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
 

The 2020 UIAA General Assembly (GA) was held on 23-24 October. Owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, the annual meeting took place online for the first time in the federation’s 88-year history. A record number of delegates – 130 representatives from 68 countries – joined on Zoom and a further 250 member federation representatives and partners followed an accompanying livestream on YouTube.

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

Peter Muir from the Alpine Club of Canada (ACC) was elected as the new President of the UIAA. Muir becomes the UIAA’s 14th President (including two Acting Presidents) and the second from Canada.

Muir succeeds Frits Vrijlandt, Royal Dutch Climbing and Mountaineering Club (NKBV), Netherlands as UIAA President. Vrijlandt’s second and, as defined in the UIAA Articles of Association, final four-year term came to an end at this year’s General Assembly.

In his brief opening address, Muir said: “Thank you all for the faith you have expressed in me. I will work hard to meet a challenge that I take on with great enthusiasm. My message to all candidates and volunteers is that offering your time is appreciated and the most valuable thing you can give. Thank you to Frits for all of your contributions and dedication as UIAA President.” Muir also paid tribute to the campaigns of Amit Chowdhury, now an EB member, and Peter Farkas, UIAA Mountaineering Commission President, who both ran for Presidency.

Frits Vrijlandt on his final GA as UIAA President:
“It is time for me to reflect on the past eight years. I am proud of all the work we have undertaken together and extremely proud to have been part of the UIAA family. There have been many highlights including welcoming new and returning members, witnessing the work of our Commissions and Continental bodies. Other achievements include the launch of the Mountain Protection Award, the Rock Climbing Festival Award, the Respect the Mountains Movement, the growth of competition ice climbing and the tremendous support we have received from sponsors and partners such as The North Face Korea, Outdoor Research, The Petzl Foundation and Bally. There have been some regrets as well such as the departure of CAI and for not succeeding yet in ice climbing becoming part of the official Olympic competition programme.”

Executive Board

Muir will lead an Executive Board comprised of:

Zoljargal Banzragch, Mongolia (elected in 2019), Mongolian National Climbing Federation
Lode Beckers, Belgium (elected in 2019), Climbing & Mountaineering Belgium
Amit Chowdhury, India (elected in 2020), Indian Mountaineering Foundation
Mahmood Hashemi, Iran (elected in 2019), I.R. Iran Mountaineering & Sport Climbing Federation
Françoise Jaquet, Switzerland (elected in 2020), Swiss Alpine Club
Martin Lascano, Argentina (elected in 2020), Federaciòn Argentina de Ski y Andinismo

Board positions will be discussed and confirmed in due course.

Management Committee

The following nominees were elected to the UIAA Management Committee by the General Assembly:

Anne Arran (re-election), United Kingdom, British Mountaineering Council, Continental Representation: Europe
Kul Bahadur Gurung, Nepal, Nepal Mountaineering Association, General Representation
Steve Long, United Kingdom, British Mountaineering Council, General Representation
Jean Miczka, France, Fédération française des clubs alpins et de montagne, Largest Federation Representation
Greg Moseley (re-election), South Africa, Mountain Club of South Africa, Continental Representation: Africa
Phil Powers, United States, American Alpine Club, Continental Representation: North America
Stein Tronstad, Norway, The Norwegian Climbing Federation, General Representation

They join the existing MC members:
Simon Alden, Malta, Malta Climbing Club, General Representation
Jochem Driessen, Netherlands, Royal Dutch Climbing and Mountaineering Club, General Representation
Stuart Gray, New Zealand, New Zealand Alpine Club, Continental Representation: Oceania
Josef Klenner, Germany, German Alpine Club, Largest Federation Representation
Christine

In his brief opening address, Muir said: “Thank you all for the faith you have expressed in me. I will work hard to meet a challenge that I take on with great enthusiasm. My message to all candidates and volunteers is that offering your time is appreciated and the most valuable thing you can give. Thank you to Frits for all of your contributions and dedication as UIAA President.” Muir also paid tribute to the campaigns of Amit Chowdhury, now an EB member, and Peter Farkas, UIAA Mountaineering Commission President, who both ran for Presidency.

