goatboy Posted April 7, 2005 Posted April 7, 2005 My vote: Clearly Alex Lowe. He was (famously) quoted as saying, "The best climber in the world is the one having the most fun." Based on that, he must have had a whole lot of fun, because he put up cutting edge ice routes, free climbed into 5.13, was an outstanding high-altitude alpinist in the great ranges of the world, and also was a strong aid climber, pioneering many first ascents and completing great traverses (like the Teton Traverse) in record time. Certainly there are many other great climbers who are specialists but I would contend that Lowe was one of the best all-around climbers ever. Discuss! Quote
snoboy Posted April 7, 2005 Posted April 7, 2005 My vote: Clearly Alex Lowe. He was (famously) quoted as saying, "The best climber in the world is the one having the most fun." Based on that, he must have had a whole lot of fun, because he put up cutting edge ice routes, free climbed into 5.13, was an outstanding high-altitude alpinist in the great ranges of the world, and also was a strong aid climber, pioneering many first ascents and completing great traverses (like the Teton Traverse) in record time. Certainly there are many other great climbers who are specialists but I would contend that Lowe was one of the best all-around climbers ever. Discuss! I'm feeling ornery tonight... Isn't that quite a circular arguement? I mean c'mon... he was a good climber, therefore he was having fun, therefore he was the best climber. Not only that, but whoever said that ice climbing, high altitude alpininsm, aid climbing, or speed traversing were actually fun??? [/ornery] Props to A. Lowe, he was a fine climber... Quote
chirp Posted April 7, 2005 Posted April 7, 2005 Dean Potter is awesome but he did ever go above 8000 meters? I am gonna drop in a vote for: Greg Child, hes a 8000m (K2) included, sport climbing, trad, big wall, thrasher extrordinaire. Granted there are alot of HOT new multipurpose hardpersons but he was hard/multitalented before alot of folks. During Greg's 30-year climbing career, he’s conquered 5.13 free routes, A5 big walls and the highest peaks in the Himalaya, namely Everest and K2. Greg’s climbing roots lead back to his native Australia, where he was a teenage collector of snakes. When a deadly tiger snake bit him, he turned to safer activities – such as rock climbing. As a teenager he did many first ascents of free climbs on the notoriously difficult cliffs of Mount Arapiles, and even today he maintains a high level of free climbing. In 2002 he established a spectacular multi-pitch 5.13 first ascent called “Excommunication” on a desert tower called The Priest. After taking up residence in America in 1980 he made his mark in Yosemite with two new routes on El Capitan. Big walls led to travels to the Himalaya, to which he has made 13 mountaineering expeditions. More recently he has turned to exploratory mountaineering. In 1999 he trekked through a remote jungle in Northeast India to seek out unclimbed peaks on the Indo-Tibet border, and his team became the first Westerners to encounter the Bungaroo people of the upper Kurung Valley. His most recent adventure was a 120-mile lightweight backpacking traverse of Comb Ridge, a stretch of the Arizona-Utah desert that encompasses the heartlands of the ancient, and vanished, Anasazi Indian culture. Plus he climbed the second ascent of my UBER obscure glue up: Housewives on acid 5.11c at Kanasket Quote
catbirdseat Posted April 7, 2005 Posted April 7, 2005 It's kind of hard to compare Alex and Fred. Fred never climbed 5.13, but then Alex never had nearly as many first ascents as Fred. Both are truly great climbers. Quote
rockguy Posted April 7, 2005 Posted April 7, 2005 It's kind of hard to compare Alex and Fred. Fred never climbed 5.13, but then Alex never had nearly as many first ascents as Fred. Both are truly great climbers. Things that make Alex cool are climbs like Winter Dance, and the NE Face of Great Trango Tower, and the fact that he was a super nice guy. The fact that he may have been able to climb 5.13 doesn’t amount to shit as far as making his “great.” Both Alex and Fred were/are pioneers so I don’t find the comparison difficult. Quote
Bill_Simpkins Posted April 7, 2005 Posted April 7, 2005 Maybe we should have a vote, this thread could be to decide who gets on the ballot. I nominate Alex Lowe. Just for thought though, what could have Ed Cooper pulled off with modern gear? If we are voting for only living climbers, and greatest now, I vote for Dean Potter. Quote
