John Lisker/TBD
Yosemite High Country Backpack
SUMMARY OF TRIP INFORMATION
Yosemite High Country Backpack
Leader John Lisker
Co-leader TBD
Yosemite National Park
Sat 13 Aug - Sun 21 Aug, 2011
Total # of days 9
Hiking
Downhill skiing
Kayaking
Title of trip
Leadership
Location(s)
Dates
Type of trip
check all that apply
Backpacking
Cultural
Road biking
Nordic ski
Mountain biking
Snorkeling
Other – please describe
Number of participants
(excluding leaders)
Advertised cost
Airfare range if not included
Do you wish to have your trip
listed online before it is
published in The Outdoors?
Smaller trips and leader
subsidization
Max 10
Min 10
$ 750
Does it include airfare? Yes
No
$ 400-500
Yes
No If yes, please list the approximate month (max is one year in
advance of trip)
December 1
Is this proposal for a small group trip – i.e., less than 14 participants and 2
leaders or 7 participants and 1 leader? Yes
No
If yes, why is a small group proposed? Backpacks simply don't work for large
groups. With no restaurant meals and no nights under roofs, this particular one will be
a lot of work for the leaders.
If a participant fee increase of more than 15% is proposed, please explain
why? With no restaurant meals and no nights under roofs, this particular one will be a
lot of work for the leaders, and backpacks simply don't work for large groups.
LEADER AND CO-LEADER INFORMATION
Leader name
Leader address
Leader email
Leader phone
Wilderness first aid training
CPR training
Prior leading experience
Trip one
Trip two
Trip three
Other related trip experience
John Lisker
2390 Commonwealth Avenue, Auburndale, MA 02466
john.lisker@juno.com
Home 617-244-1636
Work
WFA
AWFA
WFR
Expiration: Nov 2010
CPR
BLS
Expiration: Dec 2010
Please list the last three longer (5+ day) trips you have led for the AMC including
destination, type of trip, dates and number of participants. Feel free to list additional
trips you have led, particularly if they demonstrate experience related to the trip you
are proposing.
Canadian Rockies Aug 2010
New Zealand Feb 2010
Morocco Feb 2009
Tour du Mont Blanc July-Aug 2008, New Zealand Feb 2007, San Juans summer 1999,

To lead a major excursion you must have current CPR and WFA at the time of your trip (or AWFA for all backcountry
trips). If you do not have the required level of certification at the time you submit your proposal or it will expire before
the date of your trip, you will need to make arrangements to recertify in a timely manner.
Revised July 2008
Major Excursions Trip Proposal Form, page 1 of 5
John Lisker/TBD
Yosemite High Country Backpack
Greece May 1999, Wyoming Wind River Range summer 1998, Colorado Elk Range
summer 1997, California High Sierras summer 1996
Co-leader name
Co-leader address
Co-leader email
Co-leader phone
Wilderness first aid training*
CPR training*
Prior leading experience
Home
Work
WFA
AWFA
WFR
Expiration:
CPR
BLS
Expiration:
If you are a new co-leader you must submit an application to be a major excursions
leader or co-leader prior to submitting this application.
Scouting
Have either of you led this trip
before or traveled to this
area?
Languages
Does either the co-leader or
leader speak the local
language?
Couples
Do the leader and co-leader
have a significant personal
relationship?
Private trips
Do either of you lead trips that
are private - not sponsored by
the AMC?
Yes
No
If yes, please describe below:
John has hiked in Yosemite several times, most recently in September of 2010.
Executive summary
Please provide a brief
description of the trip and the
activities planned.
Accommodations
Please describe your plan for
accommodation(s)
Meals
Please describe your plan for
providing meals
Permits or permissions
Does the trip require special
permits or permissions?
(required on many U.S.
federal lands and national
parks)
One day flying to San Francisco & driving to Tuolomne Meadows; one day hiking; a
five day backpack, driving to Yosemite Valley on the 5 th day; one day hiking; and one
day hiking, driving to San Francisco, & flying home.
