Journals

The Journal of the MCSA, published annually since 1894, documents the mountaineering activities of Club members locally and abroad. It includes articles, photos, and sketches covering expeditions, natural history, search and rescue, and mountain-related history, geology, and archaeology. The Journal also features Section reports, book reviews, new routes, and obituaries, serving as a valuable reference for mountaineers and researchers. With quality production and diverse content, it appeals to climbers, hikers, and even armchair adventurers. Its enduring appeal has secured it a place in personal collections and libraries worldwide, reflecting the adventurous spirit of South Africa’s mountaineering community.

Digital Versions

The full set of Journals is also available online to active members of the Club and is hosted on the Docwise platform. Click on the below link to register your account (if you have trouble to register, please contact the secretary).

Access the online repository on Docwise

Journal Indexes

The indexes for all MCSA journals from 1894 to 2022 can be downloaded below. They are in two separate files, the reason being that the indexes for journals Nos. 1 to 2000 have also been published in hard copy, whilst the index for journals 2001 onwards is only available in digital format and is updated every year. It is easier to keep the latter as a separate PDF.

To do a search: if you open Adobe Reader and press CTRL + F, you’ll get the normal search box – located at the top right. Type in say ‘Patagonia’ and press ENTER. All items relating to Patagonia will be highlighted; use the up or down arrow next to the search box to ‘find previous’ or ‘find next’.

MCSA Journal Indexes 1 – 103 (1894 – 2000) (pdf, 2.54 Mb)
MCSA Journal Indexes 104 – 126 (2001 – 2023) (pdf, 1.06 Mb)

Write an article for the journal

Contributions on mountain-related matters are most welcome.

The MCSA Journal is published one year ‘in arrears’. Contributions for the next journal should besent to the editing team through the journal editor jennyapaterson@gmail.com.

Guidelines for journal submissions can be downloaded here:
Guidelines for Contributions to the MCSA Journal 2024 (pdf, 137 Kb)
Template for Details of Photos for the MCSA Journal 2024 (docx, 17 Kb)
Copy Writing StyleSheet for the MCSA Journal 2024 (pdf, 125 Kb)