Today The American Alpine Club—dedicated to knowledge, inspiration, conservation and advocacy for the climbing community—announced the theme, featured speakers, and destination for its 2012 Annual Benefit Dinner weekend, March 2–3, 2012. The dinner will be held at the Seaport Hotel on the waterfront in Boston, Massachusetts, and will celebrate a year of change and success through the theme of Partnership: Climbing through the Generations.

The weekend will kick off March 2nd with a Friday night Member’s Meeting and Climber’s Gathering, a social evening open to all climbers and attendees. Saturday night’s Annual Benefit Dinner will include waterfront dining, annual awards honoring climbing’s luminaries and rising stars, an auction, and a keynote presentation.

Boston native Mark Richey and climbing partners Freddie Wilkinson and Steve Swenson have been tapped to deliver the keynote, sharing inspiration from their August 2011 Saser Kangri II expedition. The goal was to reach the 7,518-meter summit of the second-highest unclimbed mountain in the world—one of the last frontiers of Himalayan climbing. For Mark and Steve, both in their 50s, the climb was the capstone of their long and already distinguished climbing careers. The story of their expedition will provide a glimpse into the future of exploratory alpinism, highlight the powerful tradition long exemplified by the New England climbing community and The American Alpine Club, and amplify the evening’s theme of partnership across generations.

The Annual Benefit Dinner is the AAC’s signature and largest annual event. In addition to fine dining and entertainment, the Dinner mingles climbers of all generations and abilities to celebrate the vibrant state of this 110-year-old organization.

“This year’s program speaks to themes that resonate deeply at The American Alpine Club. The Swenson-Richey-Wilkenson route on Saser Kangri II—previously the second highest unclimbed peak on Earth—is bold and adventurous,” said Phil Powers, Executive Director at The American Alpine Club. “The intergenerational nature of the team and the amazing story of Steve Swenson’s rescue at the end of the trip resonate with what we value at the AAC.”

In 2011, The American Alpine Club implemented new programs, attained advocacy milestones, and expanded its online and grassroots community resources to provide climbers with more resources and ways to connect with each other. In just the past year, the Club has:

• Hired staff around the country to ensure that the AAC is vibrant in your backyard. These regional coordinators regularly connect with Members by hosting local events, conservation projects, and more.

• Expanded its Member benefits to include rescue insurance, climber-friendly insurance, expansive discounts, and new and improved places for climbers to stay, such as the rebuilt Snowbird Hut in Alaska and the new AAC Clubhouse in Kathmandu, Nepal

• Purchased 40 acres of land on the rim of West Virginia’s New River Gorge. The AAC is working with local conservation and climbing organizations to plan a Climbers’ Campground with amenities walking distance from popular crags.

• Launched a new website, bringing local communities together in a more user-friendly and attractive online space.

• And in 2012, the Club will break ground on a new Climbers’ Campground with easy access to climbing in New York’s Shawangunks.

“The AAC is at its best when we can be helpful to climbers where they climb—in their own backyards. Bringing the annual dinner to Boston is a tiny example of our increased support of local sections. Just in the last year we have added regional coordinators and new conservation and climbing grants to support needs at the local level,” Powers said.

For more information and tickets, visit americanalpineclub.org/2012dinner

About The American Alpine Club
The American Alpine Club provides knowledge and inspiration, conservation and advocacy, and logistical support for the climbing community. The AAC advocates for American climbers domestically and around the world; provides grants and volunteer opportunities to protect and conserve the places we climb; hosts local and national climbing festivals and events; publishes two of the world’s most sought-after climbing annuals, The American Alpine Journal and Accidents in North American Mountaineering; cares for the world’s leading climbing library and country’s leading mountaineering museum; manages the Grand Teton Climbers’ Ranch as part of a larger lodging network for climbers; and annually gives $80,000+ toward climbing, conservation, and research grants to adventurers who travel the world. Learn about additional programs and become a member at americanalpineclub.org. Join the AAC’s online community at facebook.com/americanalpineclub.

The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics recently completed work at Mount Rainier National Park’s Paradise Area, a 2011 Leave No Trace-designated “Hot Spot.” Located in Washington, Mount Rainier National Park receives up to two-million visitors a year. At Paradise, the most heavily visited area of the park containing 26 miles of trails, recreation-related impacts have been severe. Miles of additional social trails and damage to subalpine meadows caused by off-trail travel have resulted.

In partnership with the National Park Service, the Center implemented a multifaceted education program to mitigate these impacts. The Center provided Leave No Trace training for key park service staff and over 50 volunteers, developed Paradise-specific Leave No Trace information, created Leave No Trace signage for visitors, and provided consultation on best management practices for minimizing recreation-related impacts. The Center also hosted three Seattle-based events to involve the local community and raise awareness about the initiative.

