Alex Lowe To Be Honored In Lecture Oct. 13, Bozeman

2004-10-13 19:30:00

Montana State University’s Strand Union ballrooms

Contact: http://www.ticketswest.com MSU Leadership Institute at 994-7275

On Oct. 13, at 7:30 p.m. in Montana State University’s Strand Union ballrooms, Conrad Anker and Jennifer Lowe will give a lecture and slideshow presentation titled "A Legacy Beyond Climbing: In Memory of Alex Lowe." This event will highlight the projects of the Alex Lowe Charitable Foundation, including the Khumbu Climbing School.

Regarded as one of the world’s best climbers, Bozeman resident Alex Lowe was killed in an avalanche on Tibet’s Shishipagma on Oct. 5, 1999. He had succeeded on difficult alpine climbs all over the world, including new routes on Nepal’s Kwangde and Kusum Kanguru, and had twice summited Mount Everest.

Following his death, the Alex Lowe Charitable Foundation (ALCF) was founded by his wife, Jennifer Lowe, and his climbing partner, Anker. It was created to preserve Alex Lowe’s legacy by providing direction and financial support to sustainable, community-based humanitarian programs designed to help the people who live in remote regions of the world.

"Creating the ALCF was a healing experience," says Lowe, who is a highly regarded artist and is now married to Anker. Anker, a world class climber himself, continues to climb and is known for his numerous speed records on El Capitan. He has tackled the most technically challenging terrain on earth, including the icefalls of Alaska and Antarctica and the world’s highest peaks in the Himalaya. In May 1999 on Mount Everest, Anker discovered the body of George Mallory, the preeminent Everest explorer of the 1920’s.

During this event, the documentary "The Magic Knot" will receive its Bozeman premier. Per Saari, the film’s director, will introduce the 30-minute documentary. Saari began his film career as a production assistant on Robert Redford’s "The Horse Whisperer" and served two years as a staff member of Redford’s South Fork Pictures. Saari left South Fork to direct a documentary film about the life and death of his brother, extreme skier Hans Saari. His latest effort, included in the Telluride Film Festival, takes a deep look into the Khumbu Climbing School and how the instructors, including Anker, Jon Krakauer and Harry Kent share critical mountaineering techniques and skills necessary for safe work in the Himalayan mountains.

At the conclusion of the presentation Anker, Lowe and Saari will answer questions from the audience.

Tickets are $5 with all proceeds to benefit the Alex Lowe Charitable Foundation. This presentation is sponsored by the Bozeman Daily Chronicle, ASMSU, Montana Ale Works and the Alex Lowe Charitable Foundation.

Tickets may be purchased at the Bobcat Ticket Office, Barrel Mountaineering, Northern Lights Trading Company and local Tickets West Outlets (http://www.ticketswest.com). For more information call the MSU Leadership Institute at 994-7275.