Expeditions
The Alpine Club, the world's first mountaineering club, has members from around the world. Since it was founded in 1857, members have been at the leading edge of worldwide mountaineering development and exploration. We aim to be the club of choice for all mountaineers, providing a forum for sharing experiences and information.
Alpine Club members are constantly researching, organising and participating in expeditions to mountains around the world, so it will come as no surprise to find that amongst our members there is a massive wealth of knowledge about remote areas and expedition organisation. The Alpine Club provides a number of resources that will be useful for those planning or researching expeditions. This page provides links to these resources, and to other sites that are invaluable to expedition planners.
Alpine Club Expeditions
The Alpine Club organises annual expeditions, which are often to remote and little-known mountain areas. These expeditions are open to all members, subject to qualifying criteria and numbers. They can be subsidised by the Montane Alpine Club Climbing Fund. This fund also supports expeditions privately organised by club members. .
Read more about Expedition Reports
Many expeditions will have been awarded Mount Everest Foundation grants and provided reports. There are some details on the MEF website but the MEF does not hold actual copies. These are distributed to the AC and the organisations listed below (but not the Kew archives).
Royal Geographical Society
The RGS holds copies of all MEF reports as well as many others. Searching is very straightforward and summaries are provided. Reports cover the period 1965 onwards and are very comprehensive. They can be consulted by visiting the RGS library, or copies can be e-mailed.
National Archives at Kew
Not the easiest source of information. The National Archives holds many older documents deposited there from multiple sources.
British Mountaineering Council
This is still in beta form but has some impressive features. It is easy to search although not comprehensive. It includes summaries, and you can download many complete reports as PDFs. The BMC is currently the only readily available source of this information. The AC is working towards publishng a comprehenve expeditions database which will be be available on-line in due course.
Alan Rouse Sheffield Library
Sheffield library holds a comprehensive archive of mountaineering material, including copies of MEF and other expedition reports. There is a PDF catalogue which can be searched; one of the best ways of quickly identifying peaks and leaders. At present it is up to date only to 2010.
Events Calendar
John Porter introduces 3 classic mountaineering films. The evening will last a little longer than usual, just over 2 hours, but there will be two breaks to refresh glasses.
Bar and light buffet will be available from 6pm.
A great way to start the autumn lecture season. Hope you will join us if you are in the area.
Tower of Paine: Directed and Produced by Leo Dickinson, 2006
Leo Dickinson discovered a lost gem in Vic Bray’s attic in 2005 - a film shot by Vic of the 1963 first ascent of the Central Tower of Paine. Leo offered to remake the film in memory of this remarkable ascent: “It was like finding a dinosaur egg and then hatching it!” The film features an all-star cast and the first “Whillans Box,” crucial to survival high up. Success came after weeks of bad weather in mid-January when Don and Chris Bonington summited.
Your Himalaya: Directed by Alberto Inurrategi and Produced byDiapolan 2002
Multi award winning film described in many Festival catalogues as one of the most beautiful and thoughtful mountaineering films ever made. In Basque with English subtitles, Inurrategi’s film is a poetic tribute to his brother Felix who died on Gasherbrum 2 while the brothers were on a quest to climb the 14 8000m peaks. Alberto returns alone to complete the task, questioning the motivation, but knowing his brother is at his side.
Annapurna the Hard Way: Directed and produced by John Edwards, 1971
The ascent of the South Face of Annapurna in 1970 is recognised universally as a significant breakthrough - both technically and psychologically. Chris Bonington assembled the cream of British mountaineering and added American Tom Frost for the attempt. This documentary is punctuated by wry observation, understatement and cutting humour from a by-gone age when the game of taking huge risks was matched by a determination not to take it too seriously. The summit triumph leads to unexpected tragedy, a common theme in the Himalaya, but never told more poignantly as in the classic film.
55/56 Charlotte Road
London
EC2A 3QF
Uk
