Introduction

The Chester Mountaineering Club

Chester Mountaineering Club (CMC) was founded in 1953, the year that saw the first ascent of Everest, and has grown to be one of the best supported regional climbing clubs. It is centred around Chester and has an excess of 220 membersr. However you will not be overwhelmed on a meet as a number of members have now spread over the country, keeping their membership to return for some meets. and generally mountaineering with new partners around where they live.

The club is actively club engaged in all outdoor activities (climbing, hill walking, caving, mountain biking etc.) but with a common interest in mountaineering.

We have a programme of both outdoor and indoor meets.

The club has been active over the summer climbing in the UK on high crags, Wednesday evenings and also abroard . Below are some of this Summers climbing photos.

Earlier this year we held a series of outdoor meets, including a Scottish winter meet and some day climbing meets.

This years Scottish meet was at Fort William and saw the hills covered in a blanket of deep snow. Lovely for the photos.

With deep snow and avalanche prone slopes climbing was mainly restricted to the ridges.

Photos of this years winter meet

Scotlamd was not the only place to get a winter this year. Wales had a good winterconditions too. Below are some photos of members out in the snow after new year.

This year we are holding climbing meets once a month to enable newer members to meet with existing members and gain some experience.

The venue choosen for these meets have climbs of all grades. So far we have held a meet at Froggatt and one at Tremadoc.

Other outdoor meets are held at locations throughout the UK with North Wales, the Lakes and the Peak District proving regular popular destinations.

Below are some photos of last summers activities, from climbing on Grit to climbing in Scotland and also mountaineeting in the Alps.

With the advent of low cost airlines trips also occur further afield with the Spain, Jersey, and Morocco, being recent destinations of choice.

Last year members visited Fairhead, Ireland, and Paklenica, Croatia. Also the Alps are frequently visited in the summer season. Last year a group visited the Ecrins (France).

The Club aims to be a forum for meets to occur, encouraging members to organise and participate in an active meets programme. It does not look to subsidise activity and meets should be self-financing.

We have a meet on Wednesday evening where in the Summer months we visite a local crags followed by a nearby pub when it gets dark.

In the Winter months we meet in the Peacock Hotel for a talk or social. We also visit one of the local climbing walls. The Peacock meet is usually on the first Wednesday of the month while climbing wall meets are on the last Wednesday of the month. Details of the current meets programme can be found on this website under Meets. The Club has its own hut which it maintains in the Snowdonia National Park and which provides a base for outdoor activity there. We can also use some huts maintained by other clubs in the Lake District.

There is a regular Club Newsletter produced and circulated to the membership giving details of planned meets and information of interest. Members are encouraged to submit any material that could be of use to the rest of the Club. Club members are entitled to discounts of up to 15% on outdoor gear through certain selected outlets. More details are provided on joining the Club. Membership is open to anyone with an active interest in climbing and/or mountaineering in its widest sense. New members first join as Associate members for 6 months. After that time they should be acquainted with Club members by attending Club meets and activity. They are then eligible to apply for Full membership (which is renewed annually). The Club Committee vets and approves all membership applications. Club members participate in the full range of activities and there is normally something of interest for everyone. If not - you are encouraged to suggest it! There is no minimum experience or qualification requirement but it should be noted the Club does not undertake formal training or instruction. Mountaineering is also a potential hazardous pursuit and participants undertake this at their own discretion and in full knowledge of the risk to themselves. The Club can accept no responsibility in this area.. The Club is affiliated to the British Mountaineering Council (BMC) and members can use its many services. Its magazine Summit is posted annually to members. Through this affiliation Club members benefit from civil liability cover for their activities - an important benefit in an increasingly litigious society! Club representatives attend the Wales and North West meetings of the BMC and will seek to represent members' interests in the debates held on access rights and other important mountaineering topics.

If you're interested in joining the Club or simply finding out more then e-mail our membership secretary Dave Rumney DaveR@chestermc.org and he'll be in touch with more details. You can come to one of the regular Wednesday meets at no commitment to meet other Club members, find out who we are and get an impression before joining. If you've an interest climbing and/or mountaineering then we think you'll fit in!