Maine Professor Climbs Katahdin

Jacqui Lowman with her team during the Katahdin climb. Photo courtesy of Christopher Bowden

Beyond Limits

Maine professor climbs Katahdin

It never occurred to Jacqui Lowman that she

couldn’t do something. The University of Maine

Presque Isle Communications professor’s latest adventure would take her to the top of Mount Katahdin. She’s already rafted Class V rapids and conquered skiing. But this trip would be a little different—it was a major hike where Jacqui wouldn’t take a single step.

“My father always said you can do whatever you set your mind to,” said Jacqui, who at age 63 uses a wheelchair to get around, but is by no means confined to it. “My spine didn’t fully develop and I was misdiagnosed when I was younger. I didn’t find out I had Spina Bifida until I was middle aged,” added Jacqui.

With the goal of being the first adult paraplegic to make it to the top of the mountain, the professor enlisted the help of both her students and members of a group she founded called Beyond Limits which helps people meet special challenges.

“The fact that I couldn’t walk wasn’t the biggest challenge—it was coming to my senses. I didn’t know anything about this,” said Jacqui who had never even been camping before the climb. Jacqui worked with friend and fellow UMPI professor Amanda Baker who helped coordinate the hike and assemble the team of men they called “sherpas” who, in the end, spent three days carrying Jacqui up the mountain.

“Jacqui got sick on the trail so that was a little scary. She was really dehydrated and exhausted and a little stressed from hours and hours of holding on and being tossed about like she was on a roller coaster ride; her body had had enough that day,” said Amanda.

The Sherpas took turns carrying Jacqui and helping her along the way. “I don’t think I’ll really be able to understand how they did what they did. They worked as a unit; it was really astounding,” said Jacqui.

The full impact of the trip didn’t hit Jacqui until weeks after she returned—recalling then the lessons she learned, and what her students took away from the trip as well. Jacqui incorporated her trip into her lesson plans for her communications students, allowing them to write and complete projects based on the climb.

“My student climbed with us and took video with a GoPro and decided to make a documentary about the climb and how this climb changed his life. Now, he really thinks he would like to be an outdoor reporter instead of an investigative reporter. The trip has done so much for his confidence that people trusted him to take photos and document the climb. It’s been fantastic,” said Jacqui. “You can’t do something like Now that Jacqui is back in full swing teaching another this and not have it impact semester at UMPI, she’s thinking about what’s next—saying the trip has your life and your teaching.” impacted her life and her - Jacqui Lowman, AFUM teaching, keeping her both positive and openminded to new projects and possibilities in and out of the classroom.

“As a person with a life-long disability, it’s wound up being a blessing. My disability makes me be creative and say, ‘why not?’” said Jacqui.