Dare to take the ‘frigid’ new lake plunge?
Air temp: 30. Lake water: ‘frigid.’ Our intern’s first assignment? To take the plunge at the new Kos sauna.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY — Growing up on the Jersey Shore, Kate Butchart grew up riding her bike to the ocean every day long before she could drive. “When you live in an environment like that,” she says, “life just kind of revolves around the beach — even in the winter.”
In 2018, Butchart moved to Norway and discovered how effortlessly Norwegians embraced the cold, and cold water. While she was there, she found solace in regular visits to a sauna — especially in the winter, when she’d head straight from the sauna to walking out into the snow or even plunging into a frozen body of water.
Upon her return to the U.S., Butchart couldn’t let the practice go and introduces Kos (pronounced like cozy without the y) Sauna, which is tucked into the crook of
Saratoga Lake directly beside Lago by Druthers (stop by after for a new post-plunge
electrolyte beer).
I arrived for my initial “float” early in the morning.
It was absolutely frigid, so cold that I had to scrape the frost off my windshield before leaving home. Bundled up, I made my way over, shivering and unsure what to expect. My nerves were immediately assuaged as soon as I was welcomed by Butchart and her staff (there are also two co-founders, Tom Vargehese and Bjornar Haveland), who were not only pleasant but comforting. Stripping down to my bathing suit while the temp outside hovered around 30 degrees felt a little daring, but I kept an open mind.
Walking in, you’re immediately enveloped by an all-encompassing warmth, like a hug from the inside out. The scent of cedar wood and custom-blended essential oils fills the air as you set up your towel and get comfortable in the 15-person sauna. Through the large triple-paned windows, Saratoga Lake stretches out before you, and it does, in fact, feel as though you are floating. As I settled in, I watched the reflection of the water dancing on the walls of the sauna. I closed my eyes as my skin began to feel slick and tiny beads of sweat rolled away… my worries going with them.
After a while, I stepped outside into the crisp November sunlight, inhaling deeply. The air was sharp and invigorating but my body was still hot, and I was reminded of the Norwegian word I had learned: friluftsliv — the “fresh air life” meant it was time to dip myself into Saratoga Lake, which I had been told was a mere 45 degrees. As I plunged in, I could feel the steam rising from my still-hot body, and though my brain screamed “NOOO,” I kept going. Coming out of the lake, I felt awake and alive.
Stepping back into the heat of the sauna, I felt my muscles relax as my body returned to the perfect temperature, as a sense of well-being washed over me.
Leaving the dock, I couldn’t help but smile.
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