Mick Fowler is man with a lot of things to juggle; he works full time as a tax man, is a Berghaus sponsored athlete, an incredible climber, fell runner and most recently has been elected President of the Alpine Club.
This most recent appointment has put Mick at the very heart of one of the oldest and most adventurous organisations in the world.
Dating back to 1857 the Alpine Club was set up by a group of well off English gentlemen with the lofty aim to (get ready for it):
‘facilitate association among those who possess a similarity of taste, and to enable its members to make arrangements for meeting at some suitable locality whence they may in company undertake any of the more difficult mountain excursions.’
Ok, it’s not exactly easy language to understand but at its heart was the belief that mountains were there to be climbed and during this golden age of discovery Britain was leading the way.
In fact Britain still punches well above its weight on the world stage of climbing with three of the six 2011 nominations for the Piolet d’Or including British members.
Mick has been associated with the Alpine Club for over thirty years, although his first visit didn’t go to plan; he was so overwhelmed by the legendary members lined up in front of him he turned round and left without seeing the lecture he had arrived for! Mick overcame his initial nerves and realises that there was nothing to be afraid of and that the club has a welcoming calendar of social events.
As President Mick is keen to revitalise the image of the club and introduce new, younger members to the Club by highlighting the benefits of membership including; free accommodation in London, a calendar of lecture and events, a dedicated research librarian and the Alpine Climbing Fund to help people fund their expeditions.
Mick has some impressive plans and has kicked things off by championing the use of Twitter (@thealpineclub) and setting in motion plans to revamp their website.
The Alpine Club are always looking for new members and if you’re interested in joining over 150 years of climbing history you can find out more at: www.alpine-club.org.uk
If you require great quality outdoor kit then shop the full Berghaus range.
Find out more about Mick Fowler.
