columbia. The island is in length, in width at its widest point, and in total area, while are o ...

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

. It is northwest of

Duncan Duncan may refer to: People * Duncan (given name), various people * Duncan (surname), various people * Clan Duncan * Justice Duncan (disambiguation) Places * Duncan Creek (disambiguation) * Duncan River (disambiguation) * Duncan Lake (d ...

and has a distinctive skyline with the two rock bluffs. On top of the highest north bluff is a war memorial.

History

The mountain was featured in the legends of the creation of the

Cowichan First Nation Cowichan Tribes ( hur, Quw’utsun) is the band government of the Cowichan, a group of Coast Salish peoples who live in the Cowichan Valley region on Vancouver Island. With over 3,800 registered members, it is the single largest First Nations ban ...

. During the Great Flood one man took refuge on top of Swuqus or Swukas (Prevost) while all the others died. In

Sooke Sooke is a district municipality on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, Canada, by road from Victoria, the capital of British Columbia. Sooke, the westernmost of Greater Victoria's Western Communities, is to the north and west of the Sooke Ba ...

, there were two women who also stayed on high ground to escape the waters. When the waters receded they moved up island and found the lone Cowichan man. These three people are the ancestors of the Cowichan tribe. The mount's modern name is a tribute to Captain

James Charles Prevost James Charles Prevost (1810–1891) was an admiral in the British Empire, British Royal Navy. He was born in Bedhampton, Hampshire, England, the son of Rear-Admiral James Prevost and his first wife France née Haultain, and joined the navy in 1 ...

, RN, who served aboard and was British Commissioner in the San Juan Islands boundary dispute also known as The Pig War. The forest became part of a Municipal Forest established in 1946.

Access

The mountain is open all year except during periods of high fire hazard. Some of the roads have gates and these may be closed at certain times. There are many trails on the mountain, but none were built or are maintained by the municipality of

North Cowichan North Cowichan (Canada 2021 Census population 31,990) is a district municipality established in 1873 on Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada. The municipality is part of the Cowichan Valley Regional District. North Cowichan is noted for ...

. There are expansive views of the

Gulf Islands The Gulf Islands are a group of islands in the Salish Sea between Vancouver Island and the mainland coast of British Columbia. Etymology The name "Gulf Islands" comes from "Gulf of Georgia," the original term used by George Vancouver in his ma ...

and

Cowichan Valley The Cowichan Valley is a region around the Cowichan River, Cowichan Bay and Cowichan Lake on Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada. There is some debate as to the origin of the name Cowichan, which many believe to be an anglicized form ...

from the mountain. It has been used as a launching site for

hang gliding Hang gliding is an air sport or recreational activity in which a pilot flies a light, non-motorised foot-launched heavier-than-air aircraft called a hang glider. Most modern hang gliders are made of an aluminium alloy or composite frame covered ...

, complete with a wind sock. Mount Prevost can be reached from Mt. Prevost Road off Somenos Road. The road to the summit is about 8 kilometres or 20 minutes long.

References

External links

Guide to Mount Prevost
Municipality of North Cowichan {{DEFAULTSORT:Prevost Landforms of Vancouver Island Mountains of British Columbia under 1000 metres Cowichan Valley Cowichan Land District