AAC Photo Gallery

2011 International Climbers Meet

The American Alpine Club hosted its fourth annual International Climbers’ Meet the week of September 26 - October 1, 2011 in Yosemite Valley. As per usual, it was a fantastic success, with climbers from Britain, France, Brazil, Portugal, Denmark, Sweden, and Canada joining AAC Members from all over the USA. In the evening, over dinner, beers, and the glowing campfire, tales were told of the days adventures and new friendships cemented. This album features great pics from Alexandre Buisse and Eric Perlman (from the Masters of Stone series and other greats).

The North Face Speaker Series

This year, The Club is proud to partner with The North Face for their Speaker Series. The majority of featured speakers are proud AAC Members and all profits from the October 19, Jackson, WY event featuring Mark Synnott will be donated to the Grand Teton Climbers’ Ranch! There are events all over the country this autumn, so check out the full Speaker Series Schedule to find your closest event and buy tickets!

Second Editors' Summit

The Second Editors’ Summit was held in September of 2011 in Munich, Germany. Lindsay Griffin—Contributing Editor to the AAJ and all-around walking alpine encyclopedia—traveled from Wales to represent the AAC. He sent us the following report, which details some of the bizarre climbing in Germany and the topics discussed at the Summit. Read the Report.

Walter Bonatti Honorary Membeship

William Putnam presents Bonatti's Honorary Membership Award to members of the Club Alpino Italiano.

Climb With A Legend—Fall 2011

AAC Member Rusty Wackerman won our "Climb With a Legend" sweepstakes and got $500 worth of gear from Black Diamond and the chance to go climbing withe the legend of his choice. His choice? Brittany Griffiths. Here's the photos from their trip.

Become What You Dream—Adventure Film 2011 & Jeremy Collins Interview

This November, the American Alpine Club proudly partnered with the seventh annual Adventure Film Festival premiere at the Boulder Theater in Boulder, Colorado. This three-day festival featured 40 insightful and award-winning outdoor and environmental films, photography and filmmaking seminars, a Kid’s Film Festival, Jonny Copp Photo Exhibit, and closed with “The Wolf and the Medallion” live-art performance by the AAC’s Heartland Section Chairman Jeremy Collins and his crew of Kansas City musicians. Read the Interview.

Kathmandu Volunteering

What began as a friendly favor to help fund a small medical clinic in rural Nepal has changed the lives of thousands residing in impoverished mountain villages all over the world. When Scott MacLennan realized $1 per person per year can staff a basic clinic in Nepal’s Rasuwa District, he founded the non-profit Mountain Fund in 2005 to support community-based initiatives that create sustainable healthcare, education and economic opportunities in low-income areas. Read More...

From Cleated Boots to Ski Descents

“From Cleated Boots to Ski Descents” featured four generations of Teton guides in a symposium moderated by noted Himalayan author Brot Coburn. Each panelist was given 10 minutes to present his perspectives, and a lively Q & A section at the symposium’s conclusion gave the audience a chance to interact with the pioneers. The event was organized by outerlocal.com and sponsored by the AAC, Marmot, and others.

2012 Ouray Ice Festival

The Ouray Ice Festival, held each year in January in Ouray, CO, is an eclectic gathering of ice climbers, gear manufacturers, and ice climbing enthusiasts. The international Festival was first held in January 1996 and now is widely recognized as the premier event of its kind. Each year, familiar faces return to climb, socialize, test out the latest equipment, and watch the pros power their way up the latest competition route. The Club was there this year and AAC Staffers returned with a few pics. If you have pics of your own, email info@americanalpineclub.org and we'll post them in this album!

CBEE 2011

In June and July 2011, the Deep South Section of The American Alpine Club spearheaded an environmental mountaineering expedition to Peru’s highest mountain range. The Cordillera Blanca contains the highest concentration of mountains higher than 6,000 meters (19,685 ft.) in the Western Hemisphere, as well as the highest mountains in the Tropics. Section mountaineers and other AAC mountaineering scientists spent weeks in Peru’s Cordillera Blanca, where the group teamed with local climbers. The team collected valuable environmental samples from elevations too high and remote for most scientists to be able to visit. The data collected by members will assist local land managers and scientists to determine the environmental impacts of local and global air pollution and global climate-change impacts on the Andes Mountains.

2012 Annual Benefit Dinner

Partnership: Climbing through the Generations—2012 Annual Benefit Dinner [Read the blog post...] Last summer Boston native Mark Richey led an expedition to the remote peaks of the Indian Karakoram. His goal was to reach the summit of Saser Kangri II (7,518m), the second-highest unclimbed mountain in the world. For Mark and partner Steve Swenson, both in their 50s, the climb would be the capstone of their long and already distinguished climbing careers. To round out the team, they recruited four younger climbers: Freddie Wilkinson, Janet Bergman, Emilie Drinkwater, and Kirsten Kremer. Supporting each other from a shared basecamp, these six ropemates charted new ground on five new routes, including the coveted first ascent of Saser Kangri II. The story of their expedition provides more than a glimpse into the future of exploratory alpinism. It highlights the powerful tradition long exemplified by the New England climbing community and The American Alpine Club: partnership across generations. The Saser Kangri II Team's Keynote Presentation was a critical component of the 2012 Annual Benefit Dinner Weekend.

Himalayan Stove Project

We are changing people’s lives, one clean cookstove at a time, and it is unbelievably rewarding, humbling and gratifying – the impact in their homes is immediate and dramatic, and the smiles of the recipients say it all...Read more on the Trip Reports page.

"A Great Many Years"—An American Alpine Club History by William Lowell Putnam

The American Alpine Club's Honorary President, William Lowell Putnam gave this speech at the Club's 2011 Board Meeting in Flagstaff, Arizona. We've reproduced it here because it's a fantastic speech, broad in scope and incredibly rich in Club history—and mountaineering history. This album illustrates that speech with some great historic photos. Read the speech.

2011 Bozeman Ice Festival

The 15th annual Bozeman Ice Climbing Festival, ran from Dec. 7 to Dec. 11, 2011 in the town of Bozeman and in nearby Hyalite Canyon, a premier American ice climbing destination. Eddie Espinosa, the AAC Northwest Regional Coordinator reports, “The event went very well. We sponsored The Jeff Lowe Metanoia film fundraiser on Sunday, and helped staff their event.” Lowe, described by peers as one of the greatest American alpinists holds an Honorary AAC Membership —the Club’s highest honor.

2013 Annual Benefit Dinner: 50th Anniversary Everest

The American Alpine Club hosted a special evening celebrating 50 years of Americans on Everest with living legends from the 1963 American Everest Expedition.

2013 Joshua Tree Spring Cleanup & Matt Segal Slideshow

The American Alpine Club Southwest Section spent some time contributing to this spring's Joshua Tree Cleanup and Climber reception featuring a free presentation by professional climber Matt Segal!