George Lowe

Originally from Utah, George H. Lowe III is part of a family of famous alpine-style climbers: his cousin, Jeff Lowe, has made over one thousand first ascents, and Greg Lowe, another climbing cousin, founded the outdoor equipment manufacturer Lowe Alpine. George started climbing in 1962 during his first year of college in Southern California, but really became enamored with it when climbing in the Grand Tetons of Wyoming. He eventually moved on to climbing in the Canadian Rockies, Alaska and the Himalayas. He is a world-renowned climber whose climbing accomplishments include a number of first ascents, and is famed for his unstoppable will and consummate skill. Among climbers, George's climbing style is often described as "impeccable," and he has a reputation for taking on highly "committing" routes. When asked about his career, George describes it with modesty, but acknowledges that part of his remarkable success can be attributed to his tenacity and commitment despite - or perhaps because of - the objective hazards he encounters. George studied physics and earned a PhD in 1973 from the University of Utah. He went on to have a long career in the science and engineering field, working in Utah, California and Colorado. This knowledge of physics and having strong problem solving skills translated well to climbing, and he also was able to apply things he learned in climbing back to his scientific work. For more about George Lowe, see: "Alumni Spotlight: George H. Lowe III" in the newsletter from the Department of Physics, University of Utah.