Groninger Studenten Alpen Club - English

What is the GSAC?

The GSAC stands for Groninger Studenten Alpen Club. We focus on sport climbing, mountaineering, (touring) skiing and snowboarding, ice climbing, bouldering and everything you can do in the Alps! We have about 500 members (including donors) and 15 committees where you can become active!

Every year, many new members join in September, and they then take part in the introductory period! There is a lot of climbing during this period and intro members all follow an introductory course in which they’re taught about safety whilst climbing, but there is also a big end party, a BBQ, a shopping night where new members can buy their material cheaply and many other fun activities!

The GSAC organizes climbing weekends throughout the spring and autumn. The introductory weekends for the new members also take place in autumn. During the climbing weekends, people drive to Belgium, Germany or France and climb the rocky walls there. These are guaranteed to bring a lot of climbing fun and good times with fellow students.

Every 2nd Thursday of the month there is the Toeterborrel in Café de Toeter. Members come together to share their exciting climbing stories or to show each other photos from their recent winter sports holiday on the big screen! We can also often be found in café de Bres.

In addition, there is climbing training all year round on Monday, Wednesday and Sunday, at the climbing wall of ACLO. Climbing competitions and courses are also organized there.

The new year begins with a New Year's dinner. In the spring, you can take part in the winter activities organized by the NSAC (the umbrella body of all SACs). The NSAC organizes holiday weeks and touring and snowboarding courses. The GSAC itself also organizes a very cool wintersports week!

The highlight of early spring is of course the Dies Natalis. The GSAC then celebrates that it is a year older, and other SACs travel to the far north to congratulate us.

Later in the spring, many members become infected with the running virus. Every year the Batavierenrace takes place, usually under the pseudonym RugSAC. For those who want to walk even more, are not afraid of mud and like a bit of variety, it is also possible to take part in survival competitions. Spring is also the time when plans for summer are made. The GSAC Alpine Week and the GSAC Sport Climbing Week are planned, climbing partners are sought and the students for a summer course train a little harder (that is at least the intention). Easter and Pentecost are usually spent in Fontainebleau, the boulder area near Paris.

Just before summer there is the traditional MuurBBQ where appointments can be made for trips during the holidays. In summer, of course, there is also climbing! In the summer months, the GSACers go to the alpine and / or sports climbing week. In summer, alpine courses (C1, C2 Alpine Rock and C2 High Alps) are also organized by the NSAC.

Do you want to climb with us, boulder, have drinks, go on holiday, etc.? Then become a member of the GSAC!

History of the GSAC

The GSAC was founded on February 7th, 1946, as a sub-society of Vindicat Atque Polit. For the first twenty years, the GSAC led a difficult existence. In addition to bubbling up at the Mutua Fides Society, the GSAC's activities consisted of skiing. Only a few alpine hikes were made or only a few climbs in the Meuse Rocks. The association experienced a number of ups and downs during these years. The number of members was limited and the Alpenclub had to be re-established several times.

Gradually, however, the GSAC would gain a firmer foothold on the ground. In the 1960s, the GSAC was officially recognized by other SACs during a drink in Freyr's Cave. In 1967, GSAC was also opened to female members and in order to increase its climbing potential, it was decided to open the club to outside members as well. In the 1970s, the GSAC also sought to join the then newly established ACLO, so that more training opportunities could be created. At that time the GSAC was the largest SAC in the Netherlands. In June 1999, after years of debate and consultation, the GSAC was separated from the Vindicat Atque Polit society and continues to grow.