The mayor of the district of North Vancouver is warning thrill-seekers against cliff jumping in a local canyon that has gained an international reputation via social media.
Lynn Canyon Park has become a global destination for adrenaline junkies.
Videos uploaded to YouTube show people ignoring warning signs as they rush down one of the canyon's natural waterslides, before free falling off a nearly 11-metre waterfall.
While it looks like a lot of fun, it can result in serious injuries, says Assistant Chief of North Vancouver Fire and Rescue Mike Cairns.
Cairns told CTV Vancouver that rescue crews spent much of the long weekend at the canyon, tending to injured jumpers.
"This was the fifth rescue today," he said, as crews attended to a woman who suffered a serious back injury.
"We expect to be busy on days like this. The canyon is full of people and there are a lot of spots that they're jumping off."
Richard Walton, the district's mayor, said social media helps to glorify these potentially harmful activities.
"We're moving into a culture where people post dangerous activity, and it almost trivializes it and diminishes the risk," he said.
Walton said the district may consider ticketing to deter people from cliff jumping, however he recognizes that fines may not be enough, especially with international visitors.
"The challenge is trying to enforce the ticket; it's not going to prevent 100,000 hits on YouTube," he said.
Meanwhile, the district is considering uploading its own videos of rescue workers helping the injured to try and combat the allure of cliff jumping.
