Baptism of ice: Hundreds take the plunge at annual Coeur d’Alene event

The excitement was building as a crowd of hundreds hugged their arms together, half naked, on the gravelly shore of Sanders Beach in Coeur d’Alene on New Year’s Day morning.

A slow drum beat underneath the sound of the anxious crowd. Children made sporadic leaps into the freezing water as the rest of the crowd waited. Low clouds hung over the snowy hills across the water.

When the clock struck noon, waves of people rushed into the waters of Lake Coeur d’Alene for the annual Polar Bear Plunge, yelling, screaming and splashing.

Some wore swimsuits. Some only wore their underwear. Some wore their mittens and hats into the waters. Some remained in the water. Most immediately returned to the relative warmth of a beach towel or bathrobe after reaching a waist-high depth.

It was 36 degrees in Coeur d’Alene, but the lake was 1 degree warmer at the annual Polar Bear Plunge. Fairly warm temperatures, considering the previous year’s “plunge” was in the teens.

After a brief initiation into the new year, the crowd left for warmer, dryer pastures. Only a few dozen remained by 12:30 p.m.

“It’s a good wake-up call,” said Dennis Mellon, of Spokane, as he and other plungers steamed off next to a large fire on the beach. “Once you get out of the water, your body is so cold that the air itself feels hot.”

Coeur d’Alene resident Farah Vega agreed.

“The first five minutes, you don’t feel cold. You’re surprisingly warm,” said Vega, who was a first-time plunger in Coeur d’Alene. “There’s a gigantic social component, because you’re all shivering together. It’s good for your spirit, but then the wind picks up and it gets a little chilly.”

The winter tradition began in the 1970s with a few high school students, said Chad Bennett, who described himself as the “unofficial organizer” of the event. He started going to the plunge in 1996. A few years after that, one of the people who previously brought a watch for the plunge countdown wasn’t there, so Bennett brought one the following year. He’s been doing it ever since.

“It’s exhilarating, especially after you get out. Your body tends to overcompensate and get really warm and relaxed,” Bennett said. “The rest of the day, your body feels amazing.”

The event has grown in the decades since it started, especially lately with the “cold plunge” or “ice bath” trend, which ha s increased in popularity among in recent years, he said. The cold temperatures are said to reduce inflammation, improve circulation and soothe the muscles.

“It’s a good way to start New Year’s,” Bennett said. “Unofficial baptism by cold water.”