The Canberra Alpine Club was formed on 31 July 1934 at the Alpine Hotel, Kiandra and was incorporated on 29 June 1955.

The original motion to form the Club was proposed by Tim Ingram and Tom Campbell at a meeting chaired by H.J. Lamble, the Director of the NSW Government Tourist Bureau. The inaugural general meeting was subsequently held at the Hotel Canberra on 11 October 1934 to elect office bearers and a committee and ratify the provisional operating arrangements.

The objects of the Club include promoting skiing and bushwalking, fostering the conservation of the alpine environment and the interest of members in matters of historical or heritage significance to skiing or bushwalking including the preservation of buildings, sites and objects.

The Club is a foundation member of the Southern Districts Skiing Federation whose members compete annually for the Balmain Cup. The Club is also an affiliate of Snowsports ACT, and a member of SLOPES (Ski Lodges of Perisher, Guthega and Smiggins Inc), and of the Kosciuszko Huts Association.

The Mount Franklin chalet was constructed for the Club in 1938 with bunk accommodation for 32 on leased land. The chalet reverted to the Government when Namadgi National Park was created in 1984 and was destroyed by bushfires in January 2003. The Mount Franklin precinct is the subject of a memorandum of understanding with the ACT Parks and Conservation Service.

The Perisher lodge was constructed by Club labour in 1961 on land leased from the State of New South Wales. A new lease executed late in 2008 runs until December 2028 with three ten year options exercisable after that. This lodge is licensed to accommodate 46 people and was substantially upgraded in 1983. The bedroom wing was added in 1999, together with access and facilities for the disabled.

The original Jindabyne lodge was constructed in 1968 on leased land in Banjo Paterson Crescent, adjacent to Lake Jindabyne. Freehold title was acquired in 1992. The original lodge was demolished in late 2013 and a new lodge built, opening in 2014.