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Conrad
climber
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Topic Author's Original Post - May 13, 2019 - 03:35pm PT
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Greetings,
Max Lowe, my stepson for the past 18 years, is in the process of creating a documentary film about his late father Alex. As many of the contributors to the Climber's Forum are from the 80s & 90s, I'm casting a wide net to see if there are images, video clips and stories that might be helpful to a 30 year old trying to understand his father.
Please send a note or post here. I'll introduce you to Max.
Thanks in advance,
~conrad
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ron gomez
Trad climber
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May 13, 2019 - 04:13pm PT
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I remember last seeing Alex...late 90’s, I was heading up to the Grand Teton, he was coming down. Stopped and chatted right near Irenes Buttress. As always, words of encouragement, conversation on family and a firm handshake. Didn’t know that would be the last time I would see him. Kinda think maybe coulda been when Bardini passed up there. Mind isn’t as sharp now!
Peace
Hope you and your family are well Conrad
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johntp
Trad climber
Punter, Little Rock
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May 13, 2019 - 04:26pm PT
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I have nothing. Major respect to Alex and you Conrad. Hard to believe that much time has passed.
I met you and Alex in Bishop way BITD when Doug Robinson brought me to your place. It was a good night listening to tales of past adventures and future plans.
Edit: remember a line I saw somewhere. I think it was a route on El Cap. Someone said "no fair, you brought Alex!".
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Delhi Dog
climber
Good Question...
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May 14, 2019 - 03:35am PT
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I don't have anything to add either, other than a big howdy from Delhi (1 more year!).
Had the pleasure of hosting Max prior to one of his Nepal trips here in Delhi. If memory serves me Conrad you were up in the Kumbu at the time. He had just received a grant to do some documentary filming or some such thing.
Fine young man. Alex I know would be proud as I'm sure you are too Conrad of him.
I look forward to the film sometime in the future!
cheers
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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May 14, 2019 - 04:14am PT
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hey there, say, conrad... very nice of you to do this thread...
:)
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TomKimbrough
Social climber
Salt Lake City
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May 14, 2019 - 06:50am PT
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Conrad - I worked with Alex at the Utah Avi Center for a winter and of course, was around him in the Tetons. I would be glad to share stories with his son. I have never been a photographer though so no photos or videos.
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dh
Trad climber
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May 14, 2019 - 08:18am PT
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Hi Conrad.
One of my favorite memories from Berkeley climbing days was catching a slide show of Alex's at the REI on San Pablo. It was a day or two before my friend and I were off to climb El Cap for the first time. My first and only time seeing Alex speak in person. The stoke, enthusiasm, and smile from that guy...It was a real treat, and we carried some of that stoke up the Muir with us.
Dave Hill.
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Spanky
Social climber
boulder co
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May 14, 2019 - 01:58pm PT
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Hey Conrad and Max,
Like many climbers my age Alex was one of my heroes. I only met him once but it left an impression that lasts to this day. Met him in July of 1994 in the Tetons. I was 17 and a new climber. My uncle had been climbing since the 60's and we decided that we would try and climb the Koven route on Mt Owen. We hiked in, bivied and did the climb the following day. It was my first technical alpine route and felt super out there. As I belayed my uncle on the last pitch to the summit I saw this tall skinny guy running around by himself in running shoes. We got to the summit about the same time he did and started to chat. I was a new climber and didn't recognized him but my uncle told the guy he looked familiar and asked his name. It was Alex Lowe and apparently his client at Exum had canceled that day and so he decided to solo the grand traverse. Then he told us he had already done Teewinot and only left the trailhead 90 minutes ago I think my jaw fell off completely. We talked for a few minutes and he talked about how awesome it was to see kids getting into mountaineering. He took a picture of us. (I still to this day don't know why I didn't get a picture with him) and then he took off to solo the north ridge of the grand in tennis shoes. Needless to say we were blown away but in many ways it was his psych and positive energy and total lack of ego that left the biggest impression. After that I was hooked on climbing for the long haul. I followed his exploits over the next few years and when I found out that he had been killed I was crushed. He was a hero not just because he was an amazing athlete but because he was a great guy and such an ambassador to our sport. I only met him that one time but his impression on my life was profound. Best wishes to his family and I'm just another example of the huge impact that Alex had on the world.
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Bad Climber
Trad climber
The Lawless Border Regions
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May 14, 2019 - 02:33pm PT
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I loved it when folks would say it was "cheating" to have The Mutant along on routes! What an amazing guy. Wish I'd met him.
