From tram laps at the Snowbird to family-friendly groomers at Nordic Valley, after a full day of skiing in Utah, your legs are going to feel it. Your quads might be heavy, your lower back stiff, and even taking off your ski boots can feel like a chore. When the soreness starts to set in, that’s often when hot tubs, saunas, and cold plunges enter the conversation. Contrast therapy has become a staple in ski culture, but it’s also one of the most misunderstood recovery tools.
So what actually happens physiologically when you alternate heat and cold immersion, what’s fact vs. fiction, and how can skiers use it realistically on a ski trip?
Let’s talk Physiology: What’s Actually Happening in the Body
Contrast therapy works through controlled exposure to thermal stress. Heat from a sauna, steam room, or hot tub causes vasodilation, meaning blood vessels expand. This increase in circulation helps deliver oxygen and nutrients to muscles while also improving tissue elasticity. For skiers, this can lead to temporary reductions in overall stiffness in the joints and improved mobility.
Cold exposure creates the opposite effect. Blood vessels constrict, temporarily limiting blood flow to the skin and superficial tissues. This response can help reduce post-exercise inflammation, muscle edema, and perceived soreness after long or intense ski days. Cold exposure has also been shown to suppress the inflammatory cascade and reduce oxidative stress, particularly in individuals accustomed to thermal stress.
When heat and cold are alternated, the blood vessels continually adapt to each temperature shift. This repeated cycle of dilation and constriction acts like a pump, supporting endothelial (blood vessel) function and potentially reducing arterial stiffness. If you’re stacking back-to-back days on snow, this may help muscles recover more efficiently overnight.
Contrast therapy can also impact the nervous system. Cold exposure briefly activates the sympathetic nervous system, which elevates heart rate and increases alertness. When followed by heat, the body shifts into a parasympathetic recovery state, lowering stress hormone levels and promoting relaxation. Many skiers notice they leave contrast therapy feeling mentally clear but physically calm, a combination that can support better sleep and improved recovery.
Benefits for Ski-Specific Recovery
From a musculoskeletal perspective, contrast therapy may help reduce muscle hardness and tightness in heavily loaded muscles, improve pain thresholds, and restore feelings of joint mobility in the hips, knees, and ankles after skiing.
Regular sauna use has also been associated with improved cardiovascular, immune, and neuroendocrine function. While a single ski vacation won’t create long-term physiological adaptation, repeated heat exposure during a trip may support recovery and resilience when skiing day after day.
Where to Try Contrast Therapy
If you’re staying slopeside or near the resorts, several Utah ski areas make contrast therapy easy to try as part of your recovery routine. Stein Eriksen Lodge Deer Valley at Deer Valley Resort is one of the most well-known options, offering a cold plunge pool alongside a sauna and steam room for a more traditional hot–cold circuit. Top it off with one of their amazing yoga classes or massages, and you will be ready to carve some corduroy the next morning.
At The Snowpine Lodge at Alta Ski Area, skiers can check out the Stillwater Spa’s hot tubs and saunas for heat, and jump out into Utah’s brisk winter air itself to provide the cold stimulus. The same natural approach works well at The Cliff Spa at Snowbird, where outdoor hot tubs allow skiers and snowboarders to transition naturally between heat and cold without needing a formal plunge pool.
Sundance Mountain Resort has expanded its wellness offerings with The Springs, a new outdoor spa area that includes a sauna and outdoor pool, making it a scenic option for post-ski recovery rooted in contrast-style exposure.
In the Salt Lake Valley and Park City, dedicated sauna and cold plunge studios offer more structured contrast therapy. Avanto in Kimball Junction provides Nordic-inspired hot and cold circuits designed specifically for recovery, while Sauna Public, a brand-new spot in Sugarhouse, offers modern sauna experiences that can be paired with cold exposure. For skiers staying in the valley or planning a half ski day (read about the advantages of skiing a half day here), these off-mountain options expand recovery possibilities well beyond what’s available slopeside.
A Practical Ski-Day Contrast Routine
Start with 10–15 minutes of heat (sauna, steam room, or hot tub).
Quickly transition to 30 seconds to 2 minutes of cold exposure (cold plunge, snow, outdoor winter air).
Repeat the cycle 2–3 times, based on comfort and experience.
Finish warm if your goal is relaxation and better sleep.
Important note: Cold should feel uncomfortable but controlled. Shivering, dizziness, or chest discomfort are signs to stop.
Where Contrast Therapy Fits Into Ski Recovery
Contrast therapy works best as one part of a larger recovery strategy. Hydration, adequate fueling, quality sleep, light movement on off days, and occasional massage all matter. Hot–cold exposure doesn’t replace those fundamentals, but it can enhance them, especially during multi-day ski trips when fatigue accumulates.
Utah skiing is built around steep terrain, lap after lap. Whether you’re storm skiing at Snowbird, stacking Milly laps at Brighton, or skiing bell to bell at Alta Ski Area or Solitude Mountain Resort, contrast therapy offers a science-backed, flexible way to support recovery so you’re ready to click back in tomorrow.
Important Safety Considerations
Contrast therapy places stress on the cardiovascular system. Cold exposure causes rapid increases in heart rate and blood pressure, while heat exposure lowers them. These shifts are generally well tolerated in healthy individuals, but they may pose risks for people with unstable cardiac conditions such as a recent heart attack, uncontrolled angina, or severe valve disease. Skiers with underlying medical conditions should consult a physician before trying hot–cold contrast. Alcohol increases cardiovascular strain and should be avoided before contrast therapy. Those new to heat or cold exposure should start conservatively and allow the body to adapt gradually.
References:
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