CLEAN UP THE LAKE

❄️ POLAR PLUNGE REGISTRATION IS LIMITED ❄️ Ready to question all your life choices for a good cause? Join Clean Up The Lake for the 2nd Annual Polar Plunge on Saturday, May 16 at Lakeside Beach. Check-in: 9:30 AM Plunge: 10:00 AM sharp Capacity is limited for safety, so make sure to register ahead of time before spots disappear. Every registration supports underwater litter removal, environmental dive operations, and freshwater conservation efforts throughout the Tahoe Basin. Plus, the first 50 participants receive a FREE custom recycled beach towel from Nomadix. Don’t be the person watching from shore saying, “I should’ve signed up.”

What do you call it? Fishing line? Fishing gear? Lake spaghetti? We call it… reel-y not supposed to be there Line, gear, hooks—whatever it is, if it’s in the lake, we’re reeling it out. This stuff doesn’t just disappear— it tangles, traps, and sticks around way too long. So next time you’re out there… don’t ghost your gear #CleanUpTheLake #LakeTahoe #ReelProblem #LeaveNoTrace #DiveTeam

Clean Up The Lake has a huge week ahead. ( Link in bio) On Tuesday, May 12th, join us in Tahoe City for the North Lake Tahoe premiere of our first feature documentary, 72 Miles — the origin story of the team and the most ambitious cleanup mission we’ve ever attempted. The film follows the original 72-mile cleanup of Lake Tahoe’s shoreline, documenting the challenges, discoveries, and determination behind removing more than 25,000 pounds of submerged litter from beneath the surface of one of the world’s most iconic alpine lakes. Before the screening, celebrate with the team at the release party at Tahoe Tap Haus from 6:30–8:00 PM, followed by the screening at Tahoe Art Haus & Cinema at 8:00 PM. Then on Saturday, May 16th, we’re bringing the community together again for our 2nd Annual Polar Plunge at Lakeside Beach. From 9:30–10:30 AM (plunge at 10:00 sharp), participants will take an icy dive in support of underwater litter removal, environmental dive operations, and freshwater conservation efforts throughout the Tahoe Basin. The first 50 registered participants will receive a custom recycled beach towel from Nomadix, and thanks to an incredible anonymous donor, all donations are being matched up to $15,000. Whether you join us at the premiere, take the plunge, donate, or cheer from shore — you are helping protect Lake Tahoe for future generations. This week is about community, action, and showing what’s possible when people come together for the lake.

Clean Up The Lake is proud to announce the North Lake Tahoe premiere of its first feature documentary film, 72 Miles — the origin story of the organization and the most ambitious cleanup mission the team has ever attempted. BUY TICKETS @ OUR LINK IN BIO Release Party 📍 Tahoe Tap Haus 475 N Lake Tahoe Blvd, Tahoe City, CA 96145 🗓 Tuesday, May 12th, 2026 ⏰ 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM Join the team before the screening for drinks, community, and a celebration of the journey that started it all. Ticket purchase link in bio! Film Screening 📍 Tahoe Art Haus & Cinema 🗓 Tuesday, May 12th, 2026 ⏰ 8:00 PM About the Film 72 Miles follows Clean Up The Lake, a Sierra Nevada–based dive team, on a mission to protect freshwater ecosystems through one of the most challenging environmental cleanup projects ever attempted. Filmed in 2022, the documentary captures the original 72-mile cleanup of Lake Tahoe’s entire shoreline — a first-of-its-kind effort to remove submerged litter from one of the world’s most iconic alpine lakes. What began as an ambitious idea quickly became a test of endurance, resilience, and scale. Moving mile by mile along the lake’s edge, the team faced frozen shorelines, record-breaking snowfall, wildfire evacuations, and physically demanding underwater cleanups in cold, high-elevation conditions. Over the course of the project, the team completed 72 miles of shoreline cleanup and removed more than 25,000 pounds of submerged litter and debris from the lakebed. What they discovered beneath the surface revealed another side of Lake Tahoe — one where pollution accumulates quietly, out of sight. More than a cleanup film, 72 Miles is a story about perseverance, protecting what cannot speak for itself, and proving that a small, committed team can create measurable environmental impact.