“The adoption of Leave No Trace at the park will play an active role in preserving it for generations to come. We are very proud of this important work with the National Park Service,” says Dana Watts, Executive Director for the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics.

In its second year, the Leave No Trace Hot Spots initiative raises awareness about natural areas around the country facing the threat of irreversible environmental damage. As part of the initiative, the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics works with volunteers, nonprofit organizations, friends groups and governmental agencies to reduce the impact of recreational activities in the selected endangered area.  This goal is achieved through community outreach, education, training, signage, educational materials and local collaboration.

For more information on the 2011 Hot Spots initiative, as well as ways to get involved, visit http://www.lnt.org/01_community/hotspots.php.

About the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics
The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics teaches people of all ages how to enjoy the outdoors responsibly, and is the most widely accepted outdoor ethics program used on public lands.  As the leader in sustainable recreation practices, the Center trains a nation of outdoor
advocates to put Leave No Trace principles into action. Through relevant and targeted education, research and outreach, the Center seeks to ensure the long-term health of our natural world. www.LNT.org.

About Mount Rainier National Park
Mount Rainier National Park is the fifth oldest national park, established in 1899. The park’s boundaries encompass pristine stands of old growth forests, subalpine meadows, an inland rain forest, alpine lakes, waterfalls, geothermal hot springs and mineral springs. At 14,410 feet, millions of people can see Mount Rainier on a clear day, and it stands as an icon of the Pacific Northwest. The park contains the greatest single peak glacial system in the United States, with 26 glaciers radiating from the mountain’s summit and slopes.  It is also the second most seismically active volcano in the Cascade Range. The park’s resources are accessible to a large, diverse, and growing population.

After interviewing many great candidates, the Access Fund is pleased to welcome Dave Montgomery and Jeff Young as the Conservation Team crew. The duo met during their days working for Jefferson County Open Space in Colorado as trail technicians, and applied for the crew together. Both are avid climbers and come to the Access Fund with extensive trail building, stewardship, and conservation expertise.

Dave, a native to Colorado, is a dedicated volunteer and has worked to coordinate numerous stewardship events at climbing areas in the South Platte. He has also worked extensively with kids, teaching Leave No Trace clinics and coaching a youth climbing team for a recreational center. Jeff, an Illinois native, is also an avid volunteer, lending his time and trail building skills to numerous Adopt a Crag events across the Colorado front range. The Access Fund is thrilled to have Dave and Jeff leading the Conservation Team.

The Conservation Team will be leaving the Access Fund office in a new 2011 Jeep Patriot on October 4 and will make their way to Kentucky by October 7. “We’re excited to work with the Red River Gorge climbers to help address their conservation needs,” says Dave. The team will work with locals to provide training on planning and stewardship best practices.

“We are honored and excited that the Access Fund-Jeep Conservation Team is kicking off their tour at the Red River Gorge,” says Rick Bost of the Red River Gorge Climbers’ Coalition.

“This program is going to have a huge positive impact on the climbing areas throughout the US as well as promote more cooperation between the local climbing organizations and the Access Fund.”

The Access Fund-Jeep Conservation Team mission is to address conservation issues at climbing areas around the country before they become dire. To make a donation to support this critical work, visit www.accessfund.org/CTdonate.

The Conservation Team is made possible by Title Sponsor, Jeep, and Supporting Sponsors, CLIF Bar, Outdoor Research and REI.

About Access Fund
Celebrating its 20th anniversary, the Access Fund is the national advocacy organization that keeps climbing areas open and conserves the climbing environment. The Access Fund supports and represents over 2.3 million climbers nationwide in all forms of climbing: rock climbing, ice climbing, mountaineering, and bouldering. Five core programs support the mission on national and local levels: climbing management policy, stewardship and conservation, local support and mobilization, land acquisition and protection, and education. For more information visit www.accessfund.org.

About Jeep Brand
Built on 70 years of legendary heritage, Jeep is the authentic SUV brand with classleading capability, craftsmanship and versatility for people who seek extraordinary journeys. The Jeep brand delivers an open invitation to live life to the fullest by offering a full line of vehicles that continue to provide owners with a sense of security to handle any journey with confidence. The Jeep vehicle lineup consists of the Compass, Grand Cherokee, Liberty, Patriot, Wrangler and Wrangler Unlimited. To meet consumer demand around the world, all six Jeep models are sold outside North America – and all are available in right-hand drive versions and with gasoline and diesel powertrain options. Chrysler Group LLC sells and services vehicles in approximately 120 countries around the world.