Lowe suffered from a neurological disease similar to ALS for approximately 18 years, until he died on August 24, 2018, in Colorado, United States.
Career achievements
Lowe is credited with bringing modern ice climbing to the United States from Europe as well as pushing the limits of mixed climbing. He founded the companies Latok Mountain Gear and Cloudwalker. He introduced the world's first softshell jacket while at Latok Mountain Gear. Lowe was featured ice climbing on the cover of the December 11, 1978 issue of Sports Illustrated.[3] Lowe worked for the Colorado Outward Bound School in his earlier years.
Lowe is credited with introducing ice climbing in the Winter X Games as well as starting the Ouray Ice Festival. He also was the organizer in Snowbird (Utah) in 1988, of the first international rock climbing competition ever held in the US. Lowe received an Honorary Lifetime Membership in the American Alpine Club, the club's highest honors, for his climbing achievements, contributions to the climbing community, and vision. He was also awarded Honorary Lifetime Membership in the Alpine Club of the United Kingdom.
Lowe is the subject of the Award Winning 2014 biographical documentary film Jeff Lowe's Metanoia Produced by Connie Self and Directed by Jim Aikman.[4]
In 2017 he won the Piolets D'or Lifetime Achievement Award in France and was inducted into the Boulder Sports Hall of Fame in Colorado. Jeff was a beloved member of the climbing community both at home and abroad.
^Lowe, Jeff (1975). "Keeler Needle, East Face". American Alpine Journal. 20 (49). New York, NY, USA: American Alpine Club: 138–139. ISBN0-930410-72-6.
^Lowe, Jeff (1975). "Keeler Needle, East Face". American Alpine Journal. 20 (49). New York, NY, USA: American Alpine Club: 128–129. ISBN0-930410-72-6.
^Murray, Kerry (26 July 1999). "Jeff Lowe, Ice Climber". Sportsillustrated.cnn.com. Retrieved 4 April 2010.
^Lowe, Jeff (1975). "Keeler Needle, East Face". American Alpine Journal. 20 (49). New York, NY, USA: American Alpine Club: 139. ISBN0-930410-72-6.
^Lowe, Jeff (1975). "Squaretop". American Alpine Journal. 20 (49). New York, NY, USA: American Alpine Club: 137. ISBN0-930410-72-6.
^Kennedy, Michael (March 2005). "Mountain Profile: Ama Dablam". Alpinist Magazine (X). Jackson, WY, USA: Alpinist LLC: 27.
^John Roskelley (1991). Last Days: A World-famous Climber Challenges the Himalayas' Tawoche and Menlungtse. Stackpole Books. pp. 1–97. ISBN0-8117-0889-6.