The Massachusetts city has received seven and a half feet of snow since late January, and with little else to do, snowbound residents are taking advantage

This article is more than 5 years old

This article is more than 5 years old

“This isn’t Loon Mountain. This is the city of Boston.”

That was the message from Boston mayor Marty Walsh on Monday, at a press conference in which he warned residents against jumping out of windows to land in the snow.

Boston residents, so far, have paid little heed. Using the hashtag #BostonBlizzardChallenge, they have been sharing videos of themselves diving, sometimes from first floor windows, into the huge banks of snow that have accumulated in the streets below.

Boston has received seven and a half feet of snow since 23 January, the second-greatest snowfall since records began – and snow is still falling. Snowed into their houses, Bostonians are searching for ways to amuse themselves.

But the mayor does not approve. “I’m asking people to stop their nonsense right now,” said Walsh.

“These are adults jumping out windows,” said Walsh. “It’s a foolish thing to do and you could kill yourself.”

Maurice Kyles, 24, of Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, is one of the Boston daredevils whose snowy antics Walsh demanded cease.

He told the Guardian that the feeling of jumping into the snow was “cold – but the good cold. There was no ice, it was just soft, pillowy snow.”

Kyles said he understood where Walsh was coming from. “But you can’t call us foolish for having fun.” he said.

• This story was amended on 19 February to correct that Walsh delivered his statements on Monday, 16 February.