STATELINE, Nev. – The shiny trailer with the words “Sierra Sauna Club” painted on the side packs a lot into its deceptively small-looking space: a stove, three sauna benches, and a cold plunge. For those looking for a wellness experience in Tahoe, you can now rent and have the trailer anywhere around the Basin where it can be parked—the first mobile sauna business in the area. Founder and entrepreneur Melissa Ward spoke with the Tribune about building the trailer—and her business—from the ground up.

Ward was previously in marketing and sales, spending a decade in the Bay Area doing tech sales for businesses. Her husband, Benjamin Ward, grew up in Tahoe—and was recently elected for the board of the Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District. After deciding to move to Reno, then officially into the Basin two years ago, Melissa Ward said, “It has always been our dream to move here.”

After years of being in the corporate world, Ward was interested in doing something with a fun impact—and found it in wellness, when she went to a sauna with her friend. “I was obsessed. It felt like the universe was nudging me in that direction,” she said.

Hot and cold therapies have become increasingly popular for their health benefits, from the icy Wim Hof cold plunges to the sweltering heat of hot yoga. Saunas, which are typically dry heated rooms, make the users sweat and increases the heart rate—after a sauna session, typically people cool off either by stepping out or using a cold plunge.

Though Tahoe has some saunas around the area, there weren’t any mobile ones until Ward started her business. She touted that it allows for a more private experience with friends or family and lets you set up almost anywhere you want.

Ward built the sauna with her husband and a friend, Phil Gielow. It features clear cedar benches and cedar walls, with a design of the Tahoe mountains backlit on one wall. Two windows allow you to see out of the trailer at the view while sitting on any of the three different sauna benches that offer different levels of heat. The propane stove heats the sauna to the desired temperature and a sand timer inside keeps track of how long you’ve been inside. The built-in cold plunge is directly inside the sauna and unique to the mobile setup according to Ward.

For being a first in the area, Sierra Sauna Club has faced challenges of building the sauna rather than using a kit, figuring out insurance for the business, and permitting for something that moves around Tahoe. “The Nevada Small Business Development Council was a huge resource for me, just asking questions and figuring out challenges. I would really love to help shape policies for other businesses like this in the area,” said Ward.

Since officially going live in May, Ward said one of their biggest sources of customers is wedding venues, such as the Hideout in Kirkwood—where she and her husband got married. They’ve also offered some community days with venues like Meyers Mountain Market and Omni Yoga.

And so far, it’s been positive reviews. “People are always beaming and relaxed after, and it’s such a fun social experience without involving alcohol or your phones—it really makes you be present for other people and provides health benefits,” Ward said. As the business grows, she hopes to build a second mobile sauna and to continue with private rentals and experimenting with expanding to community events.

“People who want to sauna come find us here in Tahoe,” said Ward. “I want to make this something consistent for the community, where it doesn’t have to be a special occasion to sauna. I really want to make the experience more attainable for people, share that sauna culture, and grow that community.”

Sessions can be booked on their website, https://www.sierrasaunaclub.com/. For more updates on upcoming community sessions, you can visit their Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sierrasaunaclub/.

Eli Ramos is a reporter for Tahoe Daily Tribune. They are part of the 2024–26 cohort of California Local News Fellows through UC Berkeley.