Taking the plunge! Find out where you can kick off the new year with a chilly dip

When it comes to taking the (polar) plunge, everyone has a reason.

Take Scott Tousley, for example. He’s jumped into the icy waters of Eagle Nest Lake simply for the adrenaline rush that the experience provides.

“People do it on the New Year to refresh and renew,” said Tousley, vice president for Friends of Eagle Nest and Cimarron State Parks. “But most of it is like daredevils, like jumping out of a plane. Just saying you did it. That’s the most people that we get — just to say they completed it.”

Some do it for the perceived health benefits.

“We are getting more and more people that are willing to do it because of (the) ice bath craze that is going on,” Tousley said. “Last year, we had people jumping in, and we couldn’t get them out. They were trying to go in there and meditate.”

Others might use the chilly waters as something of a personal proving ground.

“Sometimes, it’s a dare amongst friends or family members,” said Joe Quintana, aquatic/recreation program supervisor at Sierra Vista Pool, which will host Albuquerque’s only polar plunge on Jan. 6.

“Sometimes it’s just something fun to do,” he adds. “It just provides a little bit of shock in your life.”

And then, there are those who may do it for any of those reasons, but also for a good cause.

Proceeds for the Duke City version — officially named Al’burrr’querque Polar Bear Plunge — primarily will benefit the Shanta Strong Swim Fund, which provides swim lessons for children who otherwise might not be able to afford to take them. An additional 10% goes to benefit the polar bears and penguins at the ABQ BioPark. It costs $40 to jump in the pool or $50 to enter via waterslide, with water temperatures ranging from 40 to 45 degrees.

Taking the plunge! Find out where you can kick off the new year with a chilly dip

“Last year, we had close to 100 people,” Quintana said. “We had a pretty good outcome, and so we’re hoping for something the same. It’s been progressively growing year over year. We’re hoping for a bigger turnout (than) the previous year. It’s a lot of fun. We give out free snacks, and they get a free towel and hot cocoa as well.”

While the Al’burrr’querque Polar Bear Plunge is entering its fourth year, the Eagle Nest Lake event, located near the town of Eagle Nest, 30 miles east of Taos, debuted in 2009 with 16 polar plungers. Attendance has grown to more than 80 on occasion, and a Polar Stomp — essentially a snowy hike — is also an option as part of the festivities. Last year included 50 plungers, 18 viewers and more than 200 spectators for the New Year’s Day spectacle. The event is hosted by Friends of Eagle Nest Lake and Cimarron Canyon State Parks in conjunction with New Mexico State Parks and attracts participants from all over the country.

“This is hardcore,” Tousley warns. “We have a dive team there and everything just in case somebody does go underneath the ice. It’s a big deal up here in our small town.”

There is one caveat: The Eagle Nest Lake plunge has been canceled on multiple occasions due to inclement weather.

“Whiteout conditions are the only reason that we cancel it,” Tousley said. “That’s just due to the fact that we don’t want to encourage people to be driving to the event.”

Many polar plunge events are held on Jan. 1, as many attendees view the dive as a new beginning. But in Albuquerque, “We understand that on New Year’s Day a lot of people might have their traditions, so Jan. 6 is the first Saturday of the year, and that’s how we’ve been hosting it,” Quintana said.

Ultimately, there’s really no wrong way to take the plunge. It’s just a matter of mustering up the courage to dive in.

“It’s just a complete rush,” Tousley said. “It’s almost terrifying. You just have to jump. It’s one of those do-or-die moments.”