Did you hear?… 399 climbers recently gathered for AAC's 100th Anniversary Annual Meeting

A near-sellout crowd of 399 climbers recently gathered in Snowbird, Utah, for the American Alpine Club’s (AAC) 100th Anniversary Annual Meeting. Highlights included presentation of a 100th birthday cake and a rousing rendition of “Happy Birthday” led by Snowbird owner and AAC member Dick Bass, announcement of AAC award winners, and presentations by some of the world’s best climbers including George Band, Barry Blanchard, Michael Brown, Lou Dawson, Tomaz Humar, Andrew McLean, Nazir Sabir, and Mark Wilford. Meeting attendees enjoyed a tour of Black Diamond’s Salt Lake City factory and store, book signings by Band, Dawson, McLean, and Ed Webster, and silent and live auctions. The auctions raised over $22,000 for AAC programs and included nearly 250 items from such donors as The North Face, Rainier Mountaineering, Lowe Alpine, Jagged Edge, Bradford Washburn, and Galen Rowell. The AAC awards bestowed were:
David A. Sowles Memorial Award — Simone Moro, Andy Politz, Dave Hahn, Jason Tanguay, Tap Richards, Loppasang Temba Sherpa, Phurba Tashi Sherpa — Conferred occasionally on mountaineers who have distinguished themselves, with unselfish devotion at personal risk or sacrifice of a major objective, in going to the assistance of fellow climbers imperiled in the mountains.
Robert and Miriam Underhill Award — Conrad Anker, Nancy Feagin — Given annually to a person who has demonstrated the highest level of skill in the mountaineering arts and who, through the application of this skill, courage, and perseverance, has achieved outstanding success in the various fields of mountaineering endeavor.
Angelo Heilprin Citation — Louis Reichardt — Awarded to those who have worked to maintain and strengthen the AAC and thus further its ability to serve its fundamental purposes.
AAC Literary Award — Rick Ridgeway –Awarded for excellence in alpine literature by American writers.