Lyman Spitzer Cutting Edge Award

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Through the generous contribution of Lyman Spitzer, Jr., a long-time American Alpine Club member and lover of the mountains, the AAC initiated the Lyman Spitzer Climbing Grants Program. This program promotes state-of-the-art, cutting-edge climbing through financial support of small, lightweight climbing teams attempting bold first ascents or difficult repeats of the most challenging routes in the world's great mountain ranges.

The application deadline for the Lyman Spitzer Grant is January 1. Late applications will not be accepted and applications are for for expeditions departing no later than December 31 of the current year. Applications must be submitted electronically via an emailed Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat (.PDF) attachment. Scanned signatures must be inserted within the submitted proposal. Proposals submitted without signatures on both the waiver and grant application will not be accepted. Please submit relevant photos of your objective along with your application.

Selection Process

A committee of three active climbers reviews the applications, selects the recipients, and decides on award amounts. Recipients are typically chosen by March 1st and all applicants will be notified of the committee's decision at that point.

How To Apply

Application Download (PDF) - Lyman Spitzer Cutting Edge Award