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
 

Expedition Information Centre

Detailed topographical maps can be obtained from a variety of vendors but Stanfords in London is as good a place as any to start looking. While it is naturally more expensive to buy foreign maps in the UK rather than in the destination country, it is not always easy to get them on arrival and most parties will want to look at detailed maps before they leave the UK. The Alpine Club does hold a large number of Russian military maps at a variety of scales that are available to members on request (see broad list below). They are on the AC computer and can be accessed via the AC Library. Contact Derek Buckle (see handbook for address) for help.

The Club library also holds a significant number of 1:25K maps of the Indian Himalaya that are available for research. The Indian maps can only be accessed via the Library as they are hard copy. Also available in hard copy are a selection of general and specialised maps of the Greater Ranges that could be useful for general planning (see World Maps list below). Similarly, these maps can only be accessed via the Club library.

The RGS has one of the largest collections of world maps and AC members have free access to these on visiting the RGS. Take your AC membership card to get in! 

Google Earth is an excellent tool for satellite imagery that is freely available to all. Depending on the degree of cloud cover at the time of image acquisition, satellite maps can sometimes prove more useful than topographical maps.

 

Russian Military Maps

Asia:

  • China-Central - 1:100K (5 maps), 1:200K (384 maps), 1:500K (61 maps)
  • China-Tibet - 1:100K (22 maps), 1:200K (183 maps), 1:500K (29 maps)
  • China-Xinjiang – 1:50K (8 maps), 1:100K (526 maps), 1:200K (199 maps), 1:500K (47 maps)
  • Himalaya - 1:100K (53 maps), 1:200K (114 maps)
  • Hindu Kush – 1:50K (2 maps), 1:100K (48 maps), 1:200K (40 maps)
  • Karakoram – 1:100K (20 maps), 1:200K (24 maps)
  • Fann Mountains – 1:50K (39 maps), 1:100K (70 maps), 1:200k (23 maps)
  • Pamir – 1:50K (11 maps), 1:100K (82 maps), 1:200K (23 maps)
  • Tien Shan – 1:50K (84 maps), 1:100K (215 maps), 1:200K (62 maps)
  • Altai – 1:50K (55 maps), 1:100K (250 maps), 1:200K (52 maps)
  • Iran – 1:50K (1 map), 1:100K (121 maps), 1:200K (290 maps), 1:500K (35 maps)
  • Kamchatka – 1:100K (277 maps), 1:200K (95 maps)
  • Sayan – 1:50K (15 maps), 1:100K (209 maps), 1:200K (102 maps)
  • Caucasus - 1:50K (314 maps), 1:100K (232 maps), 1:200K (67 maps)
  • Turkey - 1:50K (48 maps), 1:100K (584 maps), 1:200K (140 maps), 1:500K (19 maps)

Africa:

  • Ethiopia - 1:200K (201 maps), 1:500K (31 maps)
  • Morocco - 1:100K (95 maps), 1:200K (88 maps), 1:500K (18 maps)

South America:

  • Chile & Argentina 1:200K (175 maps)
  • South America, entire continent at 1:500K (315 maps)

 

World Maps Available in the AC Library

Himalaya

    

Tibet, Kashmir, Nepal, Sikkim,Bhutan

Nelles Verlag map

1:500,000

Geological Map of the Mount Everest Region Nepal - South Tibet (x 2)

Mike Searle

1:100,000

 

 

 

Nepal

Nepal Trekking Guide

Himalayan Map House

1:900,000

Nepal

International Travel Maps

1:530,000

Nepal Political Map

Himalayan Map House

1:1,000,000

Nepal Road Map

Shell

1:750,000

Nepal Himalaya Maps Sheet 4, Annapurna, Machhapuchhare, Maryangdi, Muktinath

Leomann Maps

1:200,000

Nepal, Namche Bazar, Sheet 20

Nepal Topographical Maps

1:50,000

Nepal, Rolwalin Valley, Sheet 23

Nepal Topographical Maps

1:50,000

Nepal, Namrun, Sheet 39

Nepal Topographical Maps

1:50,000

Nepal, Phlim, Sheet 40

Nepal Topographical Maps

1:50,000

Nepal, Samagau, Sheet 41

Nepal Topographical Maps

1:50,000

Nepal, Phugau Ghomion, Sheet 43

Nepal Topographical Maps

1:50,000

Nepal, Bagarchhap, Sheet 44 (x 2)

