The Alpine Club, the world’s first mountaineering club, was founded in 1857. For over 150 years, members have been at the leading edge of worldwide mountaineering development and exploration.
With membership, experienced and aspiring alpinists benefit from a varied meets programme, regional lectures with notable guest speakers, reduced rates at many alpine huts, opportunity to apply for grants to support expeditions, significant discounts at many UK retailers, extensive networking contacts, access to the AC Library and maps - and more!
Becoming a MemberBelow is a list of Alpine Club Symposia.
Organised by members of The Alpine Club, events focus on the mountains of a particular area, or on a specific aspect of mountaineering. Each symposium runs for a whole day and is typically held at a weekend in the Lake District, North Wales or the Peak District. During the day experts on the subject, including top mountaineers from around the world, give a series of illustrated presentations, creating an event that is both informative and inspiring. Take a look at the impressive list of speakers at recent and forthcoming symposia to see why these events are so popular. The symposia are usually open to members at a discount, as well as non-members.
Symposia are particularly useful for anyone planning an expedition or looking for new places to visit. Many expeditions have started in the bar after a symposium; but be warned: these events can be dangerously inspirational!
The Lost Land of the Yeti
Gangkar Punsum at 7,550m is the highest mountain in Bhutan and also happens to be the highest unclimbed peak in the world. It sits astride Bhutan’s northern border with Tibet and the mountain and surrounding region has received very few visitors. There have been very few attempts to climb Gangkar Punsum, none successful. In 1986 Steve Berry, was lucky enough to secure a permission to attempt the mountain by its south west ridge reaching approximately 6860m before bad weather dashed hopes of the summit. In recent years, following protests from local people in Lunana, the Royal Government of Bhutan has closed all its major peaks to mountaineers, which means that the last expedition to attempt Gangkar Punsum was Steve's own team in 1986. He has been back exploring the regions surrounding the peak several times since 1986. He got within a stone's throw in 1989, and he trekked to his old base camp with a group of hardy adventurers in 1998, exiting through Lunana. Then in 2014, 2015, and 2016, Steve went exploring the southern and eastern approaches. On these occasions he found strange tracks indicating the presence of a bipedal creature living in the high mountains. In 2017 Steve went back yet again but this time with a film crew to produce a fascinating documentary film for the Animal Planet channel. Steve will show this film and explain why he thinks the Yeti really does exist !!