George Lowe (climber)

George Henry Lowe III (born August 16, 1944) is an American rock climber and alpinist, noted for his history of alpine-style mountaineering on difficult and infrequently repeated routes and his development of traditional climbing routes in the Western United States.[1] He pioneered winter ascents in the North American Rockies along with cousins Jeff Lowe (climber), Mike Lowe, and Greg Lowe. He is also known for his technically difficult ascents of mixed climbing faces in the Himalayas including the North Ridge of Latok I (within 200m of the summit) and the first ascent of the East Face of Mount Everest (Kangshung Face), where the Lowe Buttress bears his name.[2] [3] [4] Lowe is currently a resident of Colorado.[5]

George Lowe
George Lowe in Tanzania in 2015
BornAugust 16, 1944
Chicago, IL, USA
NationalityAmerican
Other namesGeorge Lowe, George Henry Lowe III
Known forAlpine Climber

Early life

He was raised in Ogden, Utah, and began climbing in 1962 while attending Harvey Mudd College. He finished his undergraduate degree at the University of Utah where he later received a PhD in Physics in 1973.[6]

Honors and awards

Lowe was the 1990 recipient of the American Alpine Club's Robert and Miriam Underhill Award, renamed the Pinnacle Award in 2022. The award is given "annually to a person who, in the opinion of the selection committee, has demonstrated the highest level of skill in the mountaineering arts and who, through the application of this skill, courage, and perseverance, has achieved outstanding success in the various fields of mountaineering endeavor".[7][8]

Lowe also had a successful career as a systems engineer providing consulting to the United States Intelligence Community. He was awarded the Intelligence Community Seal Medallion on February 28, 1999 from the National Foreign Intelligence Community which recognizes "sustained superior performance of duty of high value that distinctly benefits the interests of the United States".[9]

He is an Honorary Member of the American Alpine Club which represents "the highest award the AAC has to offer. It is given to those individuals who have had a lasting and highly significant impact on the advancement of the climbing craft".[10]

Lowe was also president of the Piolet d’Or 2014 International Jury which included Catherine Destivelle and was responsible for selecting the award-winners from the nominees. The Piolet d'Or is an award for mountaineering created by the magazine Montagnes and The Groupe de Haute Montagne[11]

He was awarded Honorary Membership of Alpine Club (UK) in January 2020.

In October 2023, Lowe was announced the recipient of the 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Piolet d'Or. [12]

Notable climbs

References

  1. Weidner, Chris (February 26, 2013), "Experience the highs and Lowes of the American Alpine Club", The Daily Camera, Boulder, CO, USA, retrieved February 1, 2019
  2. Tabin, Geoff (1982). "The Kangshung Face of Everest". American Alpine Journal. 24 (56). Retrieved February 1, 2019.
  3. Morrissey, James (1984). "The Kangshung Face of Everest". American Alpine Journal. 26 (58). Retrieved February 1, 2019.
  4. Unsworth, Walt (2000). Everest, The Mountaineering History. Seattle, WA, USA: Mountaineers Books. p. 501. ISBN 978-0-89886-670-4.
  5. Chris Kalous (February 26, 2020). "George Lowe III - A Fortunate Man". enormocast.com (Podcast).
  6. Osius, Allison; Waterman, Jonathan (1997). Cloud Dancers: Portraits of North American Mountaineers. NYC, NY, USA: American Alpine Club. pp. 87–102.
  7. "The Robert and Miriam Underhill Award". The American Alpine Club. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
  8. "The Pinnacle Award". The American Alpine Club. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
  9. "Director of Central Intelligence Directive 7/1-1 Intelligence Community Awards" (PDF). Central Intelligence.
  10. "Honorary Members". The American Alpine Club. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
  11. "Newswire: Piolets d'Or Nominates Five Ascents", Alpinist, Jeffersonville, Vermont, USA, February 27, 2014, retrieved February 1, 2019
  12. "George Lowe", Piolets d'Or, retrieved October 5, 2023
  13. Lowe, George (1966), "EUROPE, ALPS, PETIT DRU", American Alpine Journal, American Alpine Club
  14. Achey, Jeff (October 11, 2011), ""The Future - Interviews with Icons: Lowe, Payne, Caldwell, and Hill".", Climbing, Boulder, Colorado, USA, retrieved February 1, 2019
  15. "Faces: George Henry Lowe III", Alpinist, Jeffersonville, Vermont, USA, no. 15, 2006, retrieved February 1, 2019
  16. Jackson, Reynold (1999). Park of the Matterhorns, Chapter 16, A Place Called Jackson Hole: A Historic Resource Study of Grand Teton National Park. Moose, Wyoming, USA: National Park Service. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
  17. Ortenburger, Leigh (1972). "High Peaks of the Parón—Perutah Expedition". American Alpine Journal. 18 (46). Retrieved February 1, 2019.
  18. Lowe, George (1973), "The North Face of Alberta", Ascent Magazine, Boulder, CO, vol. 2, no. 1
  19. Blanchard, Barry (2002). "1974: The North Face of North Twin". American Alpine Journal. 44 (76). Retrieved February 1, 2019.
  20. Lowe, George (1975). "The North Face of North Twin". American Alpine Journal. 17 (49). Retrieved February 1, 2019.
  21. Selters, Andy (2004). Ways to the Sky. Golden, CO, USA: American Alpine Club Press. p. 263. ISBN 978-0-930410-83-4.
  22. Kennedy, Michael (1979). "Latok I". American Alpine Journal. 22 (53): 24–28. ISSN 0065-6925.
  23. Wagstaff, Brock (1980). "NORTH AMERICA, CANADA, CANADIAN ROCKIES, TURRET MOUNTAIN AND MOUNT GEIKIE, THE RAMPARTS". American Alpine Journal. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
  24. Wren, Christopher (October 28, 1983). "U.S. TEAM FINDS A HARDER WAY TO SCALE EVEREST". New York Times. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
  25. Morrissey, James D. (1984), "The Forgotten Face of Everest (East Face) - Conquest of the Summit", National Geographic Magazine, vol. 166, no. 1
  26. Buhler, Carlos (1992). "1990 International Dhaulagiri Expedition". Himalayan Journal. 48. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
  27. "Huntington Climbed by George Lowe, Joe Terravecchia and Mark Richey", Gripped Magazine, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, June 25, 2015, retrieved February 1, 2019
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