It’s perhaps not too late to jump in if you’d like to compete in this year’s International Hair-Freezing Contest in Canada’s Yukon—it’s a February event.
The exercise involves standing in a pool of relatively balmy water (no, those folks above are not freezing their bodies, only their hair) with hair wet and exposed to air that’s at least as cold as -20°C. Photographers then record the results and winners are announced in a number of categories.
The competition, which has been going on since 2011, has attracted as many as 288 contestants at Eclipse Nordic Hot Springs resort at Whitehorse, Yukon, competing for $2000 cash prizes for best male, best female, best group, most creative, best facial hair and most creative.
Last year there was no contest; the rules require enough -20 weather, and 2023-24 was too warm a winter. It was only 10 below zero! For the Celsius-impaired, those temperatures are -4F and 14F.
Image: Eclipse Nordic Hot Springs
