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! 

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Simon Richardson Accepts 2023 Pelmo d'Oro Award on Behalf of the Alpine Club

On 29 July 2023, Alpine Club president Simon Richardson was in the Provincia di Belluno, Italy to accept the 2023 Pelmo d'Oro Award on behalf of the Alpine Club.

The Club was nominated for the award by the Dolomites UNESCO World Heritage Site to mark the link between the region and the first president of the Alpine Club, John Ball, who made the first ascent of Monte Pelmo in 1857.

In a speech during the ceremony, Simon commented that Ball had chosen to climb the mountain because he considered it to be the most beautiful of all of the peaks in the Dolomites. Having climbed the peak the day prior as part of the Pelmo d'Oro celebrations, Richardson commented that he could "only agree" with Ball's assessment.

He was also keen to highlight the link between the province, the Dolomites UNESCO World Heritage Site and the Alpine Club who all share the goal of protecting mountain environments for future generations to enjoy. As a symbol of this, he presented Roberto Padrin, the President of the region and Vice-President of the Dolomites Unesco World Heritage Site with a print of an Elijah Walton painting of Monte Pemo. Walton was a friend of John Ball and the the print was produced from an original painting from the Alpine Club's collection.

               

The Alpine Club would like to thank the Dolomites UNESCO World Heritage Site for the award and the Club Alpino Italiano and Provincia di Belluno for their hospitality. We hope that this event will rekindle a strong and lasting relationship between all four organisations.