It's last call for tickets to the annual AAC benefit and slide-film show, held this year in the heart of New England.

The event, always a rich social milieu for palling around with climbers of all ages and genres, and meeting historic figures who may have inspired you, is happening in Boston, at the Westin Waterfront Hotel, March 2 and 3.

Keynote speakers are Mark Richey, Steve Swenson and Freddie Wilkinson, describing their milestone ascent of Saser Kangri II, second-highest unclimbed mountain in the world.  You can later read that story, as penned by the talented Wilkinson, author of One Mountain Thousand Summits, in our upcoming compendium of Ascent, an all-feature collection of timeless, soulful and even humorous mountain writing that is soon to

go off to the printer. (Wilkinson's book, One Mountain Thousand Summits, actually grew out of an assignment to write a long feature for Rock and Ice on the K2 disaster of 2008.)

Kurt Diemberger, Austrian climber and first ascentionist of two 8000-meter peaks, Dhaulaghiri and Broad Peak, a K2 storm-survivor himself and author of The Endless Knot, will speak on Friday night.

Also in the offing are book signings by Wilkinson, McDonald and Ed Webster, a silent auction with equipment, historic gear and mountain art, and other events. Every ticket to the weekend benefits the AAC and its conservation and grants programs, publications, library and other resources.

Almost 400 guests have signed on,  and include such varied personas as: Janet Bergman, John Bragg, David Breashears, Majka Burhardt, Nick Clinch, Bernadette McDonald, Pete Ward, Matt Culberson, Jim Donini, Sarah Garlick, George Lowe, John Reppy, Jim Surette, Rick Wilcox, Tom Hornbein, Barry Rugo, Phil Powers, Charlie Sassara, Jack Tackle, Laura Waterman and Jed Williamson. Tickets are on sale today and through the weekend until midweek or a fire-marshall cutoff for space, whichever comes first. When the dinner fills, the registration page will close for good.

See http://www.americanalpineclub.org/p/annual-benefit-dinner and sign on!

Please see a presentation preview below, in which Wilkinson says about going into the mountains, "Prepare to get scared."

The Old Breed from Cowboy Bear Ninja on Vimeo.