A lovely assortment of bathing beauties graced the waterfront in Hancock during the Winter 2002 festivities. Aimee Rathburn talked her friends into taking the plunge, and Ken Burgi captured the scene for National Geographic Magazine. (Just kidding). The picture does qualify, however, as a bonafide "glimpse of life in the U.P.", which you can find every day here on the Pasty Cam.

From the land of snow and pasties.

You'se guys is craaazy!

Ya gotta make this one the weekly wallpaper!

There's some bathing beauties for sure!!! (I'll admit, I'm biased - Aimee is my daughter.)

I shiver when my bathtub is a degree or two too cold !!!! No Waaaaaay!!!

I really do enjoy this site though, some great pictures!

Yeah girls we rock, GO ESTROGEN!!! :) (tall one in the back)

OUCH! That has got to be a rush.

Good lord! When I saw this picture I had to put on an extra sweater! In the 17 years since I moved from the U.P. I have definitely acclimatized to the warmer Southern weather!

What a great pic! If only i were 20 years younger.
You go sisters!
Alicia

Looks like you Polar Bear Girls are having lots of fun up there in Yooper Land. Good thing you are young, this would be instant heart attack for me.

Wow, I am so proud of you girls. Aimee, as much as I miss ya down state, you surely fit in as a Yooper. And it takes one to know one, eh? :) Luv ya girl

So who are they all - each of them? They all deserve being named.

Seward, Alaska, had its annual Polar Bear Jumpoff into Resurrection Bay this past weekend also. It's not something we senior citizens would do now - but we might well have when we were the age of those young ladies. We applaud all of them.

Alice A.

Thought I was COOL (pun intended) when I jumped into Lake Fanny Hooe on Memorial Day Weekend. Caught an irritating cold. I must not be as tough as those girls.

I admire you girls for doing it. Looks like lots of fun, though!! Can't wait to get up there this weekend.

Who raised these girls?? Don't they know not to swim when the water's chunky???

hope they just got outta da sauna before dey took da plunge!

whats the point of it.rl

Here are the names...

from left: Aimee, Danielle, Hien, Briar and Erin.

It really isn't that bad-- its the running barefoot in the snow that's hard. And Dad, the water isn't chunky; they shoveled out the chunks before we jumped in! YIKES it was cold.

Looks like fun! I haven't done that in a while.

To rl above, think about this:

What's the point of climbing Mt. Everest?
What's the point of running the Boston Marathon?

It's more than just a dare, or a wild impulse - it's part of who they are.

The finns call it SISU

" ... special strength and stubborn determination to continue and overcome in the moment of adversity. It is a combination of stamina, courage, and obstinacy held in reserve for hard times."

A cool dip will kill or cure anything - although I always preferred Lake Superior. I did that one July while pregnant and had my baby 3 days later 5-6 weeks premature. He thought I had turned off the heat and evicted him! Keep up the strong SISU tradition in the Yoop.

You crazy girls, gosh, how I wish I was younger,
keep up that SiSi spirt.

Thanks for the info, Aimee.

Alice A.

Hey I'll join in during carnie weekend!

I think Erin's cuuute!!

Nice website