Dru Posted April 7, 2005 Posted April 7, 2005 Sorry guys, all your choices are not as good climbers as Will Gadd and Stevie Haston. Quote
Stuart Posted April 7, 2005 Posted April 7, 2005 What about old school guys like Dougal Haston. Everest SW Face and Annapurna South face (last one without oxygen I think), Eiger Direct, 5.10+ in the late 50's and plenty more in Scotland and the Alps. Messner was pretty hot on rock and ice, before he took up peak bagging. Oh and the other Lowe - Jeff. Quote
Alex Posted April 7, 2005 Posted April 7, 2005 These are all Americans and Brits. No doubt much more talented than I will ever be, however the only candidates you'll throw out there are the climbers you read about in the rags? There are a ton of very hardman slovenian, polish, Euro and non-Euro climbers out there who were (or are) either on par or even light years ahead of the American and Canadian heros. If you look carefully, the "climbing partners" of some of the individuals you've mentioned on most of the recent real notable alpine accomplishments have been Euro or non-North American climbers: Silvo Karo, Marko Preijic (sorry to butcher names), etc. I am surprised no one has mentioned the likes of Fritz Wiessner (clearly one of the all-time greats), Messner, some of the very competant French and german alpinists like Erhard Lorehtan or Christophe Profit, or how about Janez Jeglic, Jerzy Kukucka? All these people are as or more accomplished than Alex Lowe. There are alot of climbers that climb really hard 5.13/5.14, do crazy stuff in the himalayas and patagonia, etc.. but are not featured in Climbing magazine and don't write self-evangelizing pieces in Alpinist and Climbing. Quote
DirtyHarry Posted April 7, 2005 Posted April 7, 2005 Maybe you guys should make cards or action figures of you favorite climbing heros and trade them. Quote
oleg Posted April 7, 2005 Posted April 7, 2005 So funny to read this. You guys think that there is no world outside of America. All those names are never heard of in Europe where the real climbers are. Ever heard of Piolet D'Or? How many americans got it? Just bored at work. OK Quote
willstrickland Posted April 7, 2005 Posted April 7, 2005 T. Humar or A. Huber (who, btw has won a Piolet D'Or). Under-recognized Yank? Brian McCray who's freed 5.14, FAs on hard Alaskan walls, speed record repeats of hard El Cap and Zion routes. Bridwell was a stud in his day. Quote
Winter Posted April 7, 2005 Posted April 7, 2005 I think Alan Watts is the best all around climber. Well, after Ryan Lawson. What about the best all around drug smuggler, climber, base jumper, horse breeder? Hmmmmmm ..... Quote
bigwallpete Posted April 7, 2005 Posted April 7, 2005 My Vote is for Alex Lowe. "Lungs on feet "The best climber is the one having the most fun",Alex Lowe. Quote
chelle Posted April 7, 2005 Posted April 7, 2005 Who cares? Is climbing about being the best? The idea smacks of competition which really doesn't have a place in climbing IMO. Quote
chucK Posted April 7, 2005 Posted April 7, 2005 Are you saying First Ascents have no place in the climbing culture? Can't get much more competitive than that. Quote
texplorer Posted April 7, 2005 Posted April 7, 2005 Alex Huber Speed Ascent Big Walls Redpoint of sport .14's Redpoint of trad .13's Freed Many El Cap routes Soloed multi-pitch 5.12 Freed climbed hard grades at Altitude Quote
olyclimber Posted April 7, 2005 Posted April 7, 2005 Perhaps we should settle on some criteria: 1. First Ascents 2. Oxygen or no oxygen 3. Alpine climbs rated by difficulty X number of climbs 4. Trad rock climbs rated by difficulty X number of climbs 4. hehe... bouldering routes sent rated by difficultly X number of routes 6. Speed ascent records held 7. Amount of fun had, measured in lbs. 8. Climbing records that have been verified by official timers 9. New alpine routes X difficulty of those routes These can be added up to create a total score. These stats can be put on the back of the trading card. Quote
jmace Posted April 7, 2005 Posted April 7, 2005 Who cares? Is climbing about being the best? Aren't you supposed to try to be the best at everything you do? Personally I dont strive to do anything half assed. Quote
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