Bump Jumpers

Growing up in Northern Michigan we would go sliding after school almost every day. We had the Flexible Flyer type sleds with runners and one Christmas Santa brought us an aluminum toboggan but the one sled we used as much or more than the others was one we called a Bump Jumper (or Stump Jumper).

Our Bump Jumper was simply a single ski with a seat on it. You would ride by balancing yourself and holding on the seat and lifting your legs up and away you would go. You could steer by touching the snow with the right or left foot and you could shift your weight on the seat to slalom the Bump Jumper around.

The Bump Jumper was a very simple sled that any family could afford, it was easy to carry back up the hill and would go very, very fast down the hill but still allow you the ability to steer it some. The longer the ski, the faster the Bump Jumper.

We has a couple of store bought Bump Jumpers and then we began to make our own out of old wooden skis. It was a great time and great place to grow up.