Jeff Lowe
Jeff Lowe (born September 13, 1950 in Ogden (Utah) ; † August 24, 2018 in Colorado ) was an American alpinist with over 1000 first ascents , a. a. in the Rocky Mountains , the Alps and the Himalayas . He was considered an advocate of the alpine style .
Career
Lowe is credited with bringing modern ice climbing to the United States from Europe and pushing the boundaries of mixed climbing . He founded the companies Latok Mountain Gear and Cloudwalker . He presented the world's first softshell jacket while working at Latok Mountain Gear . Lowe appeared on the cover of the December 11, 1978 issue of Sports Illustrated . In his earlier years, Lowe worked for the Colorado Outward Bound School.
He is credited with introducing ice climbing as a discipline of the Winter X-Games as well as hosting the Ouray Ice Festival. He was the organizer of the first international climbing competition ever to be held in the United States (Snowbird (Utah)) in 1988.
Lowe died on August 24, 2018 in the presence of his daughter Sonja and her boyfriend, his cousin George Lowe and close friends.
Awards
Lowe received honorary membership in the American Alpine Club , the club's highest honor, for his climbing accomplishments, contribution to the climbing community, and vision. He received honorary membership in the British Alpine Club .
Lowe is the subject of the 2014 biographical documentary Jeff Lowe's Metanoia, directed by Jim Aikman.
In 2017 he won the Piolet d'Or Lifetime Achievement Award.
Selected climbing performances
- 1958 Grand Teton , Wyoming with his father
- 1971 Moonlight Buttress, Zion National Park , Utah . First ascent with Mike Weis.
- 1972 first winter ascent of Grand Teton with Greg Lowe
- 1973 North Face, Wetterhorn Peak , San Juan Mountains , Colorado . First ascent with Paul Hogan
- 1973 Northeast Corner, Keeler Needle, Sierra Nevada (United States) . First ascent with John Weiland
- 1974 Bridal Veil Falls (Telluride), Telluride (Colorado) , first ascent with Mike Weis.
- 1974 Green River Lake Dihedral, Squaretop, Wind River Range . First ascent with Greg Lowe.
- 1975 Mount Kitchener (Alberta) s Grand Central Couloir with Mike Weis
- 1979 Ama Dablam , Nepal solo
- 1980 Skyang Kangri attempt
- 1982 Kongde Ris North Side with David Breashears
- 1985 Bird Brain Boulevard, Ouray, Colorado
- 1990 Nameless Tower , Slovenian route 2nd free ascent with Catherine Destivelle
- 1991 Metanoia, a new direct route of the Eiger North Face , which he alone and without bolts has opened
- 1994 Octopussy, Vail (Colorado)
His attempt to climb Latok I in 1978 with Jim Donini, Michael Kennedy and George Lowe is seen as the most difficult attempt in the world that is currently unfinished.
Filmography
- 1979: The Ice Experience
- 1986: climbing
- 1996: Waterfall Ice
- 1997: Alpine Ice: Jeff Lowe's Climbing Techniques
- 2004: Clean Walls
literature
- Jeff Lowe: Ice Experience . McGraw-Hill / Contemporary, 1979, ISBN 0-8092-7511-2 .
- Jeff Lowe: Ice World: Techniques and Experiences of Modern Ice Climbing . Mountaineers, 1996, ISBN 0-89886-446-1 .
Web links
References and comments
- ↑ a b World-renowned alpinist Jeff Lowe dies at 67, leaving outdoor legacy in Ogden. August 25, 2018 .
- ^ Jeff Lowe's Most Influential Gear of All Time. Lowe brothers credited with 4 contributions to the Most Influential Gear of All Time by Outside Magazine. Jeff Lowe at Outdoor Retailer Booth # A-107 with the gear and Jeff Lowe's Metanoia, the documetary film. July 24, 2012 .
- ↑ Jeff Lowe, Mountain Climbing ( July 29, 2012 memento in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ not to be confused with mountaineer George Lowe, who died in 2013
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Lowe, Jeff |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American sport climber |
| DATE OF BIRTH | September 13, 1950 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Ogden , Utah, USA |
| DATE OF DEATH | August 24, 2018 |
| Place of death | Colorado |