[1] With nearly 16,000 members as of 2022,[2] it encourages participation and progression in these activities, promotes safety and skills, campaigns to safeguard access rights and responsibilities, and seeks to protect Scotland's cherished mountain landscapes from insensitive development.

As a not-for-profit organisation, it relies on funding from a combination of membership subscriptions, non-governmental grants and investment from SportScotland.

[6] Key areas of activity include encouraging safe practice on hill and crag; safeguarding access to upland areas following the introduction of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 and Scottish Outdoor Access Code, and campaigning on conservation of the mountain environment.

The MCofS was formed in 1970 by the Association of Scottish Climbing Clubs to represent the views of mountaineers in Scotland.

[7] In September 2015 it introduced the ClimbScotland brand to encourage and support young people in Scotland to get climbing.