Jasper guide and community builder remembered following climbing accident in Banff National Park

Samuel Mackenzie Lowe loved the mountains for what they demanded of him: curiosity, courage, problem-solving and a willingness to keep discovering.

He also loved sharing what he found there.

The 24-year-old Jasper resident, wildlife guide and university student died Sept. 8 following a climbing accident in a remote area of eastern Banff National Park.

According to the RCMP, Lowe had left Jasper on Sept. 7 for a solo hiking and climbing trip, remaining in contact with family and friends as he travelled through the backcountry using an inReach satellite communication device.

His last message was sent at approximately 6 p.m. on Sept. 8. He was reported missing the following day and located that same day by Parks Canada visitor safety specialists near the base of a cliff.

For those who knew Lowe in Jasper, however, his memory extends far beyond the circumstances of his death.

“Sam moved through life with a spark in him,” wrote his colleagues at Maligne Adventures in a tribute shared following his passing. “He was always in motion, always curious, and made the most of every minute.”

Lowe spent four summers working as a wildlife guide with Maligne Adventures, sharing his knowledge of the Rockies with visitors from around the world. He guided in both English and French, and colleagues remembered him as someone whose enthusiasm for wildlife, nature and the surrounding mountains was impossible to contain.

“To say he was a wealth of knowledge would be an understatement,” the company wrote. “He had an incredible pool of insights and facts about wildlife, nature, and the mountains around him — so much knowledge that it practically oozed out of him.”

But his gift was not simply knowing things. It was his desire to share that knowledge and help others develop their own connection to the place he loved.

He searched for wildlife, shared stories and observations, and worked to ensure guests left with more than photographs or a checklist of sights.

“He wanted visitors to experience the place; to notice the mountains, understand the stories, appreciate the wildlife, and leave with a deeper connection to Jasper,” his family wrote in a tribute.

A life of adventure and advocacy

Lowe’s interests extended well beyond the Rockies.

During the academic year, he called Ontario home, where he pursued his studies and dedicated himself to causes he believed could make the world better.

A recipient of the prestigious Canadian Loran Scholarship and the Chernoff Scholarship from Queen’s University, Lowe saw opportunity as a responsibility to create something larger than himself.

In 2024, he co-founded the Black Undergraduate Coalition (BUC), a national representative body connecting Black Student Associations across Canada to collaborate, share resources and advocate for stronger institutional accountability.

By its second year, the organization’s flagship Convergence Conference brought together nearly 300 Black leaders from across the country.

Lowe worked to bring students, universities, speakers and sponsors together, personally visiting campuses from Alberta to Prince Edward Island and helping raise more than $100,000 to realize the initiative.

Those in attendance described the conference as a weekend of laughter, Black excellence and inspiration—an accomplishment that reflected his determination to turn ideas into action.

“He did not do anything halfway,” they wrote. “When something caught his attention, he wanted to know everything about it. When he cared about something, he cared deeply.”

A life shared generously

For all of his accomplishments and interests, Lowe’s family emphasized that relationships remained at the centre of his life.

He leaves behind his partner, Rebecca; his mother, Melanie (Cory); his brother, Micah; grandparents Poppi and Maa; step-grandfather Eric; aunts Carolyn (Jamie) and Kim Bailey (Geoff); cousin Allison (James); and extended family and friends who loved him deeply.

His family described him as energetic, funny, opinionated, generous, passionate and entirely himself—a gifted storyteller whose conversations could become impromptu lessons, filled with humour and fascinating details.

His colleagues at Maligne Adventures remembered not only an exceptional guide but a friend and teammate.

“Over four summers, Sam shared that passion with people from all over the world,” they wrote. “Some spent only a few hours with him, yet many took the time afterward to tell us how much those hours had meant to them.”

The company concluded its tribute with a sentiment that will resonate with many who encountered Lowe in Jasper:

“We just wish we could go on one more tour with you.”

In memory

Lowe’s family has expressed gratitude to Banff Search and Rescue, the RCMP, Parks Canada visitor safety specialists, and the individuals who helped bring him home.

“Jasper was truly his happy place,” his family said.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Sam’s memory to Cochrane Search and Rescue, reflecting his love of the mountains and the communities that care for those who explore them, or the Black Undergraduate Coalition, reflecting his commitment to equity, community and opportunity.

Donations can be made at Cochrane Search and Rescue’s website, cochanesearchandrescue.org, or through the Black Undergraduate Coalition’s fundraising campaign at https://www.gofundme.com/f/sams-legacy-the-black-undergraduate-coalition