Hundreds plunge into frigid water in electrifying celebration
Is it crazy or courageous to jump into icy water as a New Year celebration?
On the first day of 2026, about 350 people each gave their own answer as they ran into Fort Mountain Lake or watched from the side.
“Over half of them went into the water,” Park Manager Emmanuel Stewart said. “It was a good turnout.”
This Black Bear Plunge is the 14th annual event of its kind.
Since its beginning, the event has grown into a spectacle that attracts hundreds.
“This is pretty much what we’ve come to expect in latter years. It has definitely grown since the first one,” he said.
Before the event started, the thermometer park staff use to measure water temperature broke. Stewart guessed the water must have been colder than 45 degrees.
But compared to past years, participants had it easy. There wasn’t any ice in the water.
But even this year was cold enough to make people gasp.
“As soon as people jump in, they start screaming because they’re excited,” Stewart said.
For this adventure, participants paid $25.
After the initial plunge into the water, participants beat a hasty retreat to the relative warmth of dry land.
Once they got there, they toweled off next to fires provided by the park. A food truck provided hot drinks.
“It’s mainly about the excitement of ringing in the new year with some adrenaline and some excitement,” Steward said.