Sierra Nevada Open Water 4 MS
- WHEN I SWIM -
"I am at One with Myself and at One with the World"
"Raising MS Awareness with every Lake I Swim"
SIERRA NEVADA OPEN WATER 4 MS
ABOUT
It was June of 2014, my nephew's wedding. I found myself standing on the view deck of June Mountain Ski lodge (9200' elevation), overlooking the crystal blue waters of June and Gull Lakes when it hit me. "I want to swim those lakes", I said to myself. The following day I decided to take the longer scenic way home driving through Yosemite National Park via Highway 120. The highest
vehicle mountain pass in California at over
10,000' elevation. Rounding a corner after
driving two hours, I came upon the majestic
snow fed Tenaya Lake situated at the base of
spectacular glacier carved granite mountains
rising up 14,000' into the sky. I realized again
what I wanted to do, swim Tenaya Lake.
Could there be a theme here? There are
hundreds of lakes throughout the
Sierra Nevada Mountains of all sizes and at
all elevations. Some accessible by car and others only by
foot and horseback. I grew up backpacking in the Sierras enjoying countless days on
the trail and nights sleeping under the stars prior to being diagnosed with MS.
I have now found my way back into the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Able to once again interact and physically experience and enjoy all of the wonders and beauties of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. All while bringing about much needed worldwide Awareness of Multiple Sclerosis, hense "Sierra Nevada Open Water 4MS " was born.
SHAVER LAKE
Completed: July 16, 2017
Distance 4.0 miles
Elevation 5,500'
HUNTINGTON LAKE
Completed: July 14, 2018
Distance 5.0 miles
Elevation 7,000'
Heading 2
BASS LAKE, CA
Completed: August 3, 2019
Distance 4.5 miles
Elevation 5.400"
JUNE LAKE, CA
Completed: July 30, 2021
Distance 2.2 miles (2 Lengths)
Elevation 7,654'
GULL LAKE, CA
Completed: July 30, 2021
Distance 1.0 miles (2 Lengths)
Elevation 7,654'
LAKE MARY, CA
Completed: July 31, 2021
Distance 1.4 miles
Elevation 8,966'
Heading 2
CONVICT LAKE
AUGUST 26, 2022
Distance 2.0 miles (2 Lengths)
Elevation 7,851'
LAKE GEORGE
AUGUST 27, 2022
Distance 1 mile (2 Lengths)
Elevation 9,250'
Heading 2
AUGUST 11, 2023
Distance 1.0 mile
Elevation 8,955'
TENYA LAKE
JUNE LAKE, CA
AUGUST 12, 2023 & AUGUST 10, 2024
Distance 2.0 miles (2 Lengths)
Elevation 7,654'
TIOGA LAKE, CA
AUGUST 9, 2024
Distance 1.2 miles
Elevation 9,636'
"On the Horizon"
LAKE SABRINA
FLORENCE LAKE
LAKE THOMAS EDISON
Richard Gardner (Dix)
dix@wheniswim.com
For me, swimming is freedom. It is the one place where the physical and mental challenges of living with multiple sclerosis no longer define me. While MS has changed many aspects of my life, it has never taken away my ability to enter the water and discover who I truly am.
In the water, I am not defined by my disease or my limitations. I stand as an equal—alongside anyone, regardless of physical ability. Swimming has become my sanctuary, my equalizer, and the place where I feel whole.
Swimming is no longer just something I do. It is who I have become. It is my identity, my vocation, and my purpose. It is the force that drives me to raise awareness, inspire others living with multiple sclerosis, and demonstrate that while MS may change the course of a life, it does not have to define its possibilities.
Mission:
My mission is to inspire hope and raise awareness of multiple sclerosis by undertaking high-elevation open-water endurance swims throughout the Sierra Nevada mountains of California. Each lake I cross represents more than a distance—it represents resilience over adversity, possibility over limitation, and the belief that our greatest challenges can become our greatest purpose life purpose, while inspiring others of all abilities.
Sierra Nevada Open Water 4MS
More than 2.3 million people worldwide are living with multiple sclerosis, a chronic and unpredictable disease of the central nervous system. For many, MS can lead to physical disability, cognitive challenges, loss of employment, and increasing isolation from the activities and people we love. Sierra Nevada Open Water 4MS is committed and unwavering: to raise awareness, support research aimed at finding a cure, and fund programs that improve the quality of life for those living with MS, such as myself. Every lake I/we swim represents another opportunity to bring about MS awareness and inspiring action in the hope of one day finding a cure for MS.
More than 2.3 million people worldwide are living with multiple sclerosis, a chronic and Moving forward...
Moving forward, I invite you to become part of this journey. Whether you choose to support my efforts, make a donation, volunteer, or even join me in the water by swimming or paddling alongside me, you become part of something much bigger than a single swim. Together, we can raise awareness of multiple sclerosis, provide hope to those living with MS, and help fund the research that will one day lead to a cure.
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Let's make it happen.
— Dix