Join us on August 27 for an eye-opening evening exploring how high-elevation science, outdoor recreation, and watershed protection collide on the 174-mile Tahoe Rim Trail. 

When we look up at snowcapped peaks or out across pristine alpine meadows, we see untouched wilderness. But even in our most remote backcountry, invisible human footprints remain. 

The Tahoe Rim Trail Association (TRTA), in partnership with the 5 Gyres Institute and Keep Tahoe Blue, invites you to a special Trail Talk Panel Discussion on the Tahoe Rim Trail Microplastics Expedition, 5 Gyres’ first-ever land-based, high-elevation scientific expedition. 

Learn how a dedicated team of researchers, outdoor advocates, and citizen science volunteers covered the entire 174-mile loop to collect multi-medium samples, capturing microplastics in air, soil, and backcountry waters. Discover what this groundbreaking research reveals about synthetic gear shedding, atmospheric transport, and how plastic pollution makes its way from high-ridge trails straight down into Lake Tahoe. For more information and to RSVP for this talk, please visit: keeptahoeblue.org/events-activities-lessons/speaker-series-the-tahoe-rim-trail-expedition-tracking-plastic-pollution-from-trail-to-lake-august-27-2026/