Nepal Topographical Maps

1:50,000

Nepal, Bahundada, Sheet 45

Nepal Topographical Maps

1:50,000

Nepal, Chame, Sheet 49

Nepal Topographical Maps

1:50,000

Nepal, Muktinath, Sheet 53

Nepal Topographical Maps

1:50,000

The High Route Around Manaslu

Nepa Maps

1:110,000

The Helambu Trail

Nepa Maps

1:50,000

From Lhasa to Kailas

Nepa Maps

1:2,400,000

North Annapurna Base Camp

Nepa Maps

1:66,000

Annapurna Satellite Image Trekking Map

Cartoconsult, Austria

1:250,000

Around Annapurna

Himalayan Map House

1:125,000

 

 

 

Tibet/China

Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan

World Map, GeoCentre

1:2,000,000

Tibet Autonomous Region

Gizi Map

1:2,000,000

Tibet

World Mapping Project

1:1,500,000

TPC H-11A

Defense Mapping Agency Aerospace Center

1:500,000

TPC D-11B

Defense Mapping Agency Aerospace Center

1:500,000

 

 

 

India

India Rough Guide Map

Rough Guides

1:2,900,000

India North

Nelles Maps

1:1,500,000

Uttaranchal Guide Map

Nest & Wings

1:400,000

Indian Himalaya Maps, Garhwal Uttaranchal, Sheet 7

Leomann Maps

1:200,000

Garhwal Himalaya West

Swiss Foundation for Alpine Research

1:150,000

 

 

 

Pakistan

Karakoram Orthographical Sketch Map, Sheet 1

Swiss Foundation for Alpine Research

1:250,000

Karakoram Orthographical Sketch Map, Sheet 2

Swiss Foundation for Alpine Research

1:250,000

The 8,000m Peaks of the Karakoram

The Climbing Company Ltd

1:50,000

Jammu & Kashmir, Mundik & Chulung combined, NI 43-3 & 4

?

1:250,000

Kashmir

Government of Pakistan

1:1,000,000

 

 

 

South America

Central Andes Trekking Map

JLM Mapas

1:250,000

 

Peru

 

 

Cordillera Blanca

German & Austrian Alpine Club publication

1:100,000

Cordillera Blanca Nord, Sheet 0/3a

Alpenvereinskarte, OAV

1:100,000

Cordillera Blanca Sud, Sheet 0/3b

Alpenvereinskarte, OAV

1:100,000

 

 

 

Bolivia

 

 

Travel Map of Bolivia

O’Brien Cartographics

1:2,200,000

Cordillera Real Nord (Illampu), Sheet 0/8

Alpenvereinskarte, OAV

1:100,000

Cordillera Real Sud (Illimani), Sheet 0/9

Alpenvereinskarte, OAV

1:100,000

 

 

 

Ecuador

 

 

Ecuador Tourist Map

Military Geographical Institute

1:250,000

Republic of Ecuador

Military Geographical Institute

1:1,000,000

Cotopaxi, CT-N111-F1, 3991-IV

Military Geographical Institute

1:50,000

Guayaquil, Hoja NV, SA 17-11

Military Geographical Institute

1:250,000

Quito, Hoja-N111, SA 17-4

Military Geographical Institute

1:250,000

 

 

 

North America

 

 

 

Alaska

 

 

Alaska

International Travel Maps

1:2,500,000

 

 

 

Africa

 

 

 

Morocco

 

 

Haut Atlas Occidental, Sheet 6

Carima

1:500,000

Haut Atlas Central, Sheet 7

Carima

1:500,000

Moyen Atlas, Sheet 4

Carima

1:500,000