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 MemberSymposia
Below 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!
Events Calendar
The Alpine ClubCasts head across the Atlantic for an evening with the AAC. Graham Zimmerman, Mark Richey, and Steve Swenson (guest of honour at the Alpine Club dinner in 2017) join us to talk about their brilliant first ascent of Link Sar (7,041m) in the Eastern Karakoram in Pakistan, one of the last great Himalayan problems.
Link Sar is situated in the Charakusa Valley and sits between the better known K6 and K7. After Jon Griffith and Andy Houseman’s first ascent of the North West Face of Link Sar West in 2015, a route they named 'Fever Pitch’, and an attempt by Tom Ballard and Daniele Nardi on the North East face, the main peak was finally climbed by Steve Swenson, Graham Zimmerman, Chris Wright and Mark Richey in August 2019. Steve Swenson, for whom this was the third attempt at the summit, wrote on Instagram after his 2017 attempt: 'It's a complex and dangerous mountain, and we didn't reach the top. But we made a significant effort to find a safe route that avoids the objective hazards. We plan to return so we can finish what we started.' Join us on Tuesday to hear how they finally did just that.
As usual we will finish with a Q&A
