John Lisker/Steve Cohen
Hut-to-Hut in the Dolomites
SUMMARY OF TRIP INFORMATION
Hut-to-Hut in the Dolomites
Leader John Lisker
Dolomites Region of Italy
Saturday August 25 - Saturday
September 8, 2012
Title of trip
Leadership
Location(s)
Dates
Type of trip
check all that apply
Co-leader Steve Cohen
Hiking
Total # of days 15, not including day of
evening departure from US. Probably not
enough time on last day to catch flight back
to US.
Downhill skiing
Kayaking
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
$ 1,950
Does it include airfare? Yes
No
$ 1000-1300
Yes
No If yes, please list the approximate month (max is one year in
advance of trip)
1 December 2011
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? Small groups work best in remote settings
during backpacks.
If a participant fee increase of more than 15% is proposed, please explain
why? This remote setting backpack is a technical trip, justifying 20% leader
subsidization rate.
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
John Lisker
2390 Commonwealth Avenue, Auburndale, MA 02466
john.lisker@juno.com
Home 617-244-1636
Work
WFA
AWFA
WFR
Expiration: 5/13
CPR
BLS
Expiration: 5/13
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.
Yosemite July 2011
Canadian Rockies Aug 2010

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 5
John Lisker/Steve Cohen
Hut-to-Hut in the Dolomites
Trip three
Other related trip experience
New Zealand Feb 2010
Morocco 2009, Tour du Mont Blanc July-Aug 2008, New Zealand Feb 2007, Colorado
San Juans 1999, Greece May 1999, Wyoming Wind River Range 1998, Colorado Elk
Range 1997, California High Sierras 1996
Co-leader name
Co-leader address
Co-leader email
Co-leader phone
Wilderness first aid training*
CPR training*
Prior leading experience
Steve Cohen
104 Manet Road, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
scohen1234@gmail.com
Home 617 641-9954
Work 617 928-1221
WFA
AWFA
WFR
Expiration: June, 2013
CPR
BLS
Expiration: CPR to be taken
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.
Trip one
Trip two
Trip three
Other related trip experience
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:
Steve spent ten days hiking and rock climbing in the Dolomites in September 2011.
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)
This trek will follow the route of the Alta Via 2, a 160km trek through the Dolomites.
Aside from the days of arrival and departure there will be hiking every day with an
average altitude gain of ~900m/day, and distance covered of ~12km/day.
Special equipment
Yes
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
Aside from the days of arrival and departure, all accommodations will be either
mountain huts or small mountain hotels. Everyone will be required to join an accredited
alpine club to get discounts at most of the refugios.
On the trek itself all breakfasts and dinners will be provided. Beginning dinner and
farewell lunch are included in the trip cost.
Yes
No
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:
No
If yes, please describe below what type of equipment and how you
Major Excursions Trip Proposal Form, page 2 of 5
John Lisker/Steve Cohen
Hut-to-Hut in the Dolomites
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
will ensure that people know how to use it:
Usual backpacking equipment will be used by participants except we will not need tents
or cooking gear.
Yes
No
If yes, please describe below what type of experience? Also describe
how you will ensure that the participant has this experience?
Participants must have at least intermediate multi-day backpacking experience and
exhibit good personal condition. The trip screening process will involve email and
telephone interactions, augmented with personal background checks (i.e. speaking with
leaders of past trips that included participants) as necessary.
Yes
No
If yes, please describe below what you will do:
We will have at least one pre-trip outdoor activity to get to know each other. We will
likely have a second gathering, something primarily social around a meal.
This trip will explore both the natural and cultural splendor of an Austrian-oriented part
of the Italian Alps. We'll interact with locals throughout the trip, learning about their
customs, natural resource management and environmental stewardsip. Along the way,
we'll enjoy the beautiful mountain scenery that generations before us have enjoyed.
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
Rugged trails, unpredictable mountain weather, altitude.
Response
We will travel as a group and assess conditions as we meet them. There are lodging
options along the route if the itinerary needs to be changed due to unsafe conditions. The
route follows standard, safe trails. The maximum altitude of 9500 feet should not be a
problem for a screened group of hikers qualified for the altitude changes.
Political concerns, crime, language translation, terrorism
Foreign Country
Potential hazards
None
Response
Italy is an economically and socially stable member of the European Union.
Road conditions, drivers, insurance
Transportation
Revised October 2009
Major Excursions Trip Proposal Form, page 3 of 5
John Lisker/Steve Cohen
Hut-to-Hut in the Dolomites
Potential hazards
Response
Participants
Potential hazards
Response
Other
Potential hazards
Response
Nothing more than would be encountered here using public transportation.
We will use public transportation and will rely on trains and buses to get us to and fron
the trailheads.
Level of fitness, screening concerns, experience with equipment or activity
Experience level, health, social interactions
A full screening process will eliminate many potential problems, and those that arise will
be dealt with on an individual basis. Both leaders have extensive group leadersip
experience and are practiced at handling uncomfortable sistuations. Potential health
threats will be aired during the screening process so leaders will be aware of participants'
risks.
Conditions unique to this type of trip
None
None
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
Mountain huts all have wardens that have communication abilities (e.g. radios,
Emergency communication
Phone contacts, language,
telephones, etc.). We request the use of unlocked quad band cell phone Mike Barry
documentation, distance from
donated to the AT program. The hiking trails we'll be on will have significant traffic in
emergency services
August.
We will be carrying first aid kits. We request the use of unlocked quad band cell phone
Emergency equipment
What sort of emergency first
Mike Barry donated to the AT program.
aid or communication
equipment (satellite phone,
two-way radios) do you plan
to use, if any?
Mountain safety is taken seriously in the Alps and there are numerous rescue options
Evacuation
Please describe your plan for
including helicopters. To gain the advantages of local expertise (as well as hut
evacuation from the
discounts), the trip will buy Austrian Alpine Club memberships (including evacuation
backcountry location if
insurance) for everyone, instead of the usual MedEvac insurance.
applicable?
There are towns/cities in the Dolomites area that have first-world medical facilities. This
Medical care
Please describe the medical
area specializes in mountain safety and rescue, and has appropriate facilities.
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?
Revised October 2009
Italy uses the Euro. At this time the exchange rate is about $1.40; the budget is figured
at a rate 10% higher. Except for leader airfare and minor administrative expenses paid in
dollars here, everything will have to be paid in Euros.
Non-refundable airline tickets for the leaders will have to be purchased in advance, but
not until it seems clear that the trip will go. (The cost of refundable tickets is
prohibitive.)
Major Excursions Trip Proposal Form, page 4 of 5
John Lisker/Steve Cohen
Hut-to-Hut in the Dolomites
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 October 2009
The purchase of non-refundable airline tickets will be postponed until it seems clear that
the trip will go.
Initial deposit of $500 will be due with application. Second payment of $500 will be due
two weeks after acceptance. Final balance of $950 will be due May 2012. 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 before
February 2012, $200 in February 2012 through April 2012, $400 after April 2012. If
actual costs are higher, they will be included in the assessment. 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