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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The Club is deeply saddened to announce the death on 6 October of John Cleare, a previous Vice-President.  John was an Alpine Club member for over 60 years and his contributions to the club are legendary.  A Memorial event at Charlotte Road is being planned and details will be announced in due course.
For more information please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Tributes  

#6 Hugh Livingston Alexander 2024-10-21 14:54
John was approachable and friendly and a great fount of knowledge. As well as a great photographer, he was a great writer.. His many recent obituaries deftly capture the essence of the friend lost and the fun of times spent together. I hope there are many left, who knew John better and for longer than I did, who can do the same for him now. A sad loss.
#5 Hywel Richard Lloyd 2024-10-21 14:52
Hywel & Ingram Lloyd
We had met John back in the 1960s and admired his action photos in extreme places; - not just mountains, but up on the cables of suspension bridges or with TV radio cameras watched by millions. Of course, we perused the many books he illlustrated, and very much enjoyed his company. Later, in the 1980s we joined him on somewhat easier routes and traverses; many across the Alps on ski, and Hywel was on John's expedition to Kedardome in the Karakorum. John's photos were always surperb. His strategy to anticipate and then compose shots was fascinating - and a great example to learn from. Althouhg we still have his many books to admire nd re-read, we have now lost a friend and companion, who we will sorely miss. RIP, John.
#4 Roderick Arthur Smith 2024-10-19 11:30
John was extremely helpful when I was the Obituaries Editor. He was quick to volunteer himself or to advise who it may be best to approach. His assistance was always enthusiastic and delivered with friendly warmth. Thanks John, you will be missed
#3 Mike Esten 2024-10-18 19:52
He photographed and climbed with the Greats of the post-war era – a wonderful raconteur with an “elephantine” memory for people and mountains and events. The AC is a poorer place without him. Thank you for your friendship and many brilliant days out “on the hill” together,
#2 Catherine Moorehead 2024-10-14 08:52
John was a friend and tremendous company. He was particularly helpful when I was working on Godwin-Austen's early watercolours of the Karakoram - he had a magic machine which could pinpoint on the map where G-A was sitting when his sketches were made. He could then supply his own photos taken from a similar position! he was a great advocate in later years of e-bikes. I believe in earlier years he was a 'society' photographer for Vogue magazine. He was witty, good-humoured and outgoing. He will be very much missed.
#1 Harish B Kapadia 2024-10-12 13:02
A sad news. I had met him only briefly but read a lot about and saw plenty of his pictures. He was on of a kind. His books will remain as an excellent record. Rest In Peace/ HARISH KAPADIA (Mumbai-India)

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