Originally Posted By GrumpyGord
I am not sure if I qualify. Quite a few years ago I was backpacking on Isle Royale in Lake Superior. The lake never gets above about 50°. I had been out for several days and was getting pretty ripe so I thought that I would just go into the lake, clothes and all and get myself and my clothes clean at the same time. I made it about up to the top of my thighs and decided that I just was not that dirty. There was a ranger watching and he got a real kick out of that. The point is that I may not be a real backpacker because I never went in all the way.


I grew up in the UP and you learn to embrace summer no matter how little of it you get. We used to swim in Lake Superior all the time. After 20 minutes its fine, but thats because your whole body has gone numb! Once a lady in a parka asked my Dad if we were ok when she saw us out in the lake in the summer. My dad responded that we there was obviously something wrong with us if we were willing to swim in water that cold.