Skip to content

VIDEO: Okanagan athlete puts smile on (chunk of) ice

Vernon’s Shanda Hill and friends cut huge happy face into big ice flow on local lake, then go for dip

Vernon’s awesome ultra athlete finds so many ways to put a smile on people’s faces.

With some help from her friends, Shanda Hill put a happy face on a large chunk of ice in Coldstream’s Kalamalka Lake, then jumped into the eye of the face for a refreshing weekend dip.

“Over 30 feet, an estimated 18,000 pounds and four solid inches thick, hand-chopping this smile with our axes was a good old-fashioned fun time,” said Hill as she posted the event on her social media accounts.

“It took a team effort and we all came together and made it happen.”

The “we” included Hill’s friends Gia on paddleboard; Sean, who jumps into one ‘eye’ on the video and switches underwater with Hill to come out the other eye; Brayden, Mike, Jacs, Trent, Quinten and a few others helped with the chipping, and as well, as Hill wrote, “the wonderful dipping team; great job you super humans.”

Responsible for the fabulous footage are @trentdorais (time lapse) and @jacsapollo. More of Hill’s videos can be found on Instagram at @shandahillultra.

READ MORE: Vernon Winter Carnival seeks rental fee reductions from city

READ MORE: More than 13,000 birds recorded during Vernon Christmas bird count



roger@vernonmorningstar.com

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

31513751_web1_230112-VMS-shanda-happy-face-SHANDA_2
Vernon ultra athlete Shanda Hill (top left) and some of her lake-dipping friends cut a large smile into a huge chunk of ice on Coldstream’s Kalamalka Lake. Of course, the event wasn’t complete without a dip through the eyes. (Screen shot)


Roger Knox

About the Author: Roger Knox

I am a journalist with more than 30 years of experience in the industry. I started my career in radio and have spent the last 21 years working with Black Press Media.
Read more



Secondary Title