The history of WSAC Ibex formally began in 1979. Back then, a sub-association of CERES was involved in rock climbing. This sub-association was named WSAK, the Wageningse Studenten Alpen Klub. The WSAK only had about 50 members, mainly passive climbers. The WSAK weekends were composed of WSAK members, 'borrowed' lead climbers from other SACs (Studenten Alpine Club), mainly ESAC, and non-CERES lead climbers that studied in Wageningen. The latter were considered to be external members and their numbers increased gradually.
The increase of the number of external members caught the attention of the CERES senate, especially because the WSAK statutes did not allow for external members. The senate unfortunately did not allow the WSAK to adjust the statutes so that external members would be allowed. On the contrary, the Sportstichting wanted that the WSAK would be open for all Wageningen students, and not only CERES-members. As a consequence, the Sportstichting threatened to stop subsidising the weekly mountaineering training (strength, condition and coordination) and end the subsidy for purchasing climbing materials. Another hassle was that WSAK could not get any subsidy for each top-rope climber that participated in a weekend. This was because the KNAV (Koninklijke Nederlandsche Alpen Vereniging) would only hand out subsidy when climbing associations would constitute of a sufficient number of lead climbers that were also KNAV members.
As stated before, the WSAK tried to incorporate external members in the statutes but this was declined by the CERES senate. In 1986, the active members (mostly non-CERES members) founded their own climbing assocation, WSAC Ibex (Wageningen Studenten Alpen Club Ibex). This association got the support of the Sportstichting as this association allowed for membership for all Wageningen students! Karin Blok, former WSAK member and WSAC Ibex members, was one of the important initiators of Ibex.
The NSAC (Nederlandse Studenten Alpine Club) decided that each city only would have one vote in NSAC meetings. WSAK and Ibex needed to figure out how to deal with this and initially they shared this one vote. WSAK did not utilize the subsidy for the climbing weekends anymore and slowly the WSAK faded away. Ibex was accepted by the Sportstichting and got 100% ot the subsidy, and Ibex started to play an active role within the NSAC. On top of that, a little climbing wall was build in the sports centre.