Joining the KMC
Welcome to the Karabiner Mountaineering Club website. We're an inclusive club, which run meets every week of the year, so there's always something for you to come along to. Throughout the whole year we have local, national and international meets, all of which you can find out more about on our meets page. We also have regular climbing meets during the week, usually Wednesday evenings. During the summer months we climb outdoors whilst in the darker months we climb indoors.
Prospectives are welcome to attend any of our meets and it is a good idea to attend a few before deciding to apply for membership. Simply pick a meet from our extensive meets lists, then contact the club so that we know to look out for you. After attending a few meets you can decide if the club is for you. Please see below.
Important when joining-in in activities with club Members.
Prospectives should be aware that climbing, walking and mountaineering are activities with a risk of injury or death to both yourself and the people around you.
Please note that KMC Members have 3rd party insurance as the club is affiliated to the BMC (our national body that represents us in all aspects of mountaineering) but Prospectives may not.
Prospectives will be enrolled in BMC 3rd party liability insurance for a 3 month free trial period
3 Month Trial Period
During this period registered Prospectives will receive 3 months free BMC 3rd party insurance.
Please ask a Full Member to register you with the club and this will also start your online application for Associate Membership.
The full member needs to login and navigate to Register a Prospective.
The following information is required of the Prospective: Name, Date of Birth, Email Address and the Home Address.
This will start the 3 Month Free Trial Period.
This needs to happen immediately after attending your first meet
- Continue as a Prospective - this will cost £15.00, and can be deducted from your first subscription should you later make successful application for Associate membership before October (applications approved in October, November or December will require the full KMC subscription).
- Make an Application to be an Associate member – this costs £28.00 but provides a greater range of benefits – see below.
Newcomers. What you can expect from the KMC
Firstly we don't do Instruction, Tuition or Coaching. If you're a complete beginner you might want to take a short course to get the basics in whichever discipline you're interested in. Go to the BMC site or our Links page to find out where to get Instruction.
Having said this, our club is home to over a hundred members with a wealth of experience, skills and knowledge that we are happy to share. We have meets of all varieties, for skill levels from novice up to highly experienced throughout the year and we try to cater for all levels. For example, one of our trips to the Alex Mac Hut near to Ben Nevis allowed for experienced members to go on 14 hour Grade 4 mixed climbs, whilst others went on more sedate walks up to the north face of Ben Nevis. Similarly, there is usually a mix of people who want different things out of the meet, so you are likely to find someone to buddy up with who can give you support if you need it.
As well as climbing and mountaineering we encourage social meets and promote socialising opportunities, so that members and prospective have a chance to meet up in a relaxed environment.
The club has a Hut in North Wales. Some meets are based there and Prospectives are welcome to come along on those meets. Please see the meets list. The hut is available for use by Members at any time without booking.
Hut Keys:
Full Members may have a set of hut keys on payment of a deposit.
Associate Members can obtain a key for a limited period by contacting the Associate Members Representative or a member of the committee.
Where to start
Our mid-week meets are a good place to get started, if you're a climber who can tie in and belay. Alternatively, take a look at our Meets page and see if there's a meet that you like the sound of. You can call or email us if you'd prefer to speak to someone before you come to a meet or you can just turn up.
We look forward to meeting you!
Membership Details
Membership is open to anyone aged 18 or over, and is achieved in two stages, initially becoming an Associate Member and later upgrading to Full Member. Requirements are straightforward, after attending a minimum of four meets within a six month period you may apply to become a New/Associate member of the Club. Please bear in mind that you will need the signatures of 3 Hon/Full Members. An application for Full Membership will be considered after a further six month period.
Members are expected to support outdoor meets as often as possible, however it is perfectly acceptable to go off and do your own thing.
Once you have attended at least four official meets, you can apply to join the KMC by filling in an Associate Member Application Form. (On-line version requires the support of a Full Member.)
To become a Full Member you must have been an Associate Member of the Club for at least 6 months. Simply fill in an Upgrade to Full Member Form.
