Go jump in the lake
Terri Cleveland photo
People wore hats, tutus and even wings over their swimsuits as they jumped into Flathead Lake.
Berl Tiskus
Connie Bull, left, Monica Cleveland and Jamie Olson recover after they started the New Year out with a plunge into chilly Flathead Lake. It was cold enough that Bull’s pigtails froze.
Berl Tiskus
Berl Tiskus
Berl Tiskus
Berl Tiskus
Berl Tiskus
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POLSON — Polar bear plungers dashed into Flathead Lake at Riverside Park on New Year’s Day. The chilly water, estimated to be from 33 to 38 degrees, was warmer then the outside temperature.
“It was cold enough to float a rock,” said Dave Bull, local dentist and plunge participant, pointing to a rock on a skiff of ice.
Connie Bull said it was so cold it froze her pigtails.
The Bulls are founders of the Polson Polar Plunge, although it’s not an organized event anymore.
Monica Cleveland and Jamie Olson also submerged themselves in the cold water. As they warmed up in a car, Monica, 18, said she’s been a polar bear since she was 9 years old. She always dresses up, too, and this year she sported suspenders and a hat while Olson wore a tutu.
A quick plunge wasn’t enough for Dave, who drove up to Woods Bay to take part in the polar plunge at The Raven, where more than 100 people braved the chilly water later in the afternoon.
