>> December 1999 - January 2000
Alex
Lowe Dies in an Avalanche on Shishapangma
Alex Lowe, 41, one of most accomplished and well known climbers in the world was killed in an avalanche on the Swiss-Polish Route on Shishapangma, an 8000m peak in Tibet, on October 5. He was a member of an expedition with plans to ski down the peak , but poor snow conditions plagued their efforts. Dave Bridges also died in the same avalanche, and Conrad Anker was badly injured.
Lowe was well known for his numerous ascents around the world, including alpine routes and big walls in Antarctica, Baffin Island, and the Baltoro in Pakistan., as well as ascents of Mt. Everest. Lowe was no stranger to Canadian climbing, and once commented that he wished he had a time machine to travel to the Canadian Rockies before George Lowe did the first ascents of many of the great North faces. Lowe's first ascents in Canada include a difficult start to Replicant on Mt. Rundle in Alberta, Mc Tech Direct on Crescent Spire, and the popular Sunshine on Snowpatch Spire in the Bugaboos. He also made the first one day ascent of Andromeda Strain, and numerous other ascents of hard routes in the Rockies, including the difficult Grand Central Couloir on Mt. Kitchener. Recently, Alex visited Qußbec and completed many hard mixed routes at Pont Rouge and other areas.
He is survived by his wife, Jennifer, and his children, Sam, Isaac and Max, who live in Bozeman, Montana. A trust fund has been set up in their benefit, and is being administered by Norene Bancroft, (US Bank, Bozeman, Montana, USA 59715). Alex was one of the most well-rounded and well-liked climbers of his generation and his achievements inspired many climbers in almost all of the genres of climbing. He will be greatly missed.<<
Rockies News
Firth Sends Short Trad Horrors_Ben Firth
Over
the last year, Ben Firth, 21, of Canmore, has put up two very technical and
run-out routes in the Rockies. In 1994 Ben and Dave Crosley climbed Of Merging
Ages 5.12aX. In 1998 Ben sent Routasizer 5.12d/13a R/X at Lake Louise. The
route climbs the crux of Jason Lives, then breaks left to a small seam, and
runs it out past marginal gear to the anchors of Where Heathen Rage. A fall
at the crux would result in the leader hitting the buttress behind the Air
Voyage wall. A year later Ben set his sights on the direct start to Alberta
Jam (5.11c) in the Ghost River. Alberta Jam is 45m long, and the direct start
begins 10m right.
Hard climbing begins right off the ground, and the first 7m are protected by two #1 R.P.'s. Ben made his successful attempt after a very late night at some Banff night clubs. He climbed past the crux, but lost his balance and a disastrous fall was barely averted by some strong grip squeezing, and he sent the route, which was named Dionysus 5.13a R. The name commemorates Dion Bretzlaff (see Foreign Affairs) a good friend of Ben and Dave's who was killed in Peru in May. Although not as dangerous as Routasizer the climbing is much more technical. The pair promise that "it isn't over yet, we have our eyes set on a number of unclimbed lines which could take minimal gear." Uh oh.<<
Ontario News
Crash Juhasz Flies Again!
Steven Juhasz (rhymes with kuh-rash), famous for his 20m
fall off of an uncharted 21m section of Kelso Cliffs, took flight once more
above the placid waters of Lake Temiskaming this September. Crash wung it
off of the top of the first pitch (5.11a) of Bombay Sapphire (III 5.11b) at
Devil Rock, ripping out all of his pro. Although he was slowed slightly by
a tree near the base, he impacted the talus at ground zero at speeds nearing
maximum velocity. Gripped caught up with Crash at the helmet display of a
local climbing shop, and was able to get the low-down directly from the young
airman. Crash reported that he maintained consciousness after impact, but
that "my head felt all gooey, I thought it was my brains." He and partner
Stephan Scherziger managed to rescue themselves by jumarring 100m up the rap
ropes, and although Crash was "frightened by all the blood" he managed to
walk back to the car and received stitches at the local hospital. Crash stated
that "the Kelso fall was longer, but better over all, because one piece stayed
in, and also, I missed the ground." <<
The East"s Hardest Big Wall Free Climb: The First
Free Ascent of Les Grands Galets (V 5.13a)
Stßphane Perron
Les Grands Galets, a classic aid line on Cap Trinitß, (a 300m granite cliff
in Qußbec) fell to the free climbing skills of Jean-Fran"ois ÏJeff resoleÓ
Beaulieu and Jean-pierre ÏPee-weeÓ Ouellet. The pair started working the nine-pitch
route in July, and over the course of several weekends managed to top-rope
every pitch, which involved climbing up to 5.13a, before committing to the
final lead attempt on September 12. They chose not to add any other fixed
gear to the route, which made some pitches ÏengagßsÓ [ en anglais: terrifying].
The crux pitch, led by Jean-Fran"ois, starts with some difficult stemming
in a smooth orange corner with the first pro 4m above a big ledge. Another
4m of very technical climbing above this brings the climber to the first good
placement, which is followed by more hard climbing protected by very small
cams and HBs.
Among other difficulties, there were a difficult traverse under a roof on the seventh pitch, a very strenuous jamming and stemming dihedral on the fifth pitch, and some powerful finger and hand-crack moves on pitch 6. ÏThe route is beautiful, the pitches are varied and clean and the surrounding fjord scenery is extraordinary. I hope people will come to repeat the climbÓ says Jean-Fran"ois. <<
Canadians In the Cordillera Huayhuash: New Route
on Rasac and Tragedy on Yerupaja_Ben Firth
In
June, Dion Bretzloff , Andy Lequire and Ben Firth climbed a new route on a
steep, serac-ridden spur on the North-west side of Rasac (6617 m). The route
was completed in a 30 hour alpine push, and consisted mainly of very steep
snow and 70 degree ice. Most of the hard snow terrain was led by Lequire who
used snow pickets and deadmen to stand on and mantel off. The summit was reached
at dusk and the party made a taxing all night descent through a heavily crevassed
glacier.
Lequire and Firth also made an unsuccessful attempt on a new line on Yerupaja. Bretzloff and Lequire then tried a line up the West face of Yerapaja (6,634 m), and Bretzloff was killed by a falling serac. Lequire spent most of the following night making a difficult solo descent. The recovery was made much easier with the help of three other Canadians, Guy Edwards, Chris Geisler and Heather Culbert. Sean Isaac later named a new route on La Esfinge Dion"s Dihedral in memory of Dion (Gripped 1.1). Dion was one off the most talented up and coming alpinists photographers in Canada. He will be sadly missed. <<
