Hot Mineral Pools Health Benefits

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Did you know that soaking in hot water has many health benefits other than the general good feeling that the body experiences with a hot bath? There’s medical evidence supporting the effects of hot water as a treatment for many diseases. Keep scrolling if you want to learn about the benefits of soaking in hot mineral water...!

According to multiple studies at NIH bathing in hot water has been shown to have the following health benefits:

And unlike other properties, our more than a dozen pools and spas are naturally heated by hot water wells underneath the property. Experience natural mineral water, clean and hot!

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Step 1:

Snow melts from Mt. San Gorgonio and seeps deep into the ground.

STEP 2:

Traveling by an underground river, the water makes it way to heated fault zones where it warms and mineralizes over the years.

STEP 3:

The water is pumped to the surface to naturally heat the many spas and pools.

STEP 4:

We return our water to the ground replenishing the aquifer.

HiSTORic heritage:

Tim Manthei, the founder of the resorts, first started pumping water out of the ground in 1970 at the Sky Valley West Clubhouse.

The previous owners of the property drilled a well in the late 40s or early 50s but installed the wrong type of pump and were unable to use the well.

From that one well flowed the hot water of the Sky Valley West pools. As he perfected the pumping and filtration of the water and developed the resort, he added another well in the 1980s at Caliente Springs, Sky Valley’s sister resort.

The wells are connected underground, providing interplay between the east and west clubhouse pools and spas.

Today, more than a dozen tubs and pools, in addition to the clubhouse showers and the Sky Valley lakes, use water from these wells.

Water from the Well. Sky Valley taps its wells between 340 and 760 feet below the surface.

The different depths of the wells was an attempt to find even hotter water, which has been successful.

Resort maintenance manager Bob Daniel says, “It’s all about temperature, not water volume.” We only use the wells that produce the right water temperate for our spas.

Ever-Flowing Freshness. Because the water is constantly flowing from the wells, pumped to the surface, and circulating in the pools, the process is very dynamic.

“Our flow-through system works by bringing the water up from the wells to feed the spas first. The spas are the hottest.

As the temperature decreases, that automatically opens our valve to let more water come up.

The cooler water flows into the pools, and the temperature in the spa rises,” Daniel explains.

The mineral water is chlorinated once it reaches the pools and is diluted to about two parts per million.

As it continues to cool, it cycles to the waterfalls outside the pool area, and into the surrounding lakes.

It continues to cycle from there into the irrigation system to water the property. From there, it seeps back down into the aquifer, where it rejoins the water table.

Filtration Facts. The pumps use a sand-based filter, which looks like a big container with sand inside. As the contaminants collect, the pressure mounts on the filter.

When it reaches its threshold, the filter backwashes, flushing the contaminants—silt, sand, and bits of earth or sodium—into the lake. “Since so much water flows through, that means we actually have to filter less,” adds Daniel.

Temps Change with the Times. A submersible pump at the bottom of the well pushes the water up to the surface. The pump controllers constantly read the water temperature to know when to add or redistribute water.

The pump opens when it is +/- one degree of the desired temperature; it closes if the temperature goes above or below the desired range.

Water cools as it moves, so when the jets are on in the hot tubs, when wind blows across the surface, or when people swim or move in the water, it all has a cooling effect.

Daniel himself has learned the system, and appreciates its specificity: “So much goes into setting up the system and keeping it running.”

Revealing the Secrets. Does Daniel have any regrets about taking people behind the curtain? Not at all. “It satisfies everyone’s curiosity.

We have nothing to hide, and we really care about the process and give people a good product on a daily basis,” he says.

The care and time that the resort puts into the pools is fun to share, and spreads a little more knowledge and education throughout the entire resort.

MAKE Sky valley HOME:

“For over 30 years people have been telling me that our hot springs has cured their arthritis or back pain.  It was interesting to discover that the hot springs here can do a lot more,” says Tim Manthei, the owner. 

The resort has developed information and programs for RV’ers who want to try hydrotherapy for themselves.  As a result, they have a lot more people coming for the hot springs, and staying longer. 

“We’re starting to see more people buy vacation homes in our RV resort and spend the winter with us. And we’re seeing more doctors than ever.”

No matter how long your stay is with us, our hot mineral springs will have you coming back again and again.

All the amenities

Ariel Ben Hayon