Stuck in Vermont: Winter Dipping With Katharine Montstream and the Red Hot Chilly Dippers

Katharine Montstream has been painting Vermont landscapes for more than three decades, and her iconic images and greeting cards are beloved by many. Over the past three years, Katharine has developed a new winter hobby: dipping regularly into the icy waters of Lake Champlain. When the pandemic began, she started plunging more often, almost daily. Katharine documents her teeth-chattering adventures on the Instagram page @redhotchillydippers and is often accompanied by friends who embrace the cold.

Eva followed along with Katharine on a few chilly swims in Burlington and visited her Soda Plant studio to learn about the connection between her two favorite pastimes.

Music: Japhy Ryder, “Self Set Sail,” “Can’t Do It” & “You’re Alright”