Shane Schieffer’s Instagram bio says it all: “1st person to swim the full length of Lake Powell self-supported. 140 miles. 11 days. Pulling 215 lbs of gear.”
Schieffer announced on August 22 that he’d be attempting the record-breaking swim with plans to complete all 140 miles from Hite Crossing Bridge in Utah to Glen Canyon Dam in Arizona in just 10 days. He said he’d be doing this unassisted, meaning his safety crew wouldn’t be allowed to offer him help in the form of food, navigation, or pacing.
In the 8/22 post, Schieffer explained his rig. “To carry my gear, I’ve designed a floating rig from an inflatable paddle board with solar power, water filtration, and dry boxes for food storage, gear, and human waste (yes, I will be leaving NO trace),” he wrote.
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Although it took him 11 days instead of 10, Schieffer did it! He had to consume 80,000 calories over the course of his journey. This included “plenty of peanut butter, dehydrated food, and protein powder.”
In his post announcing the completed feat yesterday, he called it, “One of the hardest and most rewarding things I’ve ever done.”
Check out Schieffer’s post announcing his plans (scroll down to see the video of him finishing the record-breaking swim):
Watch Schieffer become the first person to swim across Lake Powell unassisted:
Header stock image of Alstrom Point, Lake Powell by Sierralara/Getty images