Originally published 2020-01-09.
Every winter at Takhini Hot Springs, about 28 km outside Whitehorse in Canada's Yukon, bathers soak in water of around 40°C while the air above them sits at -20°C or colder. Steam rising from the pool settles on wet hair, beards and eyelashes and freezes within minutes. Since 2011 the venue has turned that effect into the International Hair Freezing Contest: soakers sculpt their frozen hair into spikes, wings and wild halos, photograph it, and compete for cash prizes and free soaks.
Entry is open to anyone who pays admission on a cold enough day. The contest began as a playful extra during the Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous, a February winter festival, and has since drawn visitors from as far away as Japan and Europe. Below you will find how it works, why hair freezes so dramatically, the rules and prizes, and a gallery of frosty entries.
How the contest started
The idea came from a former manager at the hot springs in 2011. Locals had long soaked there in deep winter, and their hair often froze solid. The manager challenged visitors to shape it on purpose and take selfies, and staff picked the wildest result. Co-owner Andrew Umbrich has said the event really took off from around 2015, when photos began spreading on social media and news sites around the world.
The site itself has a much longer history. First Nations people used the springs for centuries, and the first modern pool was built in the 1940s for the US Army during construction of the Alaska Highway. Water leaves the ground at about 46°C and cools to roughly 42°C in the hot section of the pool and around 36°C on the cooler side.
Why hair freezes so quickly
The trick is the contrast between warm water and very cold, dry air. Steam drifting off the pool condenses on anything cold, and wet hair cools quickly once it is lifted out of the water. Moisture in and around each strand freezes, then more frost builds on top, so hair turns white and stiff, almost like hoarfrost on a tree branch.
Because the body stays submerged in hot water, soakers stay comfortable while their heads become ice sculptures. Umbrich told Smithsonian magazine that the hair itself is not harmed: "We've never had anyone damage or injure their hair." Once back in the warm pool, the ice simply melts.
How to enter
The official rules are short. According to the Takhini Hot Pools contest page, entrants need to:
- pay for admission to the hot springs on a day cold enough for freezing, ideally -20°C or colder;
- wet their hair, shape it and let it freeze;
- take a high-resolution photo themselves or ask staff to take one;
- sign the entry form at the front desk, confirming the photo was taken on site;
- make sure the hair is fully frosted and mostly white, since half-frozen hair does not qualify.
Entrants also give the venue permission to use their photos in promotion. Wigs have been allowed in past years, which is good news for anyone short on hair.
Whitehorse, Canada holds a hair freezing contest every February when temperatures reach – 22 degrees. The well-below-freezing temps combined with a dip in the 104 degree hot springs makes for one awesome contest. #MeanwhileInCanada pic.twitter.com/pGfZkpb5QD
— Meanwhile in Canada (@MeanwhileinCana) December 22, 2019
Categories and prizes
The contest page lists four categories: Best Male, Best Female, Most Creative and Best Group (two or more people). Each winner receives $750 and a 30-soak membership, and every member of a winning group gets a membership. Prize amounts have varied over the years; for 2020, the year with a record 288 entries, Wikipedia reports category prizes of CA$2,000.
Traditionally photos were gathered during the Sourdough Rendezvous in February. More recently the contest has run through the whole winter on any suitable day, with winners chosen and announced in March. In mild winters the window can be short, so it is worth checking conditions before planning a trip.
Gallery: frozen hair at Takhini
A long, loose mane is ideal raw material. Here the hair has been pulled out in every direction and left to frost, with the beard and eyebrows freezing too. The pale, crinkled texture is typical of hair that has been fully exposed to the steam and cold.
Short hair still works. This bather's head, beard and even the hair on his shoulders have frosted over while he stays in the warm water. Night entries like this one use the pool lights to make the white frost stand out against the dark.
Three soakers share the frame, the kind of shot that competes in the Best Group category. Each has styled their hair differently, from tall spikes to a sweeping crest. Group photos need everyone frozen at the same time, which takes patience in the cold.
Stiff, horn-like spikes are a popular look. Entrants twist sections of wet hair into points and hold them up until the frost locks them in place. Notice the frosted eyebrows, a reminder of how cold the air is just above the water.
A single swept-back crest gives this entry a dramatic, almost bird-like profile. Steam from the pool creates a soft haze in the background. Photos taken from the side often show the shape of a sculpture best.
This entrant has spread her hair into two long horizontal wings that seem to float above the water. Long hair gives the most room for creative shapes, and inventive styles like this are what the Most Creative category rewards. The orange glow comes from the pool lighting on a winter night.
Two friends in the hot pool, both with frosted curls and lashes. Not every entry is a sculpture; some simply capture the fun of turning white-haired in a few minutes. Sharing the experience is a big part of the draw for visitors.
Thick, curly hair produces a full, cloud-like crown of frost. Even the beard and the frame of the sunglasses have iced over. Dense curls hold frost well, so the shape stays crisp for as long as the photographer needs.
If you plan to soak in extreme cold
The hot pool keeps the body warm, but the head, face and hands are exposed to the same air that can cause frostbite on a winter hike. Keep your time with hair out of the water reasonable, warm exposed fingers and ears in the pool between photos, and dry off and dress quickly when you leave, especially on the walk to the changing rooms. Hot water and cold air are both demanding on the body, so drink water, avoid alcohol while soaking, and if you have a heart condition or other health concerns, talk to a doctor before trying hot springs in extreme cold.
Handled sensibly, the contest is one of the most cheerful ways to enjoy a northern winter: a deep cold that many people dread, turned into a stage for creativity and laughter.
Sources: Takhini Hot Pools: Hair Freezing Contest; Smithsonian magazine; Wikipedia: Takhini Hot Springs. Photos: Hair Freezing Contest entries, Takhini Hot Pools.
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