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Lake DeSmet Polar Plunge of 2025
Over 100 people came to join in the annual Polar Plunge at Lake DeSmet. The weather was cloudy be fairly mild for New Years Day in Wyoming, and coordinators Matthew Selcher and Joey Russell talked about their role in the plunge.
Hillary Russell, Joey Russell and Matthew Selcher with blankets and towels to commemorate the 2025 Polar Plunge.
Selcher had this comment about what the coordinators do at the plunge.
He said this is his fifth year helping with the plunge, but he has done the plunge himself for eight years.
Russell said he has been doing the plunge for seven years. He said since they planned to be out there anyway, they would go ahead and coordinate the event.
One participant, Harvey Purcella, has been doing the plunge for 21 years, and plans to make 2025 his 22 year.
Although most of those who do the plunge are local people, if an award was given for the participant who came from the farthest away it would go to Jacob Ramsay who is from Canberra, Australia and is visiting relatives here. He said it was really cold but refreshing, and that they have nothing like the Polar Plunge in Australia.
Although the Lake Stop Cafe and Lounge is closed for the winter, the coordinators asked them to open up for the event. Renee Harned of the Lake Stop said that it was “well worth it,” as many participants came in after the plunge to warm up and enjoy food and beverages.
The Plunge is held each year on New Year’s Day, at the Father DeSmet Monument boat ramp at 1 p.m.
