About The Club

Membership in the Club is open to anyone who is 18 years of age or older, is seriously interested in climbing (rock, ice, or alpine), and has participated in at least three club-sponsored weekend outings or one week-long outing.

The CMC has an agreement with the Mountaineering Foundation of Chicago (MFC) that allows the CMC and its members access to the Devils Lake Campground, the Gorby Colorado Cabin, and the John Speck Memorial Library in Arlington Heights. The Library consists of mountaineering books, guides, pamphlets and journals. It also contains materials related to the Club’s history and serves as an archive for other Club records.

The club was started by a group of climbers at the University of Chicago. Originally, the Club membership was primarily from the Chicago area but has grown to include members throughout the Midwest. The Club has a rich history and is proud of its diverse members. The history of some club members was chronicled in the book “The Stetner Way” written by Club member Jack Gorby. All new members are entitled to a copy of the book as part of their membership.