Membership
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Joining the Alpine Club of Canada provides you with amazing opportunities for exploration and recreation, for learning and developing new skills, and for good companionship every day that you're involved in the Club.
You do not need to have any previous experience in the outdoors in order to join the Club. Many people join the Club to get started skiing, climbing, mountaineering or just to spend more time in the mountains. New members who already have strong outdoor skills will find themselves in good company.
A significant player on the Canadian mountaineering stage since 1906, the Club provides an enormous range of benefits and services to its members, be they avid young sport climbers or weekend alpine warriors.
All members receive the following services as part of their basic membership:
- member rates at the ACC Clubhouse and Bell Cabin in Canmore, Alberta and the Canadian Alpine Centre in Lake Louise, Alberta. The Canadian Alpine Centre offers our members a 5% discount at the Peyto Café (you must show your membership card)
- booking privileges at the new Boswell Cabin on the Clubhouse property in Canmore. The Boswell Cabin is available exclusively to members
- 60-day advanced booking privileges at our 22 backcountry huts in the mountains of Alberta and British Columbia
- 1 Year advance booking privileges at discounted member rates at our huts for members with the hut upgrade (some restrictions apply to the Elizabeth Parker Hut, the Bill Putnam [Fairy Meadow] Hut and the Kokanee Glacier Cabin)
- a subscription to the Club's national newsletter, The Gazette, to keep you informed on interesting Club and alpine topics. The Gazette is published three times per year
- 15% discount on ALL regular priced merchandise and publications on the Online Store
- free NewsNet e-Bulletin updates (if you subscribe)
- comprehensive liability insurance coverage while participating in an official Club activity or event to protect you as a participant or a leader
- access to the Club's extensive range of mountaineering and backcountry ski camps (including some specially designed for beginners, women and youth)
- eligibility for alpine leadership training and development programs
- eligibility for annual Club grants
- receive special rates at the American Alpine Club's legendary Grand Teton Climbers’ Ranch this summer.
*Membership benefits are subject to change without notice.
The ACC has 19 Sections across the country that provide services and benefits at the regional level. By adding one or more or these section affiliations to your membership, you will receive more benefits in addition to those listed above:
- summer and winter weekend trip schedules coordinated by volunteers for regional section members. the majority of these trips are free or run on a break-even basis
- other activities and monthly socials with slide shows presented by notable mountaineers across the country.
- many Sections offer discounted or free climbing nights at a local climbing gym
- substantial discounts on basic and advanced courses offered by professional instructors in the regional area.
- monthly or quarterly section newsletters
- many volunteer opportunities that will help you meet other outdoor enthusiasts or will help round out your resume
- some sections have their own regional backcountry hut with discounted rates for section members
You may contact your regional section for further information on local activities, planned events, section newsletter and membership benefits, training opportunities, and their next social event.
One of the 19 Sections that you can join is the non-regional Competition D'Escalade Canada (CEC). The CEC is the governing body for competition climbing in Canada. The CEC is supported by the ACC and is run by volunteers from across the country. The CEC comprises the Open and Youth Divisions for UIAA Climbing-format competition and is the only sanctioning body for Canada recognized by the UIAA's International Council for Competition Climbing (ICC).
The Alpine Club of Canada. All rights reserved.