Thirty seconds at 14°C

The Cold Pool is fed by snowmelt from the upper valley. It runs through a gravel bed before it reaches the pool, and it arrives at 14°C in summer and 9°C in January.

How long

Thirty seconds is enough. Walk in to the shoulders, breathe out slowly, and get out when the thirty seconds are up, not when it starts to feel pleasant. Nobody gains anything from staying longer.

The order matters

The pools are numbered for a reason. Start in the Spring Pool at 36°C for fifteen minutes, move to the Fire Pool at 42°C for ten, then the Cold Pool, then rest on the stone benches for as long as you were in the hot water. Repeat twice. The steam room belongs at the end, not the start.

If you have a heart condition or high blood pressure, skip the Cold Pool and tell the front desk when you arrive.