Luca Chiarabini was a good friend to so many people. Born in 1970 near Como Lake in Italy, the charismatic nature enthusiast who loved canyoneering, caving, kayaking, diving, skiing, snowboarding, and mountain biking, was also always ready to help others. The HP engineer lived in San Diego with his family, and also belonged to the San Bernardino Cave Rescue Team. His business card stated: ‘Active, Adventurous, Italian’
Luca drowned in August 2017 while crossing the South Fork of Kings River in California. A sequoia tree was planted in his honor with a memorial plaque that celebrates his life and memory.
Marco Leonini and a few of his close friends began the Luca Chiarabini Memorial and Photo Contest to celebrate his memory. The memorial is a series of canyoning and caving expeditions in various (26) countries to further the sports and camaraderie Luca espoused. A growing number of participants take part in a number of events that inspire the photos. The photo contest awards winners in a few categories, and are judged by photography, canyoning, caving, and explores to select the best, most memorable captures each year.
One of our ambassadors, Alex Arnold won first prize accolades for this shot of his first descent at Albula Canyon in the Swiss Alps.
