The first Winter Carnival, held in 1922, was sponsored by the Forestry Club and featured ski jumping competitions held on Garrison Hill (where the Oyster River Middle School now resides). By 1924 the Outing club sponsored the carnival complete with winter sports team ski jumping on Beech Hill (in Madbury), snow-related games and a carnival ball.

In 1922 Gunnar Michelson led the winter sports team to the Lake Placid Winter Carnival and won five medals. In 1924 the team began competing in winter carnivals at other colleges such as Dartmouth, University of Vermont and Williams College