Backcountry Skiing in Gothic, CO
Len Weiss/Phil Mecagni
SUMMARY OF TRIP INFORMATION
Backcountry Skiing in Gothic, CO
Leader Len Weiss
Co-leader Phil Mecagni
4 miles north of Crested Butte, CO
March 12 to 20, 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
A 4-mile Nordic ski in/out to/from two adjacent self-service huts that will accommodate a
maximum of 12 people in beds (plus two guides). From the hut, activities will include
guide-led general touring, and/or ascent of and descent from higher elevations (i.e.,
downhill). Backpack and technical equipment needed, but no special training required.
Avalanche risk is present – see other sections regarding expertise, equipment and
planning. Also, Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, a local, world-renowned,
environmental science research/education facility and owner of the huts, is enthusiastic
about and exploring the possibility of providing a winter educational program during our
stay. They do not presently have such capability, but may have it by next year. Cost to be
determined, if they can provide.
Max 10
Min 8
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
$ 1,500
$ 600.
Does it include airfare? Yes
No
Yes
No If yes, please list the approximate month (max is one year in advance
of trip)
ASAP after approval.
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? Backcountry trip; limited capacity of huts; and
technical matters and conditions require low participant/leader/guide ratio.
If a participant fee increase of more than 15% is proposed, please explain
why? Same as immediately above
LEADER AND CO-LEADER INFORMATION
Leader name
Leader address
Leader email
Leader phone
Wilderness first aid training
CPR training
Len Weiss
46 Hawthorn Road, Brookline, MA 02445
lenweiss@rcn.com
Home 617-277-8403
Work 617-320-7024 C
WFA
AWFA
WFR
Expiration: 11/2010
CPR
BLS
Expiration: Currently expired

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 October 2009
Major Excursions Trip Proposal Form, page 1 of 7
Backcountry Skiing in Gothic, CO
Prior leading experience
Trip one
Trip two
Trip three
Other related trip experience
Co-leader name
Co-leader address
Co-leader email
Co-leader phone
Wilderness first aid training*
CPR training*
Prior leading experience
Trip one
Trip two
Trip three
Other related trip experience
Len Weiss/Phil Mecagni
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.
Co-led front-country skiing trip, St. Moritz, 2008
Co-lead of Glacier July 2010 (#1026) should be completed
Co-lead of Danube September 2010 (#1029) should be completed
Lead of Patagonia January 2011 (#1105) would be completed, subject to selling. Two
other ME co-leads did not sell. Considerable backpacking and wilderness experience.
Summer 2009 I was in the Wind River Range and Grand Teton National Park for 5
days, 4 nights each. My longest trek was nine days across the Sierra Nevadas. The
remotest was a bush plane fly-in/fly-out in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park.
Phil Mecagni
157 Pond St Hopkinton MA 01748
pmecagni@hotmail.com
Home 508-435-5172
Work
WFA
AWFA
WFR
Expiration: 2010
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.
Bike Prague and Bohemia, Sept 2008, 12 participants
Hiking the Bavarian Alps, June 2008, 10 participant
Bike Tuscany, Sept 2007, 10 participants
Experienced backcountry skier. Lead Skoki 2006. Will be on the Danube and
Patagonia trips discussed under Len's information.
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:
Len did this trip March 15 to 18, 2010 with one of his sons and a nephew, staying at one
of the huts.
Executive summary
Please provide a brief
description of the trip and the
activities planned.
Accommodations
Please describe your plan for
Nordic backcountry ski touring and/or climbing/descending. A variety of risks call for
two AMGA-certified guides - see following sections, particularly relating to avalanche
risk. See attached itinerary on page 8.
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 October 2009
Combination of front country hotels and backcounty facilities. See attached itinerary on
page 8. The two huts combined (adjacent to each other) have bed space for 12. Maroon
Major Excursions Trip Proposal Form, page 2 of 7
Backcountry Skiing in Gothic, CO
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)
Special equipment
Does the trip require special
equipment?
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
Len Weiss/Phil Mecagni
has 3 bedrooms with twins, and 1 bedroom with a queen. Forest Queen has one bedroom
with a bunk bed, and a loft with two twins. Additionally, the huts have couches, futons
and WWII era canvas army cots. The guides will chose from the latter.
