Belonging to a mountain club in the Alps is the equivalent of folks in the states having a membership at the library. Nearly everyone you talk to has been a member of their local alpine club since they were kids when their parents signed them up … thus membership in this or that alpen verein, as they are called in Austria, is somewhat of a matter of loyalty.
And though hikers coming across the pond to walk atop the continent may not have the same alliances, the point of this tip is that anyone can join an alpine club and the rewards pay back the pittance charged for membership immediately.
In fact, there's little debating the value of joining a mountain club. Beyond getting a cool card—for around 30 Euros per year—members are entitled to discounted stays and discounted meals at huts. But the tilting factor is that with said membership one receives mishap insurance in the mountains—such peace of mind pays back the 30 Euros right away—and a free helicopter ride out of the mountains in case of emergency. And, best of all, your card purchased in one country is honored in all the others through the Alps.
To get a card, it's usually no more complicated than going to the tourism office in a town of size and inquiring. If they cannot provide you with one, they'll ring the local card dealer who'll make arrangements to get you one ASAP. In our case, we went to tourism in South Tyrol; the person behind the desk said she was out of the cards; she ringed the local alpen verein; and he met us at our hut the next night with our card—just in time for us to get our discount and instantly repay half of the cost of the card.
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