Polar Plunge of La Crosse prepares for 25th winter dip in chilly river

It’s the 25th year of La Crosse’s Polar Plunge, with the Black River Beach hosting the event.

Most of the rivers in the La Crosse area still have enough ice to hold fishing shanties for a while.

That means the Black River is still expected to be fairly cold for this year’s Special Olympics Polar Plunge on March 4.

Folks planning to run into the chilly water have several incentives to raise money for the event.

Polar Plunge spokeswoman Kat Craugh, with the city parks recreation and forestry department said anyone raising $2,000 in pledges is eligible to win tickets to a rock concert by popular singer Pink at Am-Fam Field in Milwaukee this August.

Craugh added that school groups and even local mayors have challenges in the works for the Plunge, which raises money to benefit hundreds of Special Olympics athletes in the region.