A little piece of the wild in the midst of suburbia, Lynn Canyon draws increasing numbers of hikers, mountain bikers and swimmers throughout the spring and summer.

The canyon also brings out the daredevil in many North Shore kids, who head to the park every summer to test their mettle by leaping from steep cliffs into the water. Jumps range from the short and sweet to the heart-stoppingly high.

Girls and boys get in on the act, usually starting in 30-Foot Pool where the jumps are lower. The hang-time — and danger — increase when thrillseekers start exploring 90-Foot pool. Names like Burnslide, Airtime and Crowsnest pay homage to the heady free-falls of those jumps.

Jumpers need to be wary of tricky currents, swirling eddies and jutting rocks hiding beneath the surface of the icy creek. The danger is highest in the late spring and early summer, when the creek is swollen with run-off. It’s possible kids might get the same rush from a diving board or waterslide, and they wouldn’t stub their toes on rocks or get slapped in the face by cedar branches. But somehow the tradition shows no signs of abating.