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 MemberLectures
Here is a list of lectures at the Alpine Club. Select additional pages using the numbers at the bottom.
The lectures provide a good opportunity for AC members to meet one another and exchange news, views and information. New members and prospective members are particularly welcome. Prospective members are asked to contact the AC office before attending. Lectures generally start at 7:30pm.
For the lectures in London, non-members are asked to register their attendance in advance either by filling in the relevant form on the lecture page or by contacting the office at admin@alpineclub.org (Please note that a donation is requested on entry).
Anyone who has had an interesting trip and would be prepared to lecture is invited to contact the AC Office or the lecture organisers.
Each event includes a clickable map with the address of the venue.
Events Calendar
We are indeed privileged to begin the season with a talk by John Porter, current President of the Alpine Club.
The ascent of the SW of Everest in 1975 occurred at the end of one era in British mountaineering – that of large, extravagant, national expeditions. In many ways these were an extension of the Great Game, and it was a national triumph. It proved that just about any expedition with enough money, oxygen, Sherpas and skilled manpower could succeed. In the same year, the East Ridge of Dunagiri was climbed by Joe Tasker and Dick Renshaw. The ingredients for that remarkable 2 man unsupported 11 day up and down ascent were primarily determination and luck. While the national press revelled in the Everest ascent and the fact that we had once again beaten a load of other nations to the prize, the inheritors of the legacy of Tillman and Shipton went ‘wow’ on the Tasker Renshaw climb. It fired up a generation that nearly climbed itself into extinction.
A Brief Gold Light is the story of that generation covering the years from 1976-1986 from the Boardman-Tasker ascent of the West Face of Changabang to the disastrous evets on K2 when 13 climbers lost their lives including Alan Rouse and Julie Tullis. John Porter was both an observer and a participant in this story. His biography of Alex MacIntyre who dies on Annapurna in 1982 is part of this wider story.
This lecture is held in conjunction with the SMC and JMCS 07:30pm start
The venue is the Quaker Meeting House, 7 Victoria St, Edinburgh EH1 2JL..
Contact Timothy Elson Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