Special equipment
Does the trip require special
equipment?
Yes
No
If yes, please describe below what type of equipment and how you
will ensure that people know how to use it:
Standard backpacking gear for each participant. Shared tents, stoves, and water filters.
For group equipment, large pots and a tarp which I have. We will be interviewing each
prospective participant, and will ask what equipment they have.
Co-leader: Yes
No
Leader: Yes
No
Not applicable:
Yes
No
If yes, please list who has agreed to be your back-up in case one or
both of you need to drop out. This is required for approval!
Yes
No
If yes, please note that you cannot advertise AMC and private trips
together unless there is a clear distinction between the two in any marketing
materials you send out.
LOGISTICAL DETAILS OF TRIP
Revised July 2008
National Park campgrounds (4 nights) and backcountry camping (4 nights).
The trip will include all meals from dinner on the first day through lunch on the last day.
Yes
No
If yes, please describe below what you will need to do to obtain them:
Colleen and/or Roger will have to get the nonprofit special use permit. I will have to
apply for both the campground reservations and the backcountry camping permit for the
backpack.
If no, please describe the process you went through to find out that they were not
required:
Major Excursions Trip Proposal Form, page 2 of 5
John Lisker/TBD
Yosemite High Country Backpack
Special experience
Does the trip require special
skills on the part of the
participant?
Pre-trip activities
Do you plan to get your group
together before the trip for an
activity or social event?
Conservation, education and
recreation
How will this major excursion
meet the mission of the AMC?
www.outdoors.org/about/
mission.cfm
Yes
No
If yes, please describe below what type of experience? Also describe
how you will ensure that the participant has this experience?
Appropriate prior backpacking experience is required. We will be interviewing each
prospective participant, and will ask. We will also ask for references and check them.
Yes
No
If yes, please describe below what you will do:
A day hike late next spring, unless the applicants are too dispersed geographically.
We will be seeing and learning about an entirely different geology and ecology than that
of the Whites and New England. We have the opportunity to learn about endangered
species and invasive and non-indigenous flora and fauna. We will be having a blast
while doing doing it!
TOUR OPERATOR AND GUIDE SERVICE INFORMATION
Will this trip require a tour
operator or guide service
during part, or the entire
trip?
Name of tour operator/guide
service
Tour operator website
Safety record
Please provide information
about their safety record.
Insurance
Do they have liability
insurance?
Emergency response
Please describe the outfitters’
response plan in the case of an
emergency.
Yes
No
Please describe their services. If you are using a tour operator for the entire trip,
please describe why you will be using them rather than doing this trip on your own:
Liability? Yes
No
Are they willing to list AMC as an
additional insured?
Maximum amt: $
Yes
No
RISK ASSESSMENT
Please assess the risks and hazards of your trip. Carefully consider each area of risk and how it may affect your trip.
Devise a plan to prevent each hazard and to respond to it if it becomes necessary. Please be very specific for each section
if applicable.
Trail conditions, river crossings, weather, wildlife (bears, snakes, etc.)
Climate/terrain
Potential hazards
Altitude, river crossings, weather, bears
Response
A maximum altitude of 10,000 feet means that good screening about relevant physical
condition and experience is important.
River water levels will have decreased well below their peak levels, and all nontrivial
crossings will have bridges.
The Sierras are known for fine summer weather, but everyone will carry appropiate wind
and rain protection, and we will watch the weather carefully, especially looking out for
thunderstorms.
We will use bear cannisters, which can be rented if the leaders and participants don't
already own enough between them..
Political concerns, crime, language translation, terrorism
Foreign Country
Potential hazards
Response
Road conditions, drivers, insurance
Transportation
Revised July 2008
Major Excursions Trip Proposal Form, page 3 of 5
John Lisker/TBD
Yosemite High Country Backpack
Potential hazards
Response
Participants
Potential hazards
Response
Other
Potential hazards
Response
Curving mountain roads, occasional annoying cautious other drivers.
