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\nJeff Lowe is to receive an Honorary Membership from the American Alpine Club, the club\u2019s highest honor, for a life of extraordinary dedication. Recipients are judged upon three sets of criteria: climbing achievements, contributions to the climbing community and vision Says Jim Donini, one of Lowe\u2019s climbing partners, \u201cHe was an all-rounder\u2014he did it all. Although at the time, it was just known as climbing.\u201d
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\nJim Donini, recent past president of the AAC and a top alpinist, credits Lowe with importing ice-climbing techniques from Europe. He returned with a renewed notion of what was possible. Such first ascents as Bridalveil Falls (WI6, 1974) in Colorado, and Keystone Greensteps (WI5, 1975), Alaska, are Lowe\u2019s ice climbing legacy. Jim McCarthy, himself author of major alpine ascents, says, \u201cHe transformed ice climbing, period.\u201d Lowe was a prolific mountaineer: in winter 1991 he soloed Metanoia on the North Face of the Eiger for the first ascent (5.10, M6+, A4).
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\nIn 1994 he essentially invented mixed climbing with his ascent of Octopussy (M8) outside of Vail, Colorado. His and his team members’ attempt of the North Ridge of Latok 1 (7145 meters) in Pakistan is considered to be one of the greatest alpine endeavors of all time.
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\nJim McCarthy calls it \u201cby far the greatest failure of American mountaineering.\u201d Lowe, Jim Donini, Michael Kennedy and Jeff\u2019s cousin George Lowe spent 26 days on the mountain and came within 400 feet of the summit, a high point that still holds.
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\nDonini cites diminishing fuel reserves, Jeff\u2019s illness from a near-fatal virus and horrendous weather as the main reasons for their retreat. To this day, the North Ridge of Latok \u00a0awaits a first ascent, despite numerous attempts.
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\nBy Matthew Whiteman. Read more on: www.rockandice.com
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\u00a0 Jeff Lowe is to receive an Honorary Membership from the American Alpine Club, the club\u2019s highest honor, for a life of extraordinary dedication. Recipients are judged upon three sets…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8066],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-45932","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news-boulder"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n