The State of the Mountains Report

An annual mountain report highlighting the changes in Canada’s alpine environment.

The State of the Mountains Report is a commitment by the ACC to provide accessible, current, and accurate information about the forces that affect Canadian mountain places, ecosystems, and communities.

In 2011, The Alpine Club of Canada (ACC) published the first State of the Mountains Report, which highlighted the startling impacts of climate change on the alpine environment of Alberta and British Columbia. The 2011 report was motivated by the ACC's commitment to summarize and better communicate an understanding of the environmental and cultural forces affecting these high places.

The tradition continues with an annual State of the Mountains Report produced by the ACC in collaboration with mountain researchers, community members, and partner organizations. The State of the Mountains Report gives Canadians, and all readers alike, the opportunity to hear the voices of people who have spent countless hours researching our alpine environment. The contributors in the report have, in one way or another, dedicated their lives to the alpine and have offered their first hand experiences, expertise and photographs to tell the stories of how change in Canadian mountain environments is affecting people and ecosystems.

Click on the video below to learn more about the State of the Mountains Report.

The State of the Mountains team

The Report is co-edited by long-time ACC members Lael Parrott, Zac Robinson, and David Hik. In addition to being the Club’s Past Vice President for Access and Environment, Lael Parrott is an environmental geographer at The University of British Columbia. She is joined by Zac Robinson, the ACC's Past Vice President for Mountain Culture and a historian at the University of Alberta. Rounding out the editorial team is David Hik, an ecologist from Simon Fraser University and the co-lead, with Robinson, on the award-winning Mountains 101, a ACC-sponsored massive open online course, which launched in 2017. All Fellows of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, the editors are dedicated to geographic literacy and the betterment of mountain peoples, places, and practices.

The Alpine Club of Canada: Vision and Mission

The Alpine Club of Canada is guided by the following vision, mission and values statements. These represent the principles and beliefs of the ACC, going back over 100 years. These statements were formally adopted in December of 2014 and updated in 2016.

Vision

To bring together, and give voice to, Canada’s mountaineering community.

Mission

The Alpine Club of Canada promotes alpine experiences, knowledge and culture; responsible access; and excellence in mountain skills and leadership.

All header photos by Zoltan Kenwell.