Front country meals will be taken at restaurants, two dinners as part of the trip cost, the
remainder as an additional participant cost (estimated at $31/day; to be disclosed in
prospectus). Backcountry meals will be prepared in the huts from food bought in
frontcountry and transported in by sled. See attached preliminary itinerary on page 8.
More information on the huts can be found at http://www.cbnordic.org/hutrental/ .
Yes
No
Colorado Search and Rescue Card ($3 included in trip cost)
If yes, please describe below what you will need to do to obtain them:
If no, please describe the process you went through to find out that they were not
required:
Len's recent experience.
Yes
No
If yes, please describe below what type of equipment and how you
will ensure that people know how to use it:
The clothing and equipment required spans winter camping, skiing and avalanche
recovery. There will be a required list in the prospectus, and there will be a shakedown
on the day before we enter the backcountry. Participants will have to own or rent; the
notices and prospectus will make clear these costs are not included in the trip price.
Crested Butte has outdoor stores with sufficient scale to meet the equipment needs.
Avalanche shovel, probe and transceiver sets are the most technical, and likely not
owned by most participants; sets are available for rent at $15/day (to be disclosed in the
propsectus). Rentals will be required to be reserved by participants before arrival.
Yes
No
If yes, please describe below what type of experience? Also describe
how you will ensure that the participant has this experience?
The overall trip is physically and technically challenging: cold weather exposure will be
encountered; avalanche risk will be present; skiing under the burden of a pack will be
required; the huts are rustic, with electricity and only outdoor facilities (one has systemheat and running water, the other a wood-burning stove and no running water).
Conservatism suggests that an intermediate level of fitness, skills and experience will be
required, including experience in cold and inclement weather conditions, living in a hut
environment, and with skiing under burden. Our AMGA-guides will provide orientation
and introductory training to avalanche awareness, safety and recovery, stressing
avoidance and proper use of recovery equipment. Phil and Len have completed the
American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE) Level I Avalanche
Course. It is likely that some participants may also have similar training. Participants
will be heavily screened to ascertain that they possess the necessary experience, skills,
equipment and fitness.
Yes
No
If yes, please describe below what you will do:
Day trip to a local mountain to ascertain fitness, skills, experience and equipment are as
represented during the screening process.
See Type of Trip-Other re Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (RMBL)
http://rmbl.org/rockymountainbiolab/index.html. Also, participants will benefit
from avalanche safety information provided by guides.
TOUR OPERATOR AND GUIDE SERVICE INFORMATION
Will this trip require a tour
Revised October 2009
Yes
No
Major Excursions Trip Proposal Form, page 3 of 7
Backcountry Skiing in Gothic, CO
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.
Len Weiss/Phil Mecagni
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:
Given the presence of avalanche risk, guides are required throughout. Len's recent
experience was that avalanche conditions are easily avoidable, and warming conditions
at this time of year solidify snow layers, reducing slide potential. He saw a goodly
number of skilled, responsible day-tourers without avalanche recovery equipment.
Regardless, guides are a must, and they will provide sufficient training to the group
before and during the backcountry portion.
Overarching emphasis will be placed on safety. No activity will be underatken - from
ski-in, to touring, to ski-out - that jeopardizes safety, regardless of the qualitative scale
for avalanche hazard. No participant(s) will be allowed to ski in an "at risk" area without
the presence of a guide. No particpant will be allowed to ski unaccompanied in areas
that are not "at risk". The guides are extremely experienced, and communications will
give us access to respected avalanche centers. The guides have indicated that
entry/egress to/from the huts because of avalanche conditions is infrequent. Buffer
days exist at both ends of the trip, so we have flexibility of schedule if conditions
warrant.
Crested Butte Nordic Center
http://www.cbnordic.org/
The CNBC is a major resource for the area, similar to the Jackson Ski Touring Center in
NH. The guides, Mark, manager, and Janelle, ski school director, Smiley - they won the
co-ed division and placed 11th over all out of 121 teams in last month’s 2010 The Grand
Traverse (a 40 mile ski race from Crested Butte to Aspen) - state that the CBNC has had
zero incidences involving injury or evacuation. Both guides have AAIRE level II
training, CRP, WEMT (Janelle), WFR (Mark), and more importantly, great mountain
sense.
Maximum amt: $ To be provided.
Liability? Yes
No
Participants will be asked to sign a
liability release by CBNC.
Yes
No
Being determined.
Are they willing to list AMC as an
additional insured?
