Originally Posted by
acidfast7
I did this in Finland ... out of the sauna and though the icehole into the water!
The Scandinavians that migrated to Northern MN brought this strange ritual with them. I was introduced to it while winter camping near the Boundary Waters, -not far from the Canadian border. We spent one night in a YMCA camp where this apparently is a regular activity. Since it was below 0 °F when we were there, there was no "pre-dipping" allowed. I guess some people will jump in the water before the sauna too. Socks are recommended for wearing between the sauna and the lake so your skin doesn't freeze to the ground.
Why do people do this sort of thing? It does bring on a sense of euphoria, but I think that feeling is natural after surviving any sort of great trauma to your body.