BAd
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ron gomez
Trad climber
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May 15, 2019 - 07:06pm PT
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Bump for Alex, Max, Jenny and Conrad
Peace
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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May 15, 2019 - 07:34pm PT
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Alex, need I say, was one of a kind. I only climbed with him a little but I knew him reasonably well and will always value memories of his friendship.
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ron gomez
Trad climber
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May 18, 2019 - 10:32am PT
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Come on guys! Alex was a one of a kind....not a lot of time left here. This documentary has potential to be very good....some stories PLEASE.
Peace
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johntp
Trad climber
Punter, Little Rock
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May 18, 2019 - 10:34am PT
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I loved it when folks would say it was "cheating" to have The Mutant along on routes! What an amazing guy. Wish I'd met him.
Ha Ha!! Max has good genes.
Edit: Ron, Alex is like Honnald. Travels in a world few of us can imagine. Other than Conrad, wonder if many on this forum ever met him. I did, but it was one night that passed too swiftly,
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jeff constine
Trad climber
Ao Namao
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May 18, 2019 - 12:23pm PT
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Alex Lowes nephew Alex Lowe JR
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shipoopoi
Big Wall climber
oakland
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May 18, 2019 - 02:22pm PT
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hey conrad, that's great that max is doing this and you are helping. sorry i never got to climb with alex, but i remember him well from tradeshows, slideshows, etc.
i remember him giving a slideshow to the aac one time, i think on krgystan, and it was a riot. he had a picture of him behind some big dicey helicopter with the comment "and looks who's driving". he had us in stitches. it was impossible to not be consumed with all that positive energy.
for those who have not read forget-me-not by jennifer/lowe/anker, it is a wonderful tribute to alex, and the perseverance of jennifer is amazing.
steve schneider
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Happy Cowboy
Social climber
Boz MT
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May 23, 2019 - 08:20am PT
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Hey Conrad and Max, it's Donnie Black and I've afew pics from this West Fork Ruth trip Jen remembers, and somewhere there's a short video of A's physical therapy after a knee repair, that I produced. Here's a sweet one shot with the notables backs turned towards camera, perhaps not probable SuperTopo legit for now...
Anyway 5702571 or 6-7853 local.
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Capt.
climber
some eastside hovel
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May 23, 2019 - 10:11am PT
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'96 or so I was heading into Hyalite on dawn patrol for some ice. My buddy and I come around a corner past the dam. A couple of cars are lined up in front of us with a van in the ditch in front of them. My buddy and I pull out our car extraction stuff and walk up. Well, it's none other than Bird Lew, her BF and Alex. Alex was fresh out of knee surgery and just showing Bird around. I will never forget Alex's smile and enthusiasm even though he wasn't/couldn't climb that day.Alex was running around shooting photos with that huge smile saying "this is what Montana climbing is all about!" We proceeded to get the van back on the road and move forward. I will never forget that enthusiasm even though stuff was kind of askew.
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Fogarty
climber
BITD
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May 23, 2019 - 09:06pm PT
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Conrad, I could be wrong but in 1983 on my firs El Cap climb the Mushroom, Alex was on his first the Shield and Kurt Smith was on the Salathe, was the Shield Alex first on the captain?
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Ian Parsons
climber
UK, England
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May 25, 2019 - 05:06pm PT
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Conrad, I could be wrong but in 1983 on my firs El Cap climb the Mushroom, Alex was on his first the Shield and Kurt Smith was on the Salathe, was the Shield Alex first on the captain?
Mike, [I think it's Mike; is that correct?]
Alex climbed The Salathé Wall in the Spring/early Summer of 1979; as far as I'm aware that was his first El Cap Grade VI. In late September that same year he did The Shield, followed about two weeks later by The Trip. I'm afraid I've no idea whether he did The Shield again in 1983 - or whether it was a different route, or perhaps somebody else.
Conrad,
I've messaged you via your website; not sure whether you've received it.
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jeff benowitz
climber
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May 26, 2019 - 06:12pm PT
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Max (and conrad),
I met Alex a few times BITD, valdez, fairbanks, the valley
and he always remembered
my name and story-quite kind-impressive for a popular fellow
who met lots of folks.
One night at the mountain room bar-the valley
Alex encouraged me, sean easton and eric sloan
to try-make the 2nd ascent of jesus built my hot rod.
Eric and I had only done a few aid routes, but Alex
in his none mucho-way encouraged us to push our
boundaries. the climb got a little out of hand when we ran out of water
but not vodka.
But it was not just about climbing. Your dad was
an enjoyable person to be around and I don’t really like most
people.
jeff apple benowitz
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