2019 ANNUAL BENEFIT DINNER WEEKEND

March 8-10, 2019 @ San Francisco, CA

**Registration opens December 4, 2018 at 9am MST**

The Club’s largest gathering and celebration of the year, join us as we explore the triumphs and tragedies of speed climbing.

Historically, speed was equated to safety—you had to move efficiently in the mountains to ensure your return. Lately, speed climbing has been portrayed increasingly negatively. As climbers get faster, the risks get bigger. Or do they? Some make the case that speed climbers move more safely than novice climbers. No matter how you look at it, the pursuit of speed has become a polarizing topic and will affect the future of our sport.

The 2019 Annual Benefit Dinner will feature a keynote talk from Colin Haley, an alpinist known for fast ascents of technical routes on mountains all over the world. He focuses on quickly ascending steep alpine faces, including- perhaps most notably- his traverse of The Torres, which took him less than 24-hours.

The weekend is jam packed with something for everyone! This year’s Send n’ Social will be hosted at Mission Cliffs, complete with a celebrity climbing comp, libations, clinics, games, and more. Saturday morning enjoy presentations from the hottest stars in climbing and thought compelling panels. The 2019 Annual Climbing Awards recognize outstanding achievements in conservation, climbing, and service to the climbing community. Winners to be announced soon!

Tickets are limited and will sell out quickly.

*A portion of ticket sales are tax deductible. All event proceeds benefit the Club’s work supporting our shared passion for climbing and protecting the places we climb.*

2019 Host Committee:

Jen Bruursema and Hans Florine - Committee Co-Chairs

Frank Dean, Daniel Duane, Jerry Gallawas, Sebastien Levin, Bruce McCubbery, Samuel Nies, Krisitin Nute, Jeff Rueppel, Sarah Steele, Ken Yager, Alina Zagaytova

Photos: Vince Schaefer of Cold House Media

Weekend Schedule:

March 8, 2019

Send n’ Social
Time: 7pm - 10pm
Location: Mission Cliffs - Watertown, 74 Acton St, Watertown, MA 02472
- Included with all Annual Dinner tickets.
- FREE for AAC and Central Rock Gym Members.

Shuttle Service to Send n’ Social
Departs Westin at 6pm
Departs Send n’ Social at 9pm (early shuttle) or 10pm (late shuttle)
Round trip is $15 per person (compare to $30 one way for Uber!)
**Seats are limited.

All Saturday events hosted at the Westin St Francis at 335 Powell Street, San Francisco, CA 94102

Annual AAC's Member Meeting
Time: 9:30am - 10am
Location: Colonial Room

Saturday Sessions
Time: 10am - 2pm in the Colonial Room
   * FREE to the public.

VIP Reception*
Time: 5pm - 6pm in the Italian Room
Remarks from AAC CEO, Phil Powers at 5:30pm
    * By invite only

Cocktail Reception and Silent Auction
Time: 6pm - 7pm in the Italian and Colonial Rooms

Dinner, Awards and Keynote by Colin Haley
Time: 7pm - 10pm in the Grand Ballroom

Start Planning Your Trip:

Room Block: We are proud to partner with the Westin St Francis to offer you a special rate ($250 per night) for your stay. To reserve your room CLICK THIS LINK or call (415) 397-7000 and identify your affiliation with the American Alpine Club. Rooms may be reserved at this special rate through February 7th.

Flights: The closest airports are the San Francisco International Airport and Oakland Airport. To get to the Westin St Francis from either airport you can take public transit via the BART. The Powell Street Station will get you within 0.2 miles of the hotel.

Attire: Suit and Tie

#AACdinner18 on Instagram:

2018 Annual Dinner Press Room:

"The American Alpine Club has announced the recipients of its 2018 Climbing Awards, given annually to distinguish individuals for their service, leadership and accomplishments."  - Read the full article from Alpinist

"I left the dinner feeling thankful to the AAC for helping to nurture the next generation of climbers, mountaineers, benefactors, and activists."
Read the full story from College Outside

"There are very few red carpets in the world of climbing, a sport whose best take great pride in how little they need to pursue their greatest passion. But the American Alpine Club’s Annual Benefit Dinner is a bit of an exception."  - Read the full article from REI

The 2018 Annual Benefit Dinner featured a keynote from Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner, the first woman to climb all 14 8,000-meter peaks—including K2—without supplemental oxygen or high altitude porters. But her story goes far beyond her accomplishments.

Each year the AAC recognizes outstanding achievements in conservation, climbing, and service to the climbing community. This year is no exception!

Look Who Was In Boston:

Click HERE to see which stars of climbing, industry leaders, and friends of yours went to the 2018 Dinner!

Sponsorship:

To learn more about the unique and dynamic event sponsorship opportunities email Heidi at [email protected]alpineclub.org