Is mountaineering camp for me? A guide to the GMC for curious mountaineers
Is mountaineering camp for me?
A guide to the GMC for curious mountaineers
Through the perspective of GMC participant, Alex Mackenzie
If you’re curious about mountaineering camp but nervously wondering whether you’re skilled or experienced enough, this one’s for you.
Maybe you’re an avid hiker with a few scrambles under your belt, or a keen climber who has yet to become acquainted with mountaineering. You keep seeing photos from The Alpine Club of Canada’s General Mountaineering Camp pop up in your feed. It looks pretty unreal [spoiler alert: it really is], but then that little voice kicks in: “Is this in my wheelhouse? Will I be able to keep up? What if I’m not a seasoned mountaineer?”
Well you’re not alone. I felt the exact same way before my first GMC… but upon arrival quickly realized I was silly to have worried.
So let’s dive into The Alpine Club of Canada’s General Mountaineering Camp (GMC): who the GMC is really for, and why that very likely includes you.
Quick refresher on the GMC
The GMC is an Alpine Club of Canada tradition that’s been running for over 100 years, which is kind of wild when you actually pause and reflect on it. Every summer the ACC sets up a basecamp in a remote corner of the Canadian Rockies and surrounding ranges. In the early days, people would travel for days by horse to reach these locations. We now have the luxury of helicopter access to basins that still remain largely untouched, with summit registers that sometimes show the last climb was ten or more years ago.
When you arrive, camp is already set up for you: rows of sleeping tents, kitchen and dining tents, gear racks, and even showers (an absolute luxury for any backcountry adventure!). A team of staff are there to support you through the week, including your camp manager, coordinator, volunteer leaders, kitchen helpers, and an all-star team of cooks who make some of the most incredible food you’ll ever eat in the mountains. On the traditional GMC weeks you’re also led by an incredible group of ACMG (Association of Canadian Mountain Guides) guides. They plan daily objectives and skill sessions, keep a close eye on conditions. They really sit at the heart of the GMC experience.
But the GMC is more than a basecamp and climbing days. It truly feels like “summer camp for adults”: new mountain friends, reconnecting with old ones, sharing stories and laughter day after day. That energy is a big part of why I, and so many others, return year after year. If you want to get a feel for that side of things, check out the ACC’s “A Camp in the Clouds” series, and our recap on a day in the life at the GMC.
My first GMC: the nerves before the send
Rewind to spring 2023. I had a solid base of scrambling and climbing experience, but I was by no means a “mountain athlete.” I’d barely touched glaciers and wore real crampons maybe once or twice. So yeah, I had some real nerves about whether I’d fit in at the GMC.
Luckily, I had friends who’d been the previous summer and put the GMC on my radar. They called it the “coolest thing we’ve done all year,” and that’s coming from a year of van life and climbing across the US and Canada. High praises! But my brain was still doing that classic thing of imagining everyone else as total alpine crushers while I’d be fumbling with my ice axe in the background.
When I mentioned my hesitations, they quickly reassured me that camp was full of folks from all kinds of backgrounds and experience levels. What really sold me were the skill-building sessions they kept talking about: dedicated time where the whole point was learning, not just sending peaks. So I pushed aside my doubts and signed up. And man, I’m so glad I did.
First days at the GMC: breaking the ice
Fast forward to August and our helicopter dropped us off at the Chess Group basecamp. I just kind of stood there in awe. Immediately I felt at home: everyone was excited, kind, getting to know one another over our first dinner. The staff and guides walked us through our daily structure, and I already felt grounded and amped for what was to come.
Our first full day was snow school, split into beginner, intermediate and advanced groups. Immediately my nerves disappeared. I was stoked to learn with people at similar experience levels. I opted for the beginner group and it was awesome: we covered crampon fitting, roping up for glacier travel, ice axe skills, and even some glacier science that was extra cool for a curious scientist like me. Best of all, I could ask all my “sorry this is a dumb question” questions without anyone batting an eye.
That first day set the tone for the whole week. Each day we chose from different objectives, with more skill sessions when weather shifted our plans. No pressure to do anything beyond your comfort zone, but all the stoke you needed to climb.
