Smile so your teeth don't chatter — a photographer gets a shot of participants in the Jan. 1, 2025, Beth Gibans Memorial Wallowa Lake Polar Bear Plunge.

WALLOWA LAKE — About 100 people — and a few dogs — showed up for the annual Beth Gibans Memorial Wallowa Lake Polar Bear Plunge.

There was no perceptible ice on the lake, and the air temperature — one person reported — was a balmy 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

But it still was far from a warm summer swim.

The plunge is named for one of the event’s founders, Beth Gibans, who died in 2021 at age 58. It has been going at least since 2007.

Rodd Ambroson, another of the founders, was on hand, though a foot malady kept him on dry land. He is the last of the original instigators of the plunge to have shown up. Rich Wandschneider, another of the originals, had to sit last year out, but he was back this year.

As usual, those taking part quickly changed into robes and dry clothing after their holiday plunge.

“Happy new year,” shouted Leo Arenas, an Enterprise business owner, in his frigid exuberance.