Clean Up The Lake is excited to announce its 2nd Annual Polar Plunge taking place Saturday, May 16 from 9:30 to 10:30 AM at Lakeside Beach. The plunge happens at 10:00 sharp. REGISTER NOW @ OUR LINK IN BIO Dive into a morning of chilly fun and bold community action, all in support of our diver powered mission to remove submerged litter from Lake Tahoe and surrounding alpine lakes. The first 50 participants to register will receive a FREE custom beach towel from NOMADIX, made from 100% recycled post-consumer materials and embroidered to commemorate the “”2nd Annual Clean Up The Lake Polar Plunge””. We are incredibly grateful to Nomadix for supporting this year’s event and helping us bring together community members in support of a cleaner Lake Tahoe. Space is limited and capped at 75 participants for safety reasons, but friends and family are encouraged to come cheer on participants from the beach while supporting a great cause. This year’s Polar Plunge is more than just a cold water challenge. It is a community driven fundraiser helping support underwater litter removal, environmental dive operations, and freshwater conservation efforts throughout the Tahoe Basin. Thanks to an incredible anonymous donor, every dollar raised will go twice as far with $15,000 in matching funds already committed. In addition, Lakeside Park Association has generously donated both the beach venue and an additional $2,500 toward the fundraiser goal. Every registration and every donation helps us move closer to our goal, with just $12,500 left to raise. Whether you take the plunge, donate, or cheer from the shore, you are helping protect the waters of Lake Tahoe for future generations. Let’s make a splash for a cleaner Lake Tahoe together.

We CAN confirm… kayak season is officially open Introducing: The CANoe™ Built different. Mostly because it’s built from cans. You said we can’t clean the lake and have fun… We said: hold my aluminIum. Powered by: poor decisions & recycling Stability: you can try Buoyancy: we can’t promise From the bottom of Lake Tahoe… to the top of questionable engineering New season motto: Yes we can. But also… maybe we shouldn’t. #YesWeCAN #CANoe #CleanUpTheLake #LakeTahoe #TrashToSplash AlumiNauti LeaveNoTrace

The 72 Mile Deep Clean is underway. Our team is back in the water, working to remove litter and protect the lake below the surface. Check out our stories to follow along and learn more.

Think Indiana Jones… but underwater. Some of the objects we find may be historic artifacts, giving us a glimpse into the lake’s past. When we find objects that appear to be 50+ years old, we document and mark their location rather than immediately removing them. Check out the link in our story to learn more.

Plastic in the lake doesn’t always look like a water bottle. In fact, much of the plastic we find underwater comes in smaller, less obvious forms — broken fragments, fishing line, food wrappers, foam, zip ties, sunglasses, packaging, and pieces that have already started to break apart. Over time, plastic exposed to sun, waves, and water begins to fragment into smaller pieces known as microplastics. These tiny particles can remain in the environment for years and may be mistaken for food by aquatic life. In places like Lake Tahoe, plastic pollution doesn’t just affect what we see on the shoreline — it impacts what happens beneath the surface. Every piece removed helps protect the lake’s ecosystem and keeps plastic from breaking down into even smaller pieces over time. Because plastic in the lake isn’t always obvious… but it’s almost always there.

Happy Earth Week from all of us at Clean Up The Lake This week is a reminder of why we do what we do — protecting the places we love and keeping our lakes beautiful for future generations. During our annual cleanup event at Tahoe City Marina, our incredible volunteers and team removed an amazing 1,170.47 lbs of litter from the water and shoreline. Every piece removed makes a difference. Thank you to everyone who showed up, got their hands dirty, and helped protect Lake Tahoe one pound at a time.

The Donner Lake episode of What Lies Unseen is out! Data has shown that our 0–25 foot cleanups are holding up extremely well over the years, and our alpine lakes are cleaner! Yet our mission goes much deeper than that, literally. So our team has gone back to Donner Lake in this episode to finesse a new cleanup protocol—going deeper to 55 feet, using a new type of gas to breathe, and diver propulsion vehicles to move quicker. This new protocol is complicated, includes more complex types of diving that require more experience and training, and unfortunately is exposing even more debris under our lakes. Follow us as we design this new cleanup protocol for our dive team and revisit Truckee’s Donner Lake! @martisfund @tahoedonnergivingfund @lahontancommunityfoundation @townoftruckee @ttcfgives @truckeetahoelumberco @drinkcoffee_dostuff

This Earth Day, protect the places you love to explore. 🌏 💧🏔️ You may have spotted “Fill It Forward” QR code stickers around town. Here’s how they work: when you refill your water bottle and scan the QR code, Mammoth Lakes Tourism donates to our nonprofit partner, Clean Up the Lake. It’s a quick, easy way to help protect our local water sources while reducing waste and staying hydrated. Grab a sticker from one of our local participating businesses, start scanning, and celebrate Earth Day with us every day! #VisitMammoth #EarthDay2026 #MammothLakes