Recipients of The Lowa x
Jess Roskelley Legacy Grant
2026 Grant Recipient: Ethan Berkeland + Team
Ethan Berkeland received the 2026 LOWA x Jess Roskelley Legacy Grant to support an expedition to Pakistan’s Karakoram alongside climbing partners August Franzen and Vitaliy Musiyenko.
When the team found their primary objective on Ogre II out of condition, they shifted to the incomplete Southeast Buttress of Ogre I. They reached the summit ridge, approximately 60 meters below the main summit, before deteriorating weather forced them to abandon their summit attempt.
An unplanned bivouac at 7,200 meters and a descent through several storms tested the team’s resilience. All three returned to the glacier, though Vitaliy sustained frostbite to his toes.
Reflecting on the expedition after returning to the United States in September 2026, Ethan wrote:
“Thanks again for your support, it was instrumental to making this trip happen and we appreciated it every step of the way.”
We are proud to have supported Ethan and his team in pursuing a significant alpine objective—and grateful they returned home to share their experience. Their expedition reflects the determination, adaptability, and respect for the mountains that this grant seeks to honor.
Our Mission: The Jess Roskelley Foundation exists to promote public projects and outdoor activities that will benefit generations to come and provide access to the wild places cherished by Jess, while preserving his legacy as a lifelong Spokane, Washington native and elite international alpinist.
We aim to support climbers with an undying passion for the mountains—those who pursue the sport not for accolades, but because it lives in their bones, even when faced with the raw reality of risk, suffering, and the edge between life and death.