Membership Is Now Closed for the 2025 Calendar Year

The CAI-PNW 2026 membership application and renewal process will open in March, 2026 and close in August, 2026. Please check this page starting in March 2026 if you live in the Pacific Northwest and are interested in membership.

If you do not live in the Pacific Northwest, defined as the US states of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, you should contact CAI in Italy to enjoy their member benefits. Please visit www.cai.it/diventa-socio/ and follow the instructions there.

If you have general questions about the club, please refer to the FAQ section below or email info@cai-pnw.org

  • If you are an existing CAI-PNW member, you’ll need to do the following every year to renew your membership:

    1. Download, print and complete a Membership Renewal form and an Annual Release and Indemnity Agreement form for each person who is renewing.

    2. Address and include a stamped letter-sized (4 1/8” x 9 1/2”) envelope (one postage stamp needed).

    3. Send an email message to membership@cai-pnw.org and request the membership fee and mailing instructions.

    4. If you would like to pay for your annual membership renewal fees online, once you have submitted the required forms, please go to the Online Membership Store, select the appropriate membership, then check out and submit your payment via PaPal.

Advantages of Joining CAI-PNW

  • Joining others in the Seattle, WA area for monthly hikes and other activities

  • Opportunity to lead hikes and other outdoor activities

  • Making friends in the PNW region of the USA as well as in Italy for joint hiking and cultural activities

  • Joining us for trips and exchanges in Italy and other countries

  • Visiting and hiking affordably in Italy

  • Staying in rifugi (mountain huts) in Italy, many with discounts

  • Utilizing reciprocal relationships for benefits in clubs in other countries such as Germany, France, Spain, Austria and Switzerland

  • Having accident insurance while on CAI-sponsored hikes in Europe

  • Mountaineering rescue insurance in the mountains in Italy and other European countries

Club Alpino Italiano (CAI) In Italy (Not the CAI-PNW Chapter)

If you do not reside in Washington, Oregon, or Idaho in the USA, you should contact CAI in Italy to enjoy their member benefits including discounts at their refugi. Please visit www.cai.it/diventa-socio/ and follow the instructions there. Note that their site is entirely in Italian; if you do not read Italian and have difficulty interpreting it, we recommend using a browser-based translator such as Google Translate.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

  • We are looking for like-minded people who desire to join us in local activities as well as abroad.  We accept people who reside in the Pacific Northwest region, defined as the US states of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.

  • Yes, CAI-PNW is a subsection of CAI Pisa and with membership, offers the same benefits.

  • Yes, medical insurance is included with membership, but is only valid on CAI-sponsored activities.

  • Yes, mountain rescue is covered as a member of CAI whether on a CAI-sponsored activity or not.

  • Please be aware that we are a social club run solely by volunteers, so the application process can take 4-6 weeks.