Marcus Muench Casanova died in a tragic hiking accident on Mt. Baldy on December 29, 2025.

Marcus loved the outdoors with a kind of wholehearted joy that was impossible to miss. Hiking, sailing, rowing, fishing, surfing, skiing, freediving…if it put him outside, he was all in. The outdoors wasn’t just recreation for Marcus; it was where he felt most alive, most himself.

He also loved sharing that joy. Marcus was a sailing instructor and had a natural way with kids: patient, encouraging, and generous with his time. Helping young people discover confidence, freedom, and wonder through outdoor experiences mattered deeply to him.

In Marcus’s name, we are creating a nonprofit to carry that spirit forward. Its mission is to provide scholarships for underserved youth to experience the outdoors—opportunities they might not otherwise have to hike, sail, learn, explore, and discover the sense of possibility that meant so much to Marcus.

This is our way of honoring his life and continuing the legacy of curiosity, kindness, and love for the natural world that he left behind.

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100% of proceeds will be managed by a trust and donated to organizations such as Lasting Adventures, Outward Bound, the Jack Murphy Foundation, and/or other organizations dedicated to expanding access to outdoor experiences for all.