It is with the deepest of sadness we inform you that on Friday evening Jeff Lowe passed away. In his passing we lost a visionary and inspiring man. A man who helped shape, not only the Lowe Alpine brand but all climbing and mountaineering culture.
Far too often we hear words like innovator and courageous, but in this case these words are a genuine description of a man who constantly pushed at the boundaries of what was thought possible.
He dedicated his life to climbing, at six he summited the Grand Teton with his father (the silhouette of which later became the Lowe Alpine logo). He went on to put up classic routes across America and later the world. Maybe his greatest accomplishment was an attempt on the north ridge of Latok 1 in 1978 in which the team had to turn back ‘a whisper’ from the summit. In the ensuing 40 years the ridge has repelled over 30 attempts from the best mountaineers in the world. Only three weeks ago a team finally made it to the summit, completing one of the last great mountaineering puzzles, putting to bed a challenge many (aside from Jeff) deemed impossible!
Lowe Alpine have remained in close contact with Jeff throughout Equip’s ownership of the brand. Last year he helped us celebrate our 50th anniversary by joining our ambassador team, giving interviews, memories and access to a wonderful archive of images, films and products from the brand’s past.
Over the last decade Jeff has battled a motor neuron illness similar to ALS, and although confined to wheelchair and latterly unable to speak he continued to be a witty, courageous outspoken advocate for the climbing tribe. Jeff didn’t let his illness get him down, only three years ago we invited him to attend Kendal Mountain Festival for the launch of his film Metanoia, where despite having to answer an audience Q&A via an Ipad he had the whole auditorium simultaneously in stitches and in tears.
Jeff was a loyal, passionate advocate of climbing and mountaineering culture, his personality, and now his legacy will continue to live on in the Lowe Alpine brand.
Zie ook: https://www.planetmountain.com/en/n...the-worlds-most-influential-mountaineers.html
Far too often we hear words like innovator and courageous, but in this case these words are a genuine description of a man who constantly pushed at the boundaries of what was thought possible.
He dedicated his life to climbing, at six he summited the Grand Teton with his father (the silhouette of which later became the Lowe Alpine logo). He went on to put up classic routes across America and later the world. Maybe his greatest accomplishment was an attempt on the north ridge of Latok 1 in 1978 in which the team had to turn back ‘a whisper’ from the summit. In the ensuing 40 years the ridge has repelled over 30 attempts from the best mountaineers in the world. Only three weeks ago a team finally made it to the summit, completing one of the last great mountaineering puzzles, putting to bed a challenge many (aside from Jeff) deemed impossible!
Lowe Alpine have remained in close contact with Jeff throughout Equip’s ownership of the brand. Last year he helped us celebrate our 50th anniversary by joining our ambassador team, giving interviews, memories and access to a wonderful archive of images, films and products from the brand’s past.
Over the last decade Jeff has battled a motor neuron illness similar to ALS, and although confined to wheelchair and latterly unable to speak he continued to be a witty, courageous outspoken advocate for the climbing tribe. Jeff didn’t let his illness get him down, only three years ago we invited him to attend Kendal Mountain Festival for the launch of his film Metanoia, where despite having to answer an audience Q&A via an Ipad he had the whole auditorium simultaneously in stitches and in tears.
Jeff was a loyal, passionate advocate of climbing and mountaineering culture, his personality, and now his legacy will continue to live on in the Lowe Alpine brand.
Zie ook: https://www.planetmountain.com/en/n...the-worlds-most-influential-mountaineers.html