Photos: Polar bear plunge
A New Year's tradition in some of the country's chillier cities and towns is the Polar Bear Plunge, in which normally sane people don their swimsuits and take a quick jump in a lake or some other body of water despite extremely cold outdoor temperatures. In some cases, the swimmers have to break a hole in the ice first. Brr! However, taking the plunge in Tucson is a piece of cake.
Polar bear plunge
Girls react to the frigid waters of Pontiac Bay during the 12th Annual Polar Bear Plunge Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2014, at Matthews Beach Park in Seattle, Wash. About 300 people participated in the first Polar Bear Plunge in 2003; since then, attendance has nearly reached 1,000 attendees. (AP Photo/seattlepi.com, Jordan Stead)
Polar bear plunge
A man waves the American flag as he joins others who jumped into the frigid waters at Coney Island beach in New York Wednesday, Jan. 1 2014, as they take part in the 111th Annual New Year's Day Polar Bear Plunge. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)
Polar bear plunge
Swimmers improvise a formal tea after jumping into the frigid waters at Coney Island beach in New York Wednesday, Jan. 1 2014, as they take part in the 111th Annual New Year's Day Polar Bear Plunge. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)
Polar bear plunge
A first wave of swimmers jump into frigid waters at Coney Island beach in New York Wednesday, Jan. 1 2014, as they take part in the 111th Annual New Year's Day Polar Bear Plunge. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)
Polar bear plunge
A swimmer waves the American flag after jumping into frigid waters at Coney Island beach in New York Wednesday, Jan. 1 2014, as they take part in the 111th Annual New Year's Day Polar Bear Plunge. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)
Polar bear plunge
Near balmy temperatures for a New Years Day along with moderate 44-degree waters welcomed 655 hearty souls into Long Lake for the 2014 Polar Bear Plunge, Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2014 in Lacey,Wash. (AP Photo/The Olympian, Steve Bloom)
Polar bear plunge
FILE - In this Jan. 1, 2011, file photo, participants run to the water for the annual Polar Bear Plunge in Sheboygan, Wis. The temperature in Wisconsin and Minnesota is expected to plunge early next week to more than 20 degrees below usual for this time of year, making the traditional New Year's polar bear dips extra icy. (AP Photo/The Sheboygan Press, Gary C. Klein, File) NO SALES
Polar bear plunge
Swimmers brave the cold water for the Decatur Polar Bear Club's annual dip into the Tennessee River on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2014. (AP Photo/The Decatur Daily, Brennen Smith)
Polar bear plunge
Polar bear plunge participants run into the Atlantic Ocean at Moorlyn Terrace Beach in Ocean City, to start off the new year, Wednesday Jan 1, 2014.. Ocean City held it's annual New Year's Day polar bear plunge to start off the new year with a dip in the ocean. Hundreds of participants took part in the event running into the icy Atlantic Ocean to kick off 2014. (AP Photo/Press of Atlantic City, Dale Gerhard)
Polar bear plunge
Waupaca firefighters cut a hole in the ice before the Waupaca Chain O' Lakes Polar Bear Plunge at Becker Marine on Lime Kiln Lake in Waupaca, Wis., Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2014 (AP Photo/The Post Crescent, Wm. Glasheen)
Polar bear plunge
Waupaca Chain O' Lakes Polar Bear Plunge at Becker Marine on Lime Kiln Lake in Waupaca, Wis., Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2014 (AP Photo/The Post Crescent, Wm. Glasheen)
Polar bear plunge
Waupaca Chain O' Lakes Polar Bear Plunge at Becker Marine on Lime Kiln Lake in Waupaca, Wis., Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2014 (AP Photo/The Post Crescent, Wm. Glasheen)
Polar bear plunge
Thrill seekers make their way back to land after taking the plunge in the cold water during the 5th Annual Pine Creek Polar Bear Plunge in Valley View Park in Valley View, Pa., Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2014. The event is a benefit for the Pine Creek Trout Nursery. Pine Creek Trout Nursery is a cooperative of the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission and the Valley View Gun Club. Each year, the nursery gets approximately 6,500 fish that are grown at the nursery and then used for a fishing rodeo and stocking local creeks. (AP Photo/The Republican-Herald, Jacqueline Dormer)