By the end of that week, I couldn’t have imagined not having come. I had such a wonderful time that I honestly almost cried on the drive home, and that’s fairly rare for me! The GMC was more than climbing it was deep connection with the land and community, expansion of self, an escape from the daily noise of society. Very special. I’ve since returned every summer: more peaks, more skills, more friendships. Each year is its own chapter where you continue to grow as a mountaineer and a human.
Who you'll meet at the GMC
Hopefully at this point it’s becoming clear this isn’t a camp full of elite alpinists who’ve summited everything with a name. You’ll meet teenagers who’ve just completed their first mountaineering course, retirees who’ve been coming to the GMC for decades, weekend warriors from the eastern provinces, and seasoned climbers who are there equally for the peaks and the people. The common thread isn’t a skill level: it’s the shared stoke to be in the mountains with like-minded humans.
With around 30 participants each week plus guides and leaders, you naturally find your people: the ones moving at your pace, learning the same things, nerding out over the same views. And because you’re climbing, eating and watching sunsets together, those connections turn into friendships quickly. Some of the best climbing partners I have today are friends I met at the GMC.
Am I fit and experienced enough?
Let’s talk about the two big questions directly, because I know they’re the ones on most of your minds.
Fitness: A typical day at the GMC will involve several hours on your feet with a pack moving across mixed terrain: trails, moraine, snow, ice, potentially some scrambling. Depending on the objective you could cover 600 to 1,000+ metres of elevation gain. While that may sound like a lot remember you’re moving at a group pace with breaks.
As a baseline I’d recommend feeling comfortable with full-day hikes or scrambles, around 5-7 hours at a steady pace. If that’s in your wheelhouse, you’re in a good spot. And remember not every day will be a 1000 metre climb: there are varied objectives, skill days and opportunities for rest days. No one will judge you for listening to your body.
Experience: You don’t need to show up as a polished alpinist. What helps is some comfort in the mountains – hiking, scrambling, maybe some climbing – so that steep terrain doesn’t feel completely new. Basic rope familiarity is a bonus but not a dealbreaker. If you don’t have all the equipment, reach out to friends or ACC section members. I still borrow gear myself!
Artist Week: If you’re thinking “I love the mountains, but I’m more of a creative than a climber,” the final week of GMC is Artists Week: same incredible basecamp and food but focused more on creativity. You’ll have an artist-in-residence, guides and relatively shorter day outings to give more time for art. Some folks paint, some hike with their cameras, some still seek the peaks. If you’ve ever wanted to combine mountains with creative time, Artists Week might be a great fit for you.
What about the independent weeks?
In 2024 the GMC launched independent weeks: the first two weeks of the program with the same basecamp setup, but without ACMG guides. You’re responsible for your own planning, route-finding and objectives, so these are geared toward experienced mountaineers attending with a trusted partner or team. Ask yourself: do you have a reliable team for this terrain? The technical gear? First aid training? Recent rope skills?
Until you can say yes to those, the traditional weeks are likely the way to go. Take my experience as example: in 2023 there’s no way I would have felt ready for the independent weeks. I didn’t have a solid team, nor the gear or glacier experience. But over the last few years I’ve found my adventure partners at the GMC and gained more experience and training, including my Wilderness First Responder. Now in 2026 I’m excited to be joining my first Independent Camp with a solid team that I have trust and confidence in, and vice versa.
So to answer: is the GMC for me?
If you’ve made it this far, I think you already know the answer.
The GMC isn’t an exclusive club for elite mountaineers. It’s a 100+ year tradition built around getting people into wild, remote mountains and helping them grow as climbers, artists, and humans. So if you’ve been asking “am I strong enough? am I experienced enough?”, the answer is an enthusiastic yes. The GMC is for mountaineers of all levels, and the fact that you’re even asking means you’re taking it seriously in all the right ways.
If you still have questions about fitness, gear, what to expect, or which week to choose, ask away on social media, send us a message or reach out to the ACC team directly.
Can’t wait to see you at camp.
Ready to take the step?
Sign up for the 2026 Trident GMC and get ready for an unforgettable experience.
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