The annual membership fee, should you do decide to join, is currently £28.00 and must be submitted with your application for membership. If you wish to make a payment online please contact treasurer@karabiner.org
Some of the benefits of being a member of the KMC include:
- Continue as a Prospective - this will cost £15.00, and can be deducted from your first subscription should you later make successful application for Associate membership before October (applications approved in October, November or December will require the full KMC subscription).
- Make an Application to be an Associate member – this costs £28.00 but provides a greater range of benefits – see below.
The Club is affiliated to the British Mountaineering Council, so you will become a "Club Member" of the BMC. This includes Civil Liability Insurance which is currently up to £10m. KMC Members can upgrade their BMC membership status from "Club Member" to "Individual Member" at a special rate. See BMC Membership for more details.
Cheap nightly rate at the club hut in Wales and access any time of the year.
Full Members can apply to have a set of hut keys.
A yearly handbook, including contact details for all KMC members.
A full copy of the Newsletter every 2 months, which includes all the KMC news and notices.
Last minute Club notices and meet updates via e-mail (if you choose to provide an e-mail address).
Access to member areas of the Clubs website including the Scribble Board.
Your subscription helps to keep the club running with a full schedule of meets throughout the year.
Download KMC Application Forms
New/Associate Member FormUpgrade to Full Member Form
The British Mountaineering Council
The BMCUpgrade BMC membership
Claiming multiple membership refunds
BMC Club Guidelines
- KMC Member Subscription: £28.00
- KMC Prospective BMC subscription: £15.00
- Upgrade* from BMC to KMC member Fee: £13.00
* - only BMC members that have been registered through the club (Jan - Sept).
10 MEMBERSHIP
Membership of the Club shall be open to members of the whole community aged 18 years and over without discrimination.
The Club may refuse membership or expel from membership only for good or sufficient cause, such as conduct or character likely to bring the Club or sport into disrepute. Appeal against such a decision may be made to the Club’s members, in which case it will be placed on the agenda of the next General Meeting, or a separate appeals committee appointed for such purpose by the Honorary Members, and decided by a majority vote.
- There shall be three grades of membership: Full, Honorary and Associate Membership. At no time shall the number of Associate Members exceed the number of Full Members.
- Applicants must:-
- have climbed or walked with members of the Club and should have attended at least 4 official Outdoor Meets within 6 months,
- be proposed by 3 Full Members,
- state on an official Application Form (obtainable from the Secretary) details and dates of their mountaineering experience.
- All applicants will, on election by the Committee by a simple majority, be admitted to the status of Associate Member. After a period of not less than 6 months, an Associate Member may apply to become a Full Member.
- Upon such application the Committee will look for evidence that the Associate Member has supported the aims and activities of the Club, has tried to build up his or her mountaineering experience, and is competent. Admission to Full Membership shall be at the sole discretion of the Committee, which may stipulate a term of extension of Associate Membership.
- Associate Members shall not have the power to vote at any General Meeting save that they shall be entitled to nominate and decide upon the Associate Members Representative in accordance with Rule 7, and may propose motions for the AGM. Associate Members are expected to attain Full Membership within 3 years.
- The Committee shall have the power to elect as an Honorary Member any person who has rendered eminent service to the cause of mountaineering or assistance to the Club. Honorary Members shall pay no subscription but shall in all other respects rank as Full Members except where the Constitution provides otherwise.
11 ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS
The annual subscriptions for the various classes of membership shall be decided at the Annual General Meeting and published in the handbook. Subscriptions for each club year, which shall run from 1st January to 31st December, shall be paid to the Treasurer on or before 1st January. The subscription paid by members elected on or after 1st October of any club year shall cover the following club year. Every member whose subscription is three months in arrears shall ipso facto cease to be a member of the club, but may be reinstated at the Committee's discretion on payment of all arrears. The financial year begins, for the purpose of accounts, on 1st October and ends on 30th September.
- participate in at least one meet.
- ask a Full/Hon Member to support your application by filling in a simple form. Required details are your title, first name, last name, date of birth, email and home address.
- click on the Members page and login to access an online application form.
- when your application is complete ask three members to digitally sign your form.
- decide on your payment method (DD preferred).
- email the secretary@karabiner.org stating your online application is complete.
