Expeditions
IMF organizes and sponsors mountaineering expeditions on a national and international level by selecting members from amongst Indian mountaineers, purely on the basis of merit.
Indian Expeditions
Government-run mountaineering training institutions and nearly 300 mountaineering and adventure clubs/associations in India are affiliated with the IMF.
IMF grants permission and financial assistance to mountaineering training institutions, registered clubs/associations for trekking and mountaineering in the Indian Himalaya and regulates booking of peaks and clearance from the Central and State Governments, where such clearance is necessary for them.
Foregin Expeditions
Under the provisions of the Foreigners Act, no foreigner or group of foreigners shall climb or attempt to climb any mountain peak in India without obtaining the prior permission in writing of the Central Government on an application made in their behalf through the Indian Mountaineering Foundation.
Government recognized adventure tour operators are affiliated with IMF on yearly basis to help foreign expedition teams by way of services required by them during the course of the expeditions in India. The Foundation functions as a clearing house for foreign expeditions. The sponsors/organizers of the foreign expeditions to the peaks in the Indian Himalaya are required to send their applications to the Foundation three months in advance to enable it to obtain Government clearance and also to arrange for the attachment of a Liaison Officer with the expedition.
The amount realized from foreign expeditions by way of handling charges and environment levy is judiciously used for promotion of mountaineering and environment related activities. Twenty five percent of these handling charges are allotted to Himalayan States for environment protection.
Liaison Officer
IMF considers young Indian mountaineers, who have undergone mountaineering courses and have experience in high altitude trekking and mountain climbing, and are desirous of being attached as Liaison Officers with foreign expeditions. The appointment of Liaison Officer is on a voluntary basis.
Camps
IMF organizes camps to train young Indian mountaineers, both boys and girls, in the advanced techniques of climbing, including the Alpine style.
The selection is made from amongst the applicants or nominees of clubs who have done both basic and advance courses in the Mountaineering Training Institutes, at Darjeeling (West Bengal), Uttarkashi (Uttar Pradesh), Manali (Himachal Pradesh), Batote (Jammu & Kashmir) and Gangtok (Sikkim) and have participated in expeditions.
Sports Climbing
Sport Climbing, one of the most daring and exhilarating essentials of mountaineering has now grown into a cult sport all over the world.
Since rock faces are not easily accessible due to factors like distance and weather conditions to most climbers, there was a long felt need of an artificial climbing surface which not only simulates natural rock features but also provides a variety of hand and foot holds and route potentials of varying difficulty for improving climbing abilities in easily accessible safe locations.
Gold Medals
IMF awards Gold Medals to Indian mountaineers for outstanding and sustained mountaineering performance by them. The system of awarding the medals was introduced in 1961.
Grant of scholarships
IMF grants full scholarships of amounts equal to the prescribed training fee, to young boys and girls, with family income below Rs.2000 per month and half scholarships to those whose family income is above Rs.2000 per month, for Basic, Advance, Method of Instruction and Search & Rescue courses in Basic and Advance Mountaineering courses at the Mountaineering Training Institutes at Darjeeling, Uttarkashi, Manali and Batote.