John Lisker/Frances Scullin
Italy's Tuscan Mountains and Cinque Terre
SUMMARY OF TRIP INFORMATION
Italy's Tuscan Mountains and Cinque Terre
Leader John Lisker
Co-leader Frances Scullin
Tuscan Region of Italy including Lucca, Levanto, Pisa and Castlenuovo di Garfagnana
May 2-13, