This will open your eyes a bit - it did mine! For year 2011:
Operations
American Alpine Club - Revenue-$1,575,000 Expenses-$1,980,000 Income/Loss-$405,000 loss
Appalachian Mountain Club - Revenue-$29,541,000 Expenses-$20,181,000 Income/Loss-$9,360,000 profit
Highest Salary
American Alpine Club - $130,554
Appalachian Mountain Club - $272,110
Net Assets (property, etc)
American Alpine Club - $6,842,000
Appalachian Mountain Club - $105,000,000
Look at those assets! And most likely no property taxes paid on any of them. Though in NH the do pay PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) for the Highland Center. I looked for an article online that I had read once - couldn't find it - and from memory they pay less than 10% of what property tax would be for the Highland Center. Yet the town is responsible for providing all necessary public safety services (police, fire, etc). Plus I don't believe they have to pay NH "room and meals" tax either.
In regards to salaries you might say the American Alpine Club is out of line based on revenue. I'd pay that position twice that! It's our national mountaineering organization. And along with the Access Fund do more for climbing than the AMC probably has ever done.
With that and after having looked at these numbers - I'm ashamed of myself. Although I'm a a 20 year AAC member I think the next time they ask for a separate donation during fund raising - they'll be getting a donation from me. I can afford it.
But even more bothersome to me - why aren't more climbers supporting the AAC?