Our Summit Bid raised over $50, 000 for mountain charities
Dating back to 2019, the Summer Bid is our annual fundraiser that benefits charitable causes working to improve our the mountain community. This year, we received amazing donations of art, gear and experiences generously given by over 100 brands, businesses, and organizations. We want to give a massive thank you to our donors for making the Summit Bid such a success, and for making such a difference to these worthy causes.
All proceeds from the silent auction will be going to the following organizations this year:
ACC Environment Fund
Contributing to the protection and preservation of mountain and climbing environments, the Environment Fund drives essential conservation efforts across Canada’s alpine landscapes. From protecting fragile flora and fauna, to advancing sustainable access, restoration, and research, this initiative supports invaluable work. With funds shared between the winners of the ACC Environment Grant, your donation helps us to help those who are fighting to preserve Canadian alpine areas.
Simon Parboosingh Assistance Fund
Simon Parboosingh, a dedicated guide candidate, was taking part in an Apprentice Alpine Guide exam on Mt. Athabasca in 1994 when he tragically lost his life in an avalanche. The SPAF was created in 1996 through the generosity of Simon’s family, ACMG members and members of the public, providing ACMG members, staff, and volunteers with a source of emergency funding in the event of a personal crisis.
Mountain Muskox Mentorship
Offering support for those impacted by loss or trauma in the mountains, Mountain Muskox Mentorship is inspired by the protective circle of the muskoxen. Understanding that our peer circles can provide healing safety, as well as connection and support, we are a group of mountain community members coming together with professional facilitators to create a sustainable support network for those who have gone through a traumatic event in the mountains.
Knowing what worthy causes the 2025 Summit Bid supported, a BIG thank you goes out to our members, volunteers, and the friends and family who showed up to bid on art, gear, and unforgettable experiences— we’re one big step closer to our goals! Your contributions truly move the needle for our mountain community. Thank you!
We celebrated our past ACC Presidents
Our second annual President’s Evening was a wonderful night that brought longtime members and past presidents together to celebrate milestones and gather in celebration of the club. Past President Ken Hewitt and his wife Raylene Frechette were honoured for an extraordinary achievement of 50 years of ACC membership! The evening also included birthday celebrations for both our current president, Isabelle Daigneault and Honorary Member, Chic Scott. New board members Geoff Powter and Cam Deller were welcomed, bringing fresh energy and vision to the organization. Paul Geddes received the prestigious A.O. Wheeler Legacy Award in recognition of his lasting impact and dedication to the ACC’s mission. The President’s Evening serves as an opportunity to acknowledge individual achievements and reflect on the collective spirit of the club. Thank you very much to all who joined in making the evening meaningful and memorable!
We partied on the hill at the annual Summit Shaker event
What’s the Summit Shaker? In short: it’s an in-person event to bring together and celebrate our mountain community! In the past, we’ve hosted the Mountain Guides Ball. Starting in 2024, we’ve evolved the event to include our broader mountain community, while continuing to honour our new Mountain Guides.
Since last year was such a success amongst attendees, we followed the same formula for 2025. The event kicked off with a pinning ceremony to welcome 12 new certified mountain guides to the ACMG team. Rather than have a Patron of the event, we chose to honour glaciers this year in recognition of the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation. Claire Wright presented the repeat photography work that she and her team have carried out with the help of the ACC Environment Grant. The Honorary Membership Award was presented to Roger Laurilla for his strong and sustained commitment to Canadian mountaineering and outstanding service to the climbing community.
After the ceremony, we served a delicious buffet including appetizers, desserts, and poutine(!). The drinks were flowing, and guests were entertained by the numerous games hosted by our community partners. Game-playing was rewarded with raffle tickets for great prizes, and we also hosted a silent auction in the effort to raise more funds for the charitable causes near and dear to our hearts. Thank you to the many generous donors of silent auction items as well as those who bid on them!
Lastly – , of course we had to have a good shake! The DJ started the night off strong and kept the dancing going right until the end of the evening. We want to give a special thank you to Wildlife Distillery and Acera, sponsors of the event. And one last (but not least!) thank you to our guests⏤you made this event a roaring success and we hope to see you at our next event!
Top sponsor of the 50th Banff Mountain Film festival
Since 1976, the Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival has stood as a beacon for those who find meaning, challenge, and belonging in the mountains. What many may not know is that the festival itself began as an idea imagined by members of The Alpine Club of Canada—an idea rooted in community, shared passion, and a deep love for wild places.
This year, as the Festival celebrated its 50th anniversary—and as the world marks the UN International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation—the ACC was honoured to return to its roots and support the event as a major sponsor. It felt like coming home: a chance to stand with the storytellers, the explorers, and the guardians of the landscapes we hold dear.
