Features

Jump Up, Jump Up and Get Down

Vancouver Island’s JumpCamp set to launch its spring 2008 sessions

by Dean Seguin
photos by Patrick Kitto, Marlin Olynyk, Kurtis Gramchuck

Imagine having your own private shred park on an abandoned ski resort midway up Vancouver Island with nobody else around. Sounds completely badass doesn’t it? For five years, the campers and coaches of JumpCamp have been doing just that—taking over the ghostly trails of Forbidden Plateau, building up natural features, installing rails and jibs, and tearing up the backcountry of the now-defunct resort.

Hundreds of years ago slavery amongst the coastal tribes on Vancouver Island was common and was carried out by enemies attacking in canoes from the sea. When the Comox people were threatened in this way, they took their women and children to the Plateau for safekeeping.

Once, during a raid 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. From that point on, the tribe elders forbade anyone in the tribe to visit the plateau—hence the name "Forbidden".

The interest in Forbidden for winter recreation evolved with the sport of skiing and around 1949 a ski lift was installed. The facility became known as Forbidden Plateau with a combination of steep, rugged lines and mellow, rounded hills and snow-carpeted meadows.

This natural terrain became ideal for skiers through the ‘50s, ‘60s, ‘70s and snowboarders later on through the ‘80s and ‘90s. For many Islanders, Forbidden remains in fond memories as the oldest ski area on the Island where they learnt to ski and snowboard. Unfortunately, in the epic winter of 1999 the lodge collapsed due to excessive snow load and the facility closed down.

That's when JumpCamp moved in.

Established by a group of hardcore locals, JumpCamp is an all ages and abilities snowboard camp on Forbidden Plateau for riders who want to have fun and progress their skills, especially in the park and backcountry.

"Our mountain that we grew up snowboarding on went under due to some unfortunate circumstances so we said 'lets take this place over!’” says coach Patrick Kitto.

With trucks and snowmobiles loaded, the last five years have seen the JumpCamp crew take this abandoned mountain and create a private park and training facility rivaling those of other resorts.

"Forbidden is an ideal setting for JumpCamp,” says coach Olaf Larsen. “Undiscovered and unmolested by the masses."

JumpCamp's terrain park consists of hips, straight jumps, gaps, quarter pipes, rainbow rails, kinked rails, flat bars, a slam wall and they all vary in size so campers can start on the small ones and work their way up.

The JumpCamp sessions are kept small to maximize the camper's fun and progression. From the rookie to the seasoned shred, the coaches help sharpen the freestyle skills of each camper on a personal one-on-one level.

"You want to hit the big booters in the snowboard park? You want to slide those handrails downtown in the streets? You want to drop a steep chute or plop down a ten set of pillows with confidence? Well, you're gonna need some tips and coaching to make that happen like right now,” says coach Doug Hardy.

At a glance:

JumpCamp
(250) 898-8891
jumpcamp.com
Camper-Coach Ratio: Approx. 2 to 1
Session #1 March 1, 2
Session #2 March 8, 9
Session #3 March 17, 18
Session #4 March 29, 30
JumpCamp Jam (one day) March 15