11-year-old raises money for TDLT by paddling 72 miles around Lake Tahoe

by | Aug 19, 2026 | Uncategorized

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev.  –  Grady Holman, 11, has been preparing for three months to paddleboard 72 miles around the perimeter of Lake Tahoe with goals to not only raise money for the Truckee Donner Land Trust (TDLT), but to shatter self-limitations and inspire others.

Grady has been training to paddleboard around Lake Tahoe for three months
Provided / Cali Holman

Motivated by a book called “The Comfort Crisis”, written by Michael Easter, Holman and his mother have set out on a Misogi, or as Easter describes it, “A circumnavigation of the edges of your potential to expand them.”

“I just wanted to try and push myself out of my comfort zone,” said Holman who told the Tribune he’s been paddleboarding since he was three. “The farthest I’ve gone is about 10 miles on Lake Clementine in Auburn.” 

Setting off on Tuesday, August 18, Holman and his mom will launch at Commons Beach and begin their six-leg journey while camping out and staying at different locations along the way. Family and friends of the Holmans will also join in on different legs throughout their time on the lake.

From Commons Beach, they will head south to Sugar Pine Point and then to a camp site at Camp Richardson. From there, sights are set on Zephyr Cove Resort to Sand Harbor, Sand Harbor to Kings Beach, and finally, King’s Beach back to Common’s Beach.

Holman said he’s aiming to complete the voyage around Lake Tahoe’s perimeter in six days, and although the unpredictability of Tahoe’s weather and lake conditions could alter their plans, Holman is determined to see it through.

“Somtimes, I feel like I get down on myself and feel like I can’t do it, but then once I get in the right head space again and pump through it, I think I’ll be fine,” said Holman. “It will be a long paddle though. 72 miles is a lot. Some of the days we’ll be doing 10 miles and other days, we’ll be doing 16 miles.”

Starting a pledge page on SignUpGenius, Holman dedicated his paddle to TDLT, allowing folks to donate either an amount of their choosing or a pledge per mile. 

“I’m trying to raise money for TDLT because it conserves and protects places that my family and I enjoy. I want to give back to them and the community,” he said. 

If you’d like to donate to Holman’s Tahoe paddle, visit https://tools.signupgenius.com/c/pledge-a-mile/fundraiser/details.

“It’s going to be an awesome adventure,” Holman added. “I’m excited to experience something I’ve never experienced before.”