Take a Polar Plunge at South Lake Tahoe

Don your costume and raise funds for Special Olympics in Northern California & Nevada.

TEMPERATURES MAY HAVE TICKED UP... this February, at least in time for the Super Bowl, but that doesn't mean that the waves of our various lakes and waterways have become as warm as bath water. On the contrary, wintertime water has a way of staying pretty chilly, even with the come-and-go bouts of summer-like sunshine. So when you consider that there are still a few Polar Plunges left on the calendar, best be aware that the H20'll be brisker than you imagine. But you're going in, right? Right, because the Polar Plunges that take a splash at South Lake Tahoe and Santa Cruz  and San Francisco and beyond are lively, sociable, and all to raise money for a most excellent organization: Special Olympics of Northern California & Nevada.

NOW IF YOU'VE NEVER PLUNGED... there are a couple of must-knows. One? You're going in, unless you choose to make a donation and stand on the shore, egging your friends and bold strangers onward. Two? You're going in while wearing a costume of some sort, most likely, from an elaborate thematic get-up to a pair of fairy wings or a pirate's hat, depending on the theme (the South Lake Tahoe 2016 theme is "Rock 'n Roll"). Three? There's an After Splash Bash to enjoy, after you towel off. And four? The most important part of all -- you'll support the 22,000+ athletes who compete in the Special Olympics around Northern California and Nevada. 

WHERE TO TAKE THE DIP? South Lake Tahoe, Santa Cruz, and, yep, San Francisco are still to come for 2016, as of this typing, so you could be bold and take on all three. (Cheers and high fives to the big-of-heart, cold-of-legs adventurers who plunge at everywhere on the list, from Fresno to Las Vegas to Sacramento). You'll want to read up on raising funds, and creating a team, if that's your jam, before heading to one of the late February or early March happenings. And should you try a few icy showers ahead of time, just to see how well you acclimate? Well, that's up to you, but we highly doubt you'll shower in full costume, so maybe best wait for the lake or ocean. Can you be a Plunger? Can you hit all the cities in 2017? It's an awesome bucket list. Start here.

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