Drive carefully. We will probably rent 3 large sedans, and certainly nothing larger than a
minivan.
Level of fitness, screening concerns, experience with equipment or activity
Participants need to be fit and able both to keep up with the group and to handle the
maximum altitude; pace will be moderate.
A full screening process will eliminate many potential problems and those that arise will
be dealt with on an individual basis. Both leaders have group leadership experience and
are practiced at handling uncomfortable situations. Potential health threats will be aired
during the screening process so leaders will be aware of participants' risks. We will not
be expecting to cover long daily distances.
Conditions unique to this type of trip
EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN
Please describe your plans for dealing with emergencies. Use as much detail as possible, and list any special
communications equipment you may need to ensure the safety of your participants. DO NOT LEAVE THIS SECTION
BLANK
No point on our route is more than 20 miles from a trailhead on a major road. We plan
Emergency communication
Phone contacts, language,
to carry ordinary cell phones, but don't know how good reception will be.
documentation, distance from
emergency services
We do not plan to USE anything of this sort.
Emergency equipment
What sort of emergency first
We will bring a non-trivial first aid kit.
aid or communication
We will not bring any special communication gear, unless the Major Excursions program
equipment (satellite phone,
wants to provide a satellite phone.
two-way radios) do you plan
to use, if any?
If possible, we will evacuate ourselves. If not, we will send two people out (maximum
Evacuation
Please describe your plan for
less than 20 miles) to a trailhead on a major road to contact the relevant National Park
evacuation from the
Dispatch Center to summon assistance.
backcountry location if
applicable?
There is a clinic in Yosemite Valley. The closest hospital is in Modesto.
Medical care
Please describe the medical
care available in the area(s)
where you will be traveling
and list names and telephone
numbers for these facilities.
COST AND BUDGET DETAILS
Foreign currencies
For int’l trips list each foreign
currency, the current $US
dollar exchange rate and what
contingencies you have if that
rate changes. If a tour
operator or agent is being
used, what currency is the
agent to be paid in?
Deposits
What deposits will be required
by airlines, hotels, tour
Revised July 2008
Campground reservations will be made as early as possible, and payments are due at that
time. For August 13 & 14 in Tuolumne Meadows, that's March 15. For August 19 &20
in Yosemite Valley, that's April 15. Fortunately the amounts (total of $120, assuming we
Major Excursions Trip Proposal Form, page 4 of 5
John Lisker/TBD
Yosemite High Country Backpack
operators, etc., and when?
Refunds
What is the latest date you can
cancel and still receive a full
refund?
Participant deposit
What are the initial deposit
and your schedule of
payments?
Cancellation policy
What will your cancellation
policy be for the participants?
Minimum numbers
Will you still run the trip if you
do not get the minimum
number?
Reference web links:
MEC Home Page:
Forms:
Deadlines:
E-Mail Addresses:
Club House:
MEC Chair:
Revised July 2008
have only one senior pass and use only 2 campsites) are small.
I haven't been able to establish how much money can be refunded if paid campground
reservations (which total only $120) are cancelled.
Initial deposit of $150 will be due with application. Second payment of $200 will be due
two weeks after acceptance. Final balance of $400 will be due June 1, 2011. Deposit
checks from wait listed applicants will not be cashed unless and until we accept them
AND they confirm continued interest.
Cancellation by an accepted participant will not be allowed to raise the cost to the other
participants or to the leaders. Published minimum penalty schedule: zero before March
2011, $100 in April or May 2011, $200 after May 2011. If actual costs are higher, they
will be assessed instead. We will reserve the right to REDUCE cancellation penalties if
costs incurred can be passed to a replacement participant.
Yes
No
If yes, please describe conditions:
http://snebulos.mit.edu/orgs/amc/
http://snebulos.mit.edu/orgs/amc/application/
http://snebulos.mit.edu/orgs/amc/listings
cyout@outdoors.org
mecchair@amcboston.org
Major Excursions Trip Proposal Form, page 5 of 5