Frits Vrijlandt on his final GA as UIAA President:
“It is time for me to reflect on the past eight years. I am proud of all the work we have undertaken together and extremely proud to have been part of the UIAA family. There have been many highlights including welcoming new and returning members, witnessing the work of our Commissions and Continental bodies. Other achievements include the launch of the Mountain Protection Award, the Rock Climbing Festival Award, the Respect the Mountains Movement, the growth of competition ice climbing and the tremendous support we have received from sponsors and partners such as The North Face Korea, Outdoor Research, The Petzl Foundation and Bally. There have been some regrets as well such as the departure of CAI and for not succeeding yet in ice climbing becoming part of the official Olympic competition programme.”

Executive Board

Muir will lead an Executive Board comprised of:

Zoljargal Banzragch, Mongolia (elected in 2019), Mongolian National Climbing Federation
Lode Beckers, Belgium (elected in 2019), Climbing & Mountaineering Belgium
Amit Chowdhury, India (elected in 2020), Indian Mountaineering Foundation
Mahmood Hashemi, Iran (elected in 2019), I.R. Iran Mountaineering & Sport Climbing Federation
Françoise Jaquet, Switzerland (elected in 2020), Swiss Alpine Club
Martin Lascano, Argentina (elected in 2020), Federaciòn Argentina de Ski y Andinismo

Board positions will be discussed and confirmed in due course.

Management Committee

The following nominees were elected to the UIAA Management Committee by the General Assembly:

Anne Arran (re-election), United Kingdom, British Mountaineering Council, Continental Representation: Europe
Kul Bahadur Gurung, Nepal, Nepal Mountaineering Association, General Representation
Steve Long, United Kingdom, British Mountaineering Council, General Representation
Jean Miczka, France, Fédération française des clubs alpins et de montagne, Largest Federation Representation
Greg Moseley (re-election), South Africa, Mountain Club of South Africa, Continental Representation: Africa
Phil Powers, United States, American Alpine Club, Continental Representation: North America
Stein Tronstad, Norway, The Norwegian Climbing Federation, General Representation

They join the existing MC members:
Simon Alden, Malta, Malta Climbing Club, General Representation
Jochem Driessen, Netherlands, Royal Dutch Climbing and Mountaineering Club, General Representation
Stuart Gray, New Zealand, New Zealand Alpine Club, Continental Representation: Oceania
Josef Klenner, Germany, German Alpine Club, Largest Federation Representation
Christine Pae, Korea, Korean Alpine Federation, Continental Representation: Asia

The UIAA thanks Frits Vrijlandt and outgoing Executive Board members Helène Denis (FFCAM, France) and Yongfeng Wang (CMA, China) as well as Management Committee members Georges Elzière (FFCAM, France), Juan Garrigos i Toro (FEDME, Spain) and Reza Zarei (IMSCF, Iran) for their longstanding commitment and dedication to the UIAA.

The backgrounds, skills and talents of new EB and MC members are diverse. They include those who have served in key roles such as president and board members of major national climbing federations. The range of professional backgrounds includes natural and political science, law, expedition and tourism management, international mountain guidance and training, polar research as well as civil and aeronautical engineering. The UIAA will undoubtedly benefit across all of its activities from the enthusiasm and expertise of its new EB and MC members – the diversity of personnel offers the UIAA greater universality, better representation and increased resources when facing the many and varied aspects of the federation.

EB and MC members now represent 18 countries from all continents reinforcing the UIAA’s role as The Global Mountain Network.

, Korea, Korean Alpine Federation, Continental Representation: Asia

The UIAA thanks Frits Vrijlandt and outgoing Executive Board members Helène Denis (FFCAM, France) and Yongfeng Wang (CMA, China) as well as Management Committee members Georges Elzière (FFCAM, France), Juan Garrigos i Toro (FEDME, Spain) and Reza Zarei (IMSCF, Iran) for their longstanding commitment and dedication to the UIAA.

The backgrounds, skills and talents of new EB and MC members are diverse. They include those who have served in key roles such as president and board members of major national climbing federations. The range of professional backgrounds includes natural and political science, law, expedition and tourism management, international mountain guidance and training, polar research as well as civil and aeronautical engineering. The UIAA will undoubtedly benefit across all of its activities from the enthusiasm and expertise of its new EB and MC members – the diversity of personnel offers the UIAA greater universality, better representation and increased resources when facing the many and varied aspects of the federation.

EB and MC members now represent 18 countries from all continents reinforcing the UIAA’s role as The Global Mountain Network.