Formal plan to be established at a later date. Resources similar to those found in the
White Mountains are available, including search and rescue (each participant will be
required to purchase a Colorado Search and Rescue Card - included in budget) and an
avalanche center. Communications equipment will be carried by leaders and guides.
RMBL caretakers maintain the huts in Gothic, where both internet and land-line
telephone access are available. Regardless, this is a remote wilderness trip and response
time is always a factor in the effective execution of any emergency response plan.
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
Trails - Nothing unusual expected considering nature of the activity.
Wildlife - No winter presence.
Climate - Cold and inclement weather and avalanches.
Response
See preceding sections. Diligent screening and training are the means to manage and
lessen these risks.
Political concerns, crime, language translation, terrorism
Foreign Country
Potential hazards
N/A
Response
N/A
Revised October 2009
Major Excursions Trip Proposal Form, page 4 of 7
Backcountry Skiing in Gothic, CO
Transportation
Potential hazards
Response
Participants
Potential hazards
Response
Other
Potential hazards
Response
Len Weiss/Phil Mecagni
Road conditions, drivers, insurance
N/A
N/A
Level of fitness, screening concerns, experience with equipment or activity
See preceding sections
See preceding sections. Adjustment of itinerary due to safety and/or fitness issues. This
will be emphasized in the prospectus.
Conditions unique to this type of trip
N/A
N/A
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
See above under Emergency Response and below re Medical Care.
Emergency communication
Phone contacts, language,
documentation, distance from
emergency services
Guides and/or leaders will have first-aid kits and hand radios and/or satellite phones;
Emergency equipment
What sort of emergency first
Internet and land-line telephone access available in Gothic. All participants will carry
aid or communication
avalanche recovery equipment.
equipment (satellite phone,
two-way radios) do you plan
to use, if any?
See Emergency Response above.
Evacuation
Please describe your plan for
evacuation from the
backcountry location if
applicable?
There is medial assistance available in Crested Butte, and a hospital with trauma facility
Medical care
Please describe the medical
in Gunnison, approximately 30 miles away.
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
operators, etc., and when?
Refunds
What is the latest date you can
Revised October 2009
N/A
No unreasonable or early deposit requirements. Huts have a $5/day cancelation fee
before 14 days of the trip - maximum $40. Hotels don't require prepayment, and
reservations are cancelable w/o penalty if done so within 14 days of arrival.
Airlines - Standard terms and conditions.
Financial risk will be offset to greatest extent possible through travel insurance coverage.
See Deposits above.
Major Excursions Trip Proposal Form, page 5 of 7
Backcountry Skiing in Gothic, CO
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 October 2009
Len Weiss/Phil Mecagni
$500 with application; $1,000 October 1, 2011.
Refunds will be given to the extent that it will not raise the cost to the other participants.
If the person's spot can be filled, that person may be entitled to a full refund.
Yes
No
Possibly.
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 6 of 7
Backcountry Skiing in Gothic, CO
Len Weiss/Phil Mecagni
Backcountry Skiing in Gothic, CO
March 12 to 20, 2011
Summary Itinerary (Note)
Day
Travel
Activity
Accommodations
Meals
Incl
1
Fly to Gunnison
Sat, 3/12
Travel
Hotel
D
Excl
B,L
Ground shuttle to Crested In-town tourism
Butte
Dinner and trip briefing
2
None
Sun, 3/13
Equipment review and gearing up
Hotel
B,L,D
Shake-down ski tour
In-town tourism
Food shopping
3
None
Mon, 3/14
4
Ski in to/set up huts
Huts
D
B,L
Backcountry skiing, with guides
None
Backcountry skiing, with guides
Huts
B, L,D
None
Backcountry skiing, with guides
Huts
B, L,D
None
Backcountry skiing, with guides
Huts
B, L,D
None
Backcountry skiing, with guides
Hotel
B, L,D
Tue, 3/15
5
Wed, 3/16
6
Thu, 3/17
7
Fri, 3/18
Ski out to CB
Dinner and good-byes
8
None
Sat, 3/19
Buffer day in CB
Hotel
B,L,D
Home
B,L
Activities to be determined
9
Sun, 3/20
Ground shuttle to
Gunnison
Travel
Fly home
Note: Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory is enthusiastic about and exploring the possibility
of providing a winter educational program during our stay. Cost to be determined, if they can provide.
Revised October 2009
Major Excursions Trip Proposal Form, page 7 of 7