With big mountain climbing comes big risk, even for those elite climbers with vast experience. Alex Lowe was one of those climbers who appeared larger than life with bold, difficult climbs successfully completed all over the world.
But in 1999, Lowe and fellow climber David Bridges were killed in an avalanche during an expedition in Tibet. Team members Conrad Anker (who was narrowly missed by the avalanche) and Kris Erikson lost their good friend.
To preserve Alex’s memory, Conrad and Kris establish and send the Nutcracker, a new ice climb route in Hyalite Canyon, Montana, near a route pioneered by Lowe in 1997. Their story, and climb, are described in this video by Sherpas Cinema.