A Evening with Jeff Lowe: Ice Climbing Legend

On December 17, hospital 2013, try I enjoyed an incredible evening attending a fund raising event at the American Alpine Club for Jeff Lowe’s movie, sick Metanoia.

It was a who’s who of climbing with Jeff, himself, Conrad Anker, Jon Krakauer, George Lowe, Eric Weinheimer, Charley Mace, Lynn Hill, Tom Hornbein all speaking or in attendance.

If you don’t know Jeff Lowe, he is credited for practically inventing ice climbing as we know it today and pioneered unbelievable new routes including on the Eiger.

The list of his climbs are impressive as he set new ways of looking at climbing difficult ice including the first ascent of Colorado’s Bridalveil Falls, setting the standard for steep ice at the time. In 1979 he made the first solo ascent of a major new route in the Himalaya, the South Face of Ama Dablam.

Jeff now has a form of ALS and is in a wheelchair but was at last night’s event bringing further inspiration to the packed house through his humor, wit and presence. While under hospice care he is working hard to raise enough money to see the movie come to life in 2014. Please consider a donation to take his movie from a dream to reality at http://jeffloweclimber.com/The-Movie.html

Click this link to see the trailer.

One of Jeff’s signature climb was a 9 day climb on the North face of the Eiger in Switzerland in 1991. During the fund raiser, Jon Krakuer, who filmed the climbed, talked us through a slide show the climb. As Jeff neared the summit, he had to abandon his pack when he couldn’t find any anchors at the end of his rope. He free soloed the last 50 feet to the summit ridge where he was picked up by a helicopter, just hours before a climb ending storm hit the North Face.

 

In 2011, Josh Wharton retrieved Jeff Lowe’s pack from high on the North Face.

The movie title, Metanoia, comes for the name of the Eiger route and means “change in one’s way of life resulting from penitence or spiritual conversion.”

 

Overall this is a movie that will open the eyes and inspire anyone who climbs -ice, rock or alpine – today. As a climber this is a move that must be made. I fully endorse the effort and ask if you climb and have an appreciation for those who set the routes before us, please consider a donation today.

Memories are Everything