One of the most meaningful moments was the Fire and Ice Symposium: Stories We Tell. Bringing together voices from across the country, the Symposium shone a spotlight on two powerful forces shaping Canada’s future—our rapidly changing ice and the growing threat of wildfire.
If you missed the festival, take a look at a the 50th anniversary trailer:
Fire and Ice Symposium
Scientists, educators, filmmakers, authors, and photographers gathered to share their projects and the mediums they use to communicate their compelling stories. Attendees learned about the landscapes they love, were inspired by the work being done towards a better future, and left with optimism and drive to make a positive impact. The ACC was eager to contribute to and support this event, becoming one of the biggest sponsors. We handed out copies of our annual State of the Mountains Report and relished the opportunity to discuss environmental topics with symposium attendees.
ACC Director at Large, Tim Patterson, was a panelist at the Fire and Ice Symposium discussing how to take action on climate change in our own backyards. In a world where glaciers are retreating quickly and wildfire events are happening more frequently, it can be overwhelming to know how to take action. This panel was exceptionally inspiring and we’re so grateful to have Tim on the ACC Board directing and guiding our organization. A huge thank you to Tim and the other panelists for contributing their time and insight to such an important topic.
You belong in the mountains
ACC staff member Morgan Sturgess represented the ACC on a panel at the Rab Stage during the Banff Mountain Film Festival Marketplace. The panel discussed navigating your social responsibility when sharing outdoor spaces with different user groups. Focusing on shared values as a path to finding understanding to create equitable outcomes, as well as how to foster inclusion knowing the diversity of people in the outdoors spaces, the discussion was an important one. The conversation evolved onto the topic of how brands and NGOs navigate their commitments to bring diversity and equity to the outdoors, and the role that local action plays in environmental protection, with a lens as to how intertwined those goals are.
Grand Prize Book Award
The Book Competition is an internationally recognized literary competition that celebrates mountain literature in all its forms. The ACC is dedicated to supporting, producing, and appreciating mountain literature. As the Grand Prize sponsor, the ACC would like to congratulate Cassidy Randall, whose book Thirty Below: The Harrowing and Heroic Story of the First All-Women’s Ascent of Denali, took home the Grand Prize. The story is powerful and full of the grit and courage that define so many barrier-breaking women.
Festival Marketplace
The festival marketplace is a great opportunity for our staff to engage with some of our amazing community members. This year, we had our biggest presence ever, with three booths! The booths had plenty of Gazettes, Hut Guides, and stickers to hand out, but the crowd favourite was our new technical five-panel hat. The hat features the ACC logo and beautiful artwork of Mount Robson by local Bow Valley artist Emily Beaudoin. Profits from the sales go towards completing the newest ACC Robson Pass Hut. Not only that, they will be DOUBLED as part of our matching campaign made possible by the Sarjeant family. Thank you to the Sarjeant family for increasing the impact of this initiative.
Shadow Lake Lodge also returned with its own booth to get the word out about this beautiful backcountry retreat. We are thrilled to share the news that it is now a self-catered and accessible experience for everyone. Whether you want to ski in the winter or hike through the summer and fall, and that 2026 is open for booking.
Our new addition to the marketplace this year was our ACC Adventures booth. Hopefully by now you know that we offer everything from AST courses and backcountry ski traverses, to rock skills and hiking at Lake O’Hara, but did you know about the Big Trident Giveaway? Perhaps our staff wielding a life-size trident was a huge giveaway… Our biggest ever contest offers a chance to win a VIP pass to our General Mountaineering Camp for next Summer. Win two spots at the Trident GMC, all the gear that you and your partner will need, plus $1,500 to spend as you please at MEC, is an incredible opportunity for mountain enthusiasts of any level. If you weren’t able to sign up for this amazing opportunity at the booth, click here to enter!
Happy Hour
The iconic YETI x ACC mug returned! It’s become a bit of a tradition at the BMFF that the ACC partners with YETI to create a limited edition Rambler mug featuring a new original mountain artwork. This year’s mug was extra special, not only adorned with Emily Beaudoin’s drawing of Mount Robson, but also the 50th Anniversary BMFF logo. It was only available during the 5pm-7pm “happy hour” but sold out in under 30 minutes. Many attendees of the BMFF were excited to grab the limited edition Rambler mug, including those who collect it every year in each colour and unique design. The mugs contained a drink ticket and raffle ticket, which afforded some lucky winners amazing prizes. Thank you to YETI, Core Values, and Wild Rose Brewery for making the happy hour such a smash success!
Every dollar from our Happy Hour YETI mug sales was matched and put towards finishing the Robson Pass Hut. The matching campaign was made possible thanks to the Sarjeant family, and together, we raised over $24,000! Thank you everyone for your contributions!
