On an extreme low-tide day when the coastline briefly reveals its most walkable paths, more than 500 people are expected to lace up their shoes and step onto the sand for the 5th annual King Tide Challenge, an 11-mile skin cancer fundraiser walk along one of San Diego’s most iconic coastal stretches.
King Tide Challenge founder Chris Swanner
The heart of the King Tide Challenge belongs to its founder, Chris Swanner. A retired firefighter and U.S. Air Force veteran, Swanner’s life took a series of devastating turns a few years ago. After losing his wife to a rare cancer, Swanner was dealt another blow: a diagnosis of Stage 4 melanoma.
"I was told to brace for the worst," Swanner recalls. "After surgery and reconstruction, I was given six to eight months to live."
However, under the care of Dr. Gregory Daniels and surgeon Dr. Ryan Orosco at UCSD Moores Cancer Center, Swanner underwent immunotherapy treatments and complex skin cancer surgeries. Today, he is five years cancer-free — a milestone he credits entirely to the research and clinical expertise at UCSD.
“Their crew were the only ones willing to treat me,” Swanner says. “While they gave me no promises and no guarantees, my cancer began to respond to the treatments. From that came my purpose to give back to those who gave me life.”
The King Tide Challenge idea came to Swanner while out on one of his long beach walks as a “self-imposed form of therapy” to process both the grief and loss of his wife as well as overcoming cancer.
"Long walks can be good for the soul," Swanner shares. "On one of my walks, it came to me… to create an event that would introduce others to the beauty of the coastline I call home while raising money so more people can benefit like I did."
The 11-Mile Route + Celebration
The challenge is aptly named. Because the route hugs the waterline, it can only be completed during an extreme low tide, aka the annual "King Tide” that returns this time of year.
The walk begins at La Jolla Shores, heads north through Black’s Beach, Torrey Pines State Beach, Del Mar, and Solana Beach. Restrooms and pit stops are sprinkled throughout the route to recharge and refuel.
After 11 miles on the sand, walkers will be greeted by a celebration at Cardiff’s Tower 13 beach bar, complete with celebratory leis for every participant and a live auction fundraiser featuring a signed surfboard from local surf legend Rob Machado.
Every dollar raised from registration donations to the final auction bid goes directly to the UCSD Moores Cancer Center’s skin cancer immunotherapy fund.
“There is no cure without research and trials, and there is no research in trials without money,” says Swanner. Local skin cancer research funds have been drastically reduced over the past year so every little bit helps towards the cause.
Event Details + Registration
When: Saturday, January 3, 2026, 12:30-4:30pm (after party starts at 5:00pm)
Where: Meet at La Jolla Shores Beach or join the walk at any point along the route
Cost: Donation-based, food and drink for purchase at final celebration
To donate, register, and view route details, visit kingtidechallenge.com or follow @kingtidechallenge on Instagram.
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