Polar bear plunge
Thrill seekers make their way back to land after taking the plunge in the cold water during the 5th Annual Pine Creek Polar Bear Plunge in Valley View Park in Valley View, Pa., Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2014. The event is a benefit for the Pine Creek Trout Nursery. Pine Creek Trout Nursery is a cooperative of the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission and the Valley View Gun Club. Each year, the nursery gets approximately 6,500 fish that are grown at the nursery and then used for a fishing rodeo and stocking local creeks. (AP Photo/The Republican-Herald, Jacqueline Dormer)
Polar bear plunge
Participants rush from the water after taking a dip in Lucky Peak Lake in Boise, Idaho during Make-A-Wish Idaho's 11th Annual Great Polar Bear Challenge. At the time of the Great Polar Bear Challenge, water temperature was 33 degrees, air temperature was 34 degrees, and the wind chill was 27 degrees, Wednesday Jan. 1, 2014. (AP Photo/Idaho Statesman, Kyle Green)
Polar bear plunge
Jacob "Dr. J" Neufeld, with the (St. Luke's Children's Hospital) Children's Rehab Warriors Team celebrates after exiting Lucky Peak Lake in Boise, Idaho during Make-A-Wish Idaho's 11th Annual Great Polar Bear Challenge, Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2014. At the time of the Great Polar Bear Challenge, water temperature was 33 degrees, air temperature was 34 degrees, and the wind chill was 27 degrees. (AP Photo/Idaho Statesman, Kyle Green)
Polar bear plunge
Swimmers jump into frigid waters at Coney Island beach in New York Wednesday, Jan. 1 2014, as they take part in the 111th Annual New Year's Day Polar Bear Plunge. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)
Polar bear plunge
Swimmers jump into frigid waters at Coney Island beach in New York Wednesday, Jan. 1 2014, as they take part in the 111th Annual New Year's Day Polar Bear Plunge. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)
Polar bear plunge
Swimmers make the best of frigid waters they have just jumped into at Coney Island beach in New York Wednesday, Jan. 1 2014, as they take part in the 111th Annual New Year's Day Polar Bear Plunge. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)
Polar bear plunge
Hundreds of brave souls charged into the frigid waters of Pontiac Bay during the 12th Annual Polar Bear Plunge Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2014, at Matthews Beach Park in Seattle, Wash. About 300 people participated in the first Polar Bear Plunge in 2003; since then, attendance has nearly reached 1,000 attendees. (AP Photo/seattlepi.com, Jordan Stead)
Polar bear plunge
People run to the ocean during the Ocean Lakes 13th annual Polar Bear Plunge at Ocean Lakes Family Campground, in Myrtle Beach, S.C., on Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2013. Each person donated a nonperishable food item that will go to local food banks. (AP Photo/The Sun News, Charles Slate)
Polar bear plunge
Danny Morris, of Spartanburg, S.C., carries his 6 year-old daughter, Layla Morris after participating in the Ocean Lakes 13th annual Polar Bear Plunge at Ocean Lakes Family Campground, in Myrtle Beach, S.C., on Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2013. Each person donated a nonperishable food item that will go to local food banks. (AP Photo/The Sun News, Charles Slate)
Polar bear plunge
Polar Bear participants exit the cold Lake Michigan waters, Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2014 in Sheboygan, Wis. (AP Photo/The Sheboygan Press, Gary C. Klein
Polar bear plunge
Kris Harmelink of Sheboygan exits the cold Lake Michigan waters at the Polar Bear dip, Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2014 in Sheboygan, Wis. (AP Photo/The Sheboygan Press, Gary C. Klein
Polar bear plunge
Hundreds of brave souls charged into the frigid waters of Pontiac Bay during the 12th Annual Polar Bear Plunge Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2014, at Matthews Beach Park in Seattle, Wash. About 300 people participated in the first Polar Bear Plunge in 2003; since then, attendance has nearly reached 1,000 attendees. (AP Photo/seattlepi.com, Jordan Stead)
Tucson polar bear plunge
Tucsonan Bob Pillsbury and his wife took the Polar Plunge at Tucson Estates on New Year's Day. The temperature was 70 degrees.