Mountaineering, mountain climbing, or alpinism is a set of outdoor activities that involves ascending mountains. Mountaineering-related activities include traditional outdoor climbing, skiing, and traversing via ferratas that have become sports in their own right. Indoor climbing, sport climbing, and bouldering are also considered variants of mountaineering by some, but are part of a wide group of mountain sports.
Many climbing routes have a grade that reflects the technical difficulty—and in some cases the risks and commitment level—of the route. The first ascensionist can suggest a grade, but it will be amended to reflect the consensus view of subsequent ascents. While many countries with a strong tradition of climbing developed grading systems, a small number of grading systems have become internationally dominant for each type of climbing, which has contributed to the standardization of grades worldwide. Over the years, grades have consistently risen in all forms of climbing, helped by improvements in climbing technique and equipment.
The Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) is the national mountaineering association of Nepal. The NMA was founded in 1973 with the goals of promoting mountaineering activities in the Himalaya, providing safety awareness and mountaineering skills to Nepalese mountaineers and creating awareness of the beauty of the Himalayas both nationally and in international communities. The NMA is an active member of the UIAA since 1975.
The American Alpine Club (AAC) is a non-profit member organization with more than 26,000 members. The club is housed in the American Mountaineering Center (AMC) in Golden, Colorado.
The Alpine Club of Canada (ACC) is an amateur athletic association with its national office in Canmore, Alberta that has been a focal point for Canadian mountaineering since its founding in 1906. The club was co-founded by Arthur Oliver Wheeler, who served as its first president, and Elizabeth Parker, a journalist for the Manitoba Free Press. Byron Harmon, whose 6500+ photographs of the Canadian Rockies in the early 20th century provide the best glimpse of the area at that time, was official photographer to the club at its founding. The club is the leading organization in Canada devoted to climbing, mountain culture, and issues related to alpine pursuits and ecology. It is also the Canadian regulatory organization for climbing competition, sanctioning local, regional and national events, and assembling, coaching and supporting the national team.
The Mountain Club of South Africa (MCSA) is the largest and oldest mountaineering club in South Africa. It facilitates and engages in mountaineering, climbing of all types, bouldering, hiking, international expeditions, mountain search and rescue, training, conservation of mountain areas, and procurement of access for mountaineering.
The Union of International Mountain Leader Associations (UIMLA) was founded in November 2004. It was decided at the meeting that all mountain leader associations would be awarded the same carnet and badge giving an internationally recognised identity. It also paves the way for other countries from around the world to join UIMLA setting a world standard for mountain leaders. The principal aims of UIMLA are:
The Fédération Française des clubs alpins et de montagne (FFCAM) is a federation of clubs promoting mountain sports. It offers multiple training programs and courses to help people understand mountains and manages 142 mountain huts, mostly in the Alps and the Pyrenees.
The French Federation of Mountaineering and Climbing, located in Paris, is the French federation of mountain and climbing sports, especially of non-motorized alpine sports like mountaineering, canyoning, climbing, mountain touring and hiking, snowshoe hiking and ski mountaineering. The FFME is member of the French National Olympic and Sports Committee. The foundation of the FFME in 1987 was the result of the fusion of the French Federation of Mountaineering, founded in 1942 by the high commissariat of sports in addition to the existing Club Alpin Français (CAF), and the climbing association French Federation of Climbing, which was founded in 1985. A further fusion of the FFME and the CAF in the beginning 2000s failed.
The International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) is the international governing body for the sport of competition climbing, which consists of the disciplines lead climbing, bouldering, and speed climbing.
A four-thousander is a mountain summit that is at least 4,000 metres above sea level. The term is popular among European mountaineers and climbers because the highest peaks in Europe fall into this category, and the summits of four-thousanders are popular in Europe as climbing goals. Although climbing these peaks does not require an expedition to be mounted, knowledge and experience of high altitude climbing is a pre-requisite for attempting these peaks.
The International Ski Mountaineering Federation (ISMF) is the international governing body responsible for Ski mountaineering competitions. Its main aims are promotion, regulation, and development of Ski mountaineering worldwide. In 2026 the sport will be part of the programme of the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.
Talha in Tangail
Israfil Ashurly is an Azerbaijani mountaineer, executive secretary of the Ice-Climbing Commission (2010-2017) under the UIAA, president of the youth committee UIAA, president of the Azerbaijan Mountaineering Federation (2010-2016), Member of the Presidium of the Euro-Asian Association of Mountaineering and Climbing, judge of the international category in ice climbing, master of sports of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
Artimes Farshad Yeganeh is an Iranian rock climber who has specialized in both competition climbing, and outdoor sport climbing and bouldering. He has been climbing for 30 years as a professional climber, a member of the Iranian National climbing team for many years, as a route setter in many national, continental, and world cups and championships, and Head Coach of the Iranian National climbing team for 6 years. He also participates in sport climbing and bouldering competitions and is one of the most famous Iranian climbers.
Mike Mortimer is a Canadian alpinist. He was president of the Alpine Club of Canada and the International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation (UIAA).
Tamotsu Nakamura, FRGS, is a Japanese explorer, alpinist, photographer and author. Since 1990, he has explored the mountainous areas between the Himalayas and the Sichuan basin; which he documents in photographs. He is a leading authority on the Alps of Tibet, the south-eastern sector of the Tibetan high plateau.
Mountaineering Ireland is the representative association for hikers and mountaineers on the island of Ireland. It is recognized by both Sport Ireland, the Irish authority for sport, and Sport Northern Ireland, the corresponding authority of the Government of Northern Ireland, thus operating across the island of Ireland. The association has been an International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation (UIAA) member since 2004, as well as a member of other federations. The association is also a publisher of walking and climbing guides.
The Armenian Mountaineering and Hiking Federation, also known as the Armenian Federation of Alpinism and Mountain Tourism, is the regulating body of mountaineering, hiking, and climbing in Armenia. The headquarters of the federation is located in Yerevan.
