Swim Wild Swim-A-Thon 2025

Overview:

We are excited to dive in to the third annual Swim Wild Group Swimathon in support of Sea to Sky Hospice! All are welcome!

This by-donation group swim will involve swimming across the 350m beach-to-rock route in Alice Lake. You can swim as much or as little as you want, and you can come and go as you please within 9am-3pm. Upon completion of each crossing of the lake you will put a rock in a jar, and we will track our cumulative mileage for this event. You can donate in advance via the link/QR code in the poster, or on the day of the event when you get there.

Our goals this year are to swim 50,000m and raise over $2000 for Sea to Sky Hospice.

Non-members welcome! If you are a non-member and want to swim, simply sign our waiver (see Step 2 here).

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Details:

This swim takes place at Alice Lake. We will meet at the swimmers beach near the paddle rental hut.

Safety

There are no lifeguards at this beach. There is no motorized boat traffic allowed, but paddlers and floaty toys are common. Swimming wild is an amazing experience, but it’s not without risk. This is how we manage it:

• We swim within our own abilities, and need to be honest with ourselves about our abilities if we decide to venture out of our depth. We want to be out of the water long before we get too cold or exhausted
• We swim with a buddy, and check in regularly to see how each other is doing
• We each carry a whistle. If anything happens, you can signal for help
• We each wear a brightly-coloured swim cap (such as your SWS member cap!). This makes us easy to spot. A brightly-coloured tow float is also highly recommended, and can be great to hold on to when having a break out in the deep water

Ultimately, YOU are responsible for you own safety. But we’ll definitely look out for each other 😉

Gear

Here’s what you should bring:

• A swimsuit or swim apparel of choice (no judgement)
• A wetsuit (optional)
• A brightly-coloured swim cap
• A loud whistle
• Goggles and ear plugs (optional)
• A brightly-coloured tow-float (recommended)

Once you get out of the water, you might want:

• A large towel or two
• A mat or extra towel for standing on while getting changed
• A dry-robe, towel robe, or just a big towel for getting changed under
• Loose clothing that’s easy to pull on when you’re slightly damp. Buttons, dippers, or other fussy things that are difficult to use with numb fingers are not recommended
• Water shoes, crocs, or flip flops
• A warm drink
• A snack

Getting Here and Parking

This location is best accessed by bike or car. Heading north on the Sea to Sky Highway from Squamish, take a right turn onto Alice Lake Road (signs for Alice Lake Provincial Park) which is opposite the Squamish Valley Road. Follow the paved road through the first gate on the right. Park anywhere there’s room. If this lot is full, there may be additional parking on the other side of the lake. The parking lot can get busy on sunny summer days, but the parking is free and generally abundant.

By mountain bike, you can also access the lake via Jacks Trail (or a host of other mountain bike trails in the area).

About the Location

This is a relatively small lake, which also means it gets nice and warm in the summer. There are occasionally submerged logs or branches in the water near the perimeter of the lake, which is why we typically swim straight across. Water conditions tend to be quite murky, so don’t expect much visibility. If seeing things underwater freaks you out then this is the place for you!

The entry is sandy, so no need for water shoes. Conditions tend to be very mild, and we rarely get any wind or chop. Water temperatures vary from around freezing in the winter to the low-20s in the summer.

The main beach is a roped-off area to the right of the washroom building. This is NOT the swimmers beach. From the washroom building, head slightly LEFT towards the paddle rental hut, and you will see three small beaches broken up by some trees. This is where we meet.

Washrooms

There is a fully equipped washroom building between the parking lot and the swimmers beach and a pit-toilet adjacent to it. In case the main washroom building is closed, consider bringing your own toilet kit with toilet paper and hand sanitizer. You may also want to arrive dressed and ready to swim.