Jeff Lowe returns to his roots to screen film on life, climbing
(Photo courtesy Jeff Lowe)
Jeff Lowe, right, and his partner Connie Self speak with the Standard-Examiner in Colorado. (LEIA LARSEN/Standard-Examiner)
(Photo courtesy Jeff Lowe)
OGDEN — Renowned climber Jeff Lowe will return to his roots during the Ogden Climbing Festival, where he’ll also be showing his biographic film.
“Jeff Lowe’s Metanoia” explores Lowe’s ascent in life to climbing legend, as well as his battles later in life with a mysterious, debilitating disease.
“In general in life … he wanted to be the ‘adaptable man,’ which, of course, lends itself perfectly for the different terrain in climbing,” Connie Self, Lowe’s partner, previously told the Standard-Examiner. “That essence is what made him an extraordinary climber. He was a visionary and thought outside the box.”
Lowe pioneered many popular climbs in Utah and the West. He went on to complete several notable mountaineering feats throughout the world. In 1991, he finished a new direct route up the North Face of Switerzland’s Eiger. He climbed it solo. After a storm and near-death experience while climbing the route, Lowe said the ascent marked a turning point in his life.
“‘Metanoia’ means ‘a fundamental change of thinking or a transformative change of heart,'” Self said. “He named the route ‘Metanoia’ because of the experience he had on the Eiger.”
Lowe grew up in Ogden, but spent much of his adult life in Colorado. He returned to his hometown in 2002 and helped the city rebrand itself as an outdoor destination.
“Ogden is where he started climbing, where he learned to climb, Ogden gave him that,” Self said. “He feels very strongly about giving back to Ogden. I think when he lived there, he tried to do that through a number of projects.”
Those projects included introducing a climbing festival to the city, establishing the Via Ferrata in Waterfall Canyon, cleaning up local climbing areas and helping the city form a marketing strategy.
Lowe’s disease also starting taking its toll during that time. He slowly lost his mobility and ability to speak. He’s now confined to a wheelchair, and Self translates for him.
“There’s a bit in the film about that — being a disabled person after having done all these amazing things all over the world, and there’s a bit about the dying process and what Jeff has been going through over the last few years with his illness as it has progressed,” Self said.
Lowe returned with Self to Colorado two years ago to focus on his film and be closer to family. He’ll return for the Ogden screening of his film on Friday, April 10. The film will be hosted at the Ogden High School Auditorium, where Lowe attended school decades ago. It’s also part of the climbing festival he helped establish, now in its eighth year. The box office opens at 6 p.m., and the film begins at 7 p.m.
“Jeff Lowe’s Metanoia” officially premiered last winter. It has since won mountain film festival awards in Vancouver, the United Kingdom and Slovenia.
“Jeff is doing amazingly well and has been able to travel to many of our events in the last six months,” Self said in an email. “It is quite a ride!”
For a teaser of the film, visit https://youtu.be/7KfnJMD5Jy4?list=PLAfsnsHgQdY4aQbJUBEkkhgBOX0brp8lB