Time to hit the trails! $20K still up for grabs in the 10th annual Summit Rock Hunt

Tristan Kline, center, finds the second Summit mini rock in Washington City, Utah, May 26, 2022 | Photo by James Kreitzer, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — Summer is here and the 10th annual Summit Rock Hunt is in full swing. Summit Athletic Club and Canyon Media already have given away a total of $12,500 to four lucky hunters, and there’s still plenty of cash up for grabs.

Summit mini rock winners receive their prizes, St. George, Utah, date not specified | Composite image by James Kreitzer, St. George News

Summit owner Joe Levine said he’s beyond excited to celebrate a decade of rock hunting. He started the hunt as a way to give back to the community while encouraging Southern Utahns to get outside and be active. However, it’s also a golden opportunity to spend quality time with family and friends, working together to figure out the goofy riddles that can lead to an epic payday.

“We love hearing about all the miles and steps people take while hunting and the amazing things they find or even create on their adventures,” he added. “The attitude is one of the big things we see out there.”

The search for the second of three big rocks started Monday and will continue through the week until it’s discovered. Each big rock is worth $10,000 if found while wearing the official 2022 Summit Rock Hunt T-shirt; otherwise, the payout is $5,000. Shirts are still available to purchase for $12 each at Summit’s River Road and Bluff Street locations.

Every day this week, a clue will be revealed live on-air to listeners of 99.9 KONY Country, 95.9 The Hawk, Planet 105.1, 96X and Sunny 101.5 during the first break of the 8 o’clock hour of broadcasting, usually around 8:10 a.m. Only one clue will be given daily until the rock is found. 

If you miss it, the clue will be posted on the Instagram feeds of all five stations along with St. George News at 10 a.m. But time is of the essence, so be sure to tune in.

Norman Propst finds the first Summit big rock in Washington City, Utah, June 3, 2022 | Photo by James Kreitzer, St. George News

“I think the record for a rock being found is the second clue. Usually it’s the third or fourth, and rarely do we make it to the fifth clue,” Levine said. “We’re still waiting for someone to get lucky and find a rock on the first clue.”

For the grand finale on June 18, one clue will be given on the radio and via Instagram every hour beginning at 8 a.m. and continuing until the rock is found. 

“We know that not everybody has the perfect schedule to be able to hunt for the rock Monday through Friday, so the third rock is dedicated as a Saturday-only hunt,” said Colleen Rue, show coordinator for Canyon Media. “This will be really exciting, because it’s all going to happen in one day.”

The first big rock was found last Friday within Washington City’s Coral Canyon trail system by Norman Propst, who was wearing a T-shirt and earned $10,000. Rue said the discovery was extra special because Propst has participated in all 10 years of the hunt. His persistence paid off as he finally earned the right to call himself a Summit “rock star.”

This year, hunters were given the chance to sharpen their skills before the main event with three mini rock searches on May 25, 26 and 27. The rocks were discovered by Tyson Gubler on Crown King Trail in Washington City, Tristan Kline near Shooting Star Park in Washington City and AJ Giles along the Mayor’s Loop Trail in St. George, respectively. Kline and Giles were both wearing the official hunt T-shirt and received $1,000 each, while Gubler won $500.

The rocks are ready for the Summit Rock Hunt, St. George, Utah, date not specified | Photo by Sheldon Demke, St. George News

“One of my favorite things about the Summit Rock Hunt is that you get to explore fun areas and trails that maybe you didn’t know were right here in our cities and towns,” Rue said. “We get to expand what we know about the community.” 

To celebrate 10 years of rock hunting with the community, Summit is hosting a pool party at their River Road location on June 17 from 5-9 p.m. Rock hunters can grab discounted shirts and pick up an exclusive clue for the following day’s search. There will also be live music, food trucks, a “dive-in” movie and fun family games with prizes. All ages are welcome, but partygoers 15 and under must be accompanied by an adult. The party is free and open to the public.

Over the past decade, the Summit Rock Hunt has grown into a beloved summertime tradition for families throughout the area. Grab a map, lace up your shoes and hit the trails for your chance to cash in on the fun. 

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.

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