If 
you’ve had the pleasure of joining us for a hike or climb out on the glacier, undoubtedly you walked past some of the stunning pools of crystal clear blue water on the ice. Hovering right at 32 degrees (or 0 degrees, for our friends across the pond), these blue pools are as cold as they look.
Against our better judgement, we are always finding excuses to take a glacial dip, with adventurous travelers joining in for the fun. Over the years we’ve discovered a few suggestions to help make your icy swim a little more – ummm – comfortable. Check ‘em out:
- Bring an extra pair of wool socks, and wear these on the swim. This is primarily for looks (nothing looks better than wearing wool socks with your bathing suit). A secondary benefit is that these socks protect your feet from the sharp glacier ice as you climb back out of the pool.
- Go quickly. If you give yourself time to back out, you’ll never jump in. Before you get the chance to think about it, jump in. Remember – the sooner you jump in, the sooner you can get back out.
- Don’t forget to breathe – the cold water can take your breath away. Stay calm, and take a nice slow breath. Don’t forget to smile for the cameras!
- Bring a small towel. Microfiber ones work great, but even a small hand towel will do the trick. You’ll feel much warmer as soon as you get out of the water and dry off a bit.
- And lastly, make sure you have someone taking pictures or a video – you don’t want to jump back in again for the camera!
