For 90 years, OTHS has been more than a place to swim laps or soak in mineral waters, it’s been the beating heart of Steamboat’s community life. Over the decades, we’ve hosted events that were equal parts playful, outrageous, and downright legendary. From freestyle ski flips into the lap pool to canines launching off the diving board, our history proves that when the Yampa Valley gathers, we gather in style.
Let’s take a dive into some of the most memorable happenings that once filled our pools, patios, and even rooftops.
Snowaqua: The Original Pond Skim (1940s)
Before pond skimming was a springtime ritual at ski resorts, Steamboat Springs had snowaqua, right here at Old Town Hot Springs in the 1940s.
Skiers would fly down the hill behind the pool (sometimes clocking very high speeds) and launch directly into the steaming hot water below. Check out this home movie footage of “Snowaqua” from The Museum of Northwest Colorado.
Marvin Crawford skiing into the hot springs pool.
Annual BBQs (1970s–1990s): Burgers, Races, and Cream Pies
Imagine a summer afternoon in the 1970s: the smell of hamburgers and hot dogs sizzling on the grill, kids racing their friends across the pool, balancing an egg on a spoon, parents mingling with neighbors, and hundreds of people gathering around the pool deck for what became one of our most cherished community events of the year, our Annual BBQ.
In the 70s, tickets cost just $1 for kids and $3 for adults. The event featured games for kids and adults alike. One of the most sought-after prizes was the opportunity to throw a cream pie in the face of a chosen pool employee. In 1979, a lucky young man named Scott Wither won the chance to throw his pie at our beloved Pat Carney for the second year in a row! Pat was a good sport about it, but we can’t say for certain she remained unfazed when Scott came running with the pie tin.
The Tequila Cup: Freestyle Skiers Take Flight (1982–1983)
Only in Steamboat Springs (and in the 80s) could you find an event where skiers launch into a lap pool in the dead of winter. The Tequila Cup competition, part of the Annual Winter Carnival, paired moguls at Howelsen Hill with aerials at the pool. Crowds packed around, and even on top of the building, to watch athletes hurl themselves skyward in flips and twists before splashing down in the steaming water below.
In February 1983, a young Nelson Carmichael, who would go on to become an Olympic medalist, won the mogul and aerial competition on the eve of leaving for the World Junior Championships in Switzerland with Coach Park Smalley of the Great Western Freestyle Team.
Photo from Ross Dolan in the Steamboat Pilot of Lance Wood midair in 1982.
Town Triathlon & Biathlon (1987–1991): Small Town, Big Race
During the late ’80s, Steamboat Springs Health and Rec (OTHS) hosted the Steamboat Springs Town Triathlon/Biathlon that quickly grew into one of the area’s premier athletic events. More than 100 people volunteered to run the course and 300-400 athletes participated in the popular race.
The course was no small feat: a swim in our lap pool, a bike ride to Yellowjacket Pass and a run up Strawberry Park before finishing downtown on Lincoln Ave. This annual summer event had 300-400 athletes participating with the race growing bigger each year. With cash prizes on the line, elite athlete came from near and far.
Did You Know? By 1991, the race had grown so big that public officials no longer allowed Highway 40 to be closed, marking the end of a remarkable chapter of this race.
Poochie Paddle: Dogs in the Deep End (2010s)
If there’s one event we still get asked about, it’s the Poochie Paddle. Starting around 2010, the pool went to the dogs, literally. Before draining for our annual cleanings each spring and fall, we’d open up the pool for a couple of hours of canine joy (and chaos).
Dogs of all sizes and breeds leapt from the edge (and sometimes the diving board), chased balls across the lanes, and paddled side by side with new furry friends. Admission went to support the Routt County Humane Society, and attendees often brought dog or cat food to donate. While sanitary concerns and impacts on our pool systems eventually forced us to retire the event, the memory of wagging tails and splashing paws lives on.
Pool day, the canine way.
The Cardboard Classic: Sink or Swim (2010s)
Who needs fiberglass or aluminum when you have cardboard and duct tape? The Cardboard Classic challenged middle and high school students to build boats that could (hopefully) make it across the lap pool.
Armed with cardboard, masking tape, and water-based paint, students learned a hands-on lesson in buoyancy, design, and teamwork. Some boats skimmed gracefully across the water. Others sank spectacularly within seconds, always to cheers from friends in the crowd.
By 2011, the event had become part of local physics class projects, where students from Steamboat Springs High School and South Routt put their engineering theories to the test.
Celebrating 90 Years of Community Spirit
As we celebrate our 90th anniversary, we honor not just the milestones but the joy, creativity, memories, and community spirit that have defined us for nearly a century. We look forward to making new traditions that future generations will look back on with the same wonder.