The Alpine Club would like to announce that four 2018 alpine meets are now open for booking, each with a slightly different emphasis. Places are being snapped up fast, so book now to avoid disappointment! For more information, please see the Meets section on the AC website. Please note that Aspirants are welcome to apply to join all of these. If you need advice on which meet is for you, please get in touch with Nicholas H. Smith This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

This is a skills meet, based at the George Starkey Hut, Patterdale, in the Lake District. The focus will be on transferring techniques to Aspirant Members who wish to improve their alpine skills, and to Full Members in need of a refresher after a break from alpine climbing. Informal guidance will be provided from more experienced members within the club, led by Piolet d’Or awardee, Sandy Allan. Topics will range from what to put into your rucksack to some basic Alpine mountaineering skills. For an application form, please contact Giles Robertson This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Natalie Villarroel This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

Aimed at all members, both aspirant members who are looking to gain more experience with a view to completing their AC 20 alpine peaks, and full members who might have taken a break from alpine climbing and are looking to return to the action. The meet is aimed at all skill levels, and the Bernese Oberland is a great location for picking off numerous PD routes, and for developing an alpine CV.  With 12 places, participants are asked to arrive by the evening of 23 June, and then stay at least 1 week, so this is good chance to make new partnerships.  This will be a meet based in the Grindelwald area (camping initially), which provides an excellent base for accessing the remote huts and peaks of the Oberland.  For an application form, please contact Philip Children This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

The main Alps meet is the highlight of the meet calendar, and lasts for 3 weeks. It is open to all AC members, Aspirant and Full, and partners and guests are welcome (please inform the meet coordinator if your partner wishes to join in the activities). Members of a number of other climbing clubs are invited, and in recent years there have been between 50 and 90 taking part for at least part of the meet.  There are opportunities to walk, crag climb, multi-pitch rock climb, via ferratas and classic alpine peaks by routes of varying standard. The meets are always very sociable, with ’soirees’ at the start, to help get to know others, and end of meet meals or barbeques. If you don’t come with a climbing partner, try and arrive at the beginning of the meet. In this way it is easier to find partners with similar ambitions of routes to do.

This year the meet will be in Randa at Camping Attermenzen. This is in the Zermatt valley and offers a lot of spectacular alpine peaks. If you are adding to your AC 20 alpine peaks or even all the 4000’s, this is the place to be. For more information and to book a place contact the Meet Co-ordinator - Keith Lambley This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

Based in the Saas Valley, Switzerland, at Hotel Schönblick and the campsite opposite, this meet is aimed primarily at Aspirant members on their 1st or 2nd Alpine season. The meet has 18 places, and starts with two days spent developing alpine techniques with three mountain guides, including crevasse rescue and moving together, led by AC member Owen Samuel. The Saas valley is flanked by numerous 4000m peaks with dozens of mixed climbs in the lower grades, and is blessed with excellent transport links. For an application form, please contact Nicholas Smith This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.