The endurance athlete will tow over 100 pounds of gear during a solo expedition across the iconic desert reservoir
SANTA ANA, Calif., Aug. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- As Lake Powell drops to the lowest level since 1968, one man prepares for the swim of his life—attempting to cross all 140 miles—calling attention to both the capacity and fragility of humankind.
VersaClimber, the leading maker of the original total-body vertical cardio trainer, announces that its Chief Operating Officer Shane Schieffer will attempt a world-first: a self-supported, assisted, staged swim of the full 140+ mile length of Lake Powell while towing over 100 pounds of gear on a custom-modified stand-up paddleboard.
The expedition blends endurance swimming with expedition-style self-reliance, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the open water. The swim is scheduled to begin on Sept. 2, culminating just before Schieffer's 50th birthday, with real-time GPS tracking, video content and regular updates available to the public.
Schieffer's unprecedented journey will begin at the buoy line near Glen Canyon Dam and end at Hite Crossing. This will see Schieffer swimming solo by day, camping onshore by night and resuming each morning from the precise point he left off. He will tow all of his food, gear and shelter, managing every aspect without outside resupply.
"This isn't a race—it's an expedition," says Schieffer. "For ten days I'll swim face-down, suspended between an ancient riverbed 200 feet below and the desert sky above. It's a chance to test myself in a place of beauty and consequence, to connect with a fragile, sacred space, go a little mad—and come back changed."
Schieffer trained for the challenge using a VersaClimber-exclusive regimen. Forgoing traditional weight training and minimizing time in the pool, he focused on a five-month climbing protocol that culminated in a 17.5-mile, 10.5-hour swim with over 1,200 flip turns. This proof-of-concept validated his training approach before transitioning to open-water preparation and refining the tow system.
"I'm a dad, a husband and I run a company," Schieffer added. "Time is limited. VersaClimber made this possible. It gave me the strength, mobility and endurance of swim training in a fraction of the time. This swim is partly a personal milestone, but it's also a living field test of what the machine can do."
Schieffer is set to swim an average of 14 miles per day, a demanding and grueling challenge requiring extraordinary endurance.
For more information on VersaClimber equipment, visit versaclimber.com.
About VersaClimber:
VersaClimber remains the original, number #1 total-body vertical cardio trainer, the first commercial exercise machine that used heart rate as a speedometer of exercise. With its long history of quality and performance, VersaClimber has cemented its place as a trusted name in fitness. Since 1981, the equipment has been manufactured in California. Its superior construction, high-quality materials, and craftsmanship ensure every unit produced is tank-tough and built to last.
Media Contact
Leah Cybulski, ChicExecs PR, 7084268730, [email protected], https://versaclimber.com/the-future-of-cardio/
SOURCE ChicExecs PR
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