Presenting the 300 Club:
The objective: to endure a temperature swing of 300 degrees Fahrenheit by warming up in a sauna, heated to 200 degrees, and then running, naked, to and around the Ceremonial South Pole when the outdoor temperature is below -100 degrees. …
One of the first things people wonder about when they learn of the 300 Club is the incidence of frostbite. [Club member Kris] Perry and others who have been there confirm that this is a valid concern. Perry remembers one unlucky couple from his second winter at the South Pole: “[They] both suffered some minor frostbite—she on her nipples and he on the tip of his weenie. Fortunate for her, I had gone outside to do a weather observation and saw them heading from the pole back to the station. She was moving very slowly and had probably become mildly hypothermic. I gave her my parka and helped her get back inside. I think there might have been one or two other incidents of mild frostbite on some guys’ weenies that winter.”
Some general advice for the rest of us:
Eating provides your body with fuel that can help you tolerate cold. Also, wear a windbreaker to prevent frigid gusts from stealing your body’s heat. If you start to feel pain or numbness, or notice your skin turning paler, go inside immediately: These may be early signs of frostbite. (And whatever you do, says [physician Henderson] McGinnis, don’t rub the affected skin—that increases the damage.)
The Dish 