Do you dare swim with the Bear Lake Monster?
Monster swim
The Bear Lake Monster Swim is a 10K point-to-point race across the width of Bear Lake (home of the Bear Lake Monster). It is one of three swims in the Utah Triple Crown.
The swim is open to solo swimmers and 2 to 6-person relay teams. All solo swimmers must provide their own support paddler. Relay teams are responsible for providing their own support craft, large enough to hold all team members. Any solo swimmers who come early enough to provide kayak support for the 1 mile race will get an extra t-shirt.
We will be starting at the Bear Lake Marina and finishing on the other side of the lake at Cisco Beach. In the event of bad weather conditions, the course may be switched to laps of a marked course near the shore.
Swimmers will receive a parking pass via email that will need to be displayed in their vehicle. If you have an annual parks pass, we encourage you to use that instead of the parking pass we will provide. Annual parks passes are only $75 per year and are good for all State Parks in Utah.
Swimmers will meet at the Bear Lake State Park Marina in Garden City for check-in, body marking, packet pickup, etc. The swim will start in the water at the beach just north of the Bear Lake Marina and will finish at Cisco Beach (marked by a large red inflatable arch).
Please review the timeline below to be clear on when you need to check-in and get ready to swim.
Small Monster swim (1/2 Mile and 1 Mile)
The 1 mile event is part of the Mini Triple Crown
The 1/2 and 1 Mile swims are loop courses starting from the beach north of the marina and ends at the starting beach right there at the check-in pavilion. The 1/2 mile swim will swim to the first turnaround buoy and the 1 mile swimmers will swim to the second turnaround buoy. Swimmers participating in this distance do not have to provide their own paddlers, although it would be extremely helpful if they could provide a support paddler for the group of swimmers in this race.
Please review the timeline below to be clear on when you need to check-in and get ready to swim.
Tentative Schedule of Events:
Friday July 28, 2023
6:00pm - Pot luck dinner and swimmer check-in - This is optional. If you plan to attend, please bring a dish to share. This will be held at the pavilion at the Bear Lake Marina.
Saturday July 29, 2023 - Because we also have a 1 mile race starting at 8am the check-in time for the Monster swim is extended from 7:00am to 8:30am. Please arrive as soon as possible so we don't have everyone show up at 8:30am.
7:00am - Swimmer check-in
7:45am - Pre-race meeting for 1/2 and 1 mile swim
8:00 am - Start of race for the 1/2 and 1 mile swim
8:30am - Swimmer check-in closes
7:45am - Pre-race meeting for 1/2 and 1 mile swim
8:00 am - Start of race for the 1/2 and 1 mile swim
8:30am - Swimmer check-in closes
8:45am - Pre-race meeting for Monster Swim
9:00am - Start of the race for Monster Swim
3:00pm - Event cut-off time for Monster Swim
Monster Swimmers are strongly encouraged plan ahead and leave a car at Cisco Beach or have someone pick them up. We will have one van available to take swimmers back to the marina, but seating is very limited.
Monster Swimmers are strongly encouraged plan ahead and leave a car at Cisco Beach or have someone pick them up. We will have one van available to take swimmers back to the marina, but seating is very limited.
Solo Swimmers (for Monster Swim):
All solo swimmers are responsible for providing their own support paddler or other support boat. Swimmers who do not have a support boat will not be allowed to swim.
Wetsuits, MP3 players, paddles, fins, etc. are allowed for solo swimmers. However, separate awards will be given for "unassisted" and "assisted" divisions.
Relay Teams (for Monster Swim):
Relay teams consist of two to six swimmers. Relay teams will establish a swimming order and transition swimmers every 30 minutes until the swim is finished. Each relay team is responsible for providing their own support craft (motorboats are recommended).
During transitions, an orange flag (provided by the race director) must be raised. The new swimmer will enter the water from behind the current swimmer. After the current swimmer has been passed, that swimmer may then board the support boat. During transitions, motorboats must keep a safe distance and keep their engines in neutral until the swimmer being relieved has boarded the boat.
Relay teams are largely responsible for policing themselves with regard to following the transition rules. Race directors will also be out on the water patrolling the course. Reports of violations may be filed following the race and will be investigated by the race directors.
Awards will be given to "assisted" and "unassisted" relay teams. Even if only one relay member wears a wetsuit, the team will automatically be considered "assisted".