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 Member
 

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.

The Alpine Journal is a substantial annual record of mountaineering achievement, if you are planning an expedition it should be on your reading list.

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

The Himalayan Index is a key resource, it has been compiled from journals, magazines and books in the Alpine Club Library

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

Piemonte Rock & Monte Viso Meet
From Saturday 30 August 2025
To Monday 15 September 2025
Contact Adele Long and Richard Nadin
Saturday 30 August 2025


Following a very successful meet in this region in 2023, the Club has planned a return for 2025.

The Aosta Valley and the province of Piemonte is located north and west of the province’s capital, Torino, (or Turin as we know it in English), and is home to some of the least-known gems in all of Italian climbing. We are excited for this opportunity to introduce members to some of its many delights.

The meet will be a moveable feast, sampling different styles and venues beginning in the Aosta Valley and reaching a grand finale in Monte Viso, probably Italy’s most famous and celebrated peak outside of the Dolomites and the Gran Paradiso.

We will spend about 3/4 days in each venue. Costs of accommodation at half-board vary from about 50 to 65 Euros per night in each rifugio. (Some, but not all are CAI with reciprocal rights).

Travel to the area is best via Turin airport, unless coming through the Aosta valley by car.

The plan is to visit a selection of venues from the list below, with our choices determined by the weather and hut availability:


1. Arnad/Albard/Courtil
- Based at the Forte di Machaby, a repurposed Napoleonic barracks high in the chestnut forests above the Aosta valley. Great multi-pitch slab and wall climbing, mostly on fixed sport protection. Our hosts are Laura & Andrea who run the private hostel.

 

2. Piantonetto Valley - Our usual visit to this wonderful cirque of mountains on the south side of the Gran Paradiso National Park. Based at the Rifugio Pontese (2200m) an hour’s walk from the end of the road and parking. Our host is Davide ‘La Pirata’ and Lorenzo.

This area offers a huge choice of gneiss rock routes, suitable for all levels of climber, on a dozen or more peaks. This is a core ‘trad’ venue with judicious bolting where needed. The centrepieces are the Tribolazione at the back of the valley and the ‘Dru’ of the valley, the Becco di Valsoera, which boasts magnificent modern rock routes, many put up by local AC members Andrea Giorda and Maurizio Oviglia.

In case of bad weather, we’ll retreat to the valley base in Noasca near the superb Orco Valley granite. Hostel/camping available.

 

 

3. Rocca Sbarua - A pleasure garden of granite spires set in a chestnut forest and renowned as the birthplace of Gervasutti’s climbing adventures. We will be based at the Rif. Melano-Casa Canada (CAI reciprocal rights), which looks serenely towards Mote Viso in the distance. Great food, great welcome, great climbing.

 

4. Monte Viso - Based at the Rif. Giacoletti (CAI reciprocal rights) where our hosts are Laura and Andrea, visitors will have easy access to the rock of Punta Udine and other satellite peaks. Plenty of classics to choose from and a chance to climb the main peak itself (from the Quintino Sella refuge). A fitting crescendo to the meet...

 

Guidebooks:- Plaisir Sud: Band11.  Valle del’Orco; Maurizio Oviglia.  A Sud del Paradiso; Gianni Predan & Rinaldo Sartore.  Rocca Sbarua: M. Oviglia.

 

Meet Coordinators:

Adele Long - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

& Richard Nadin - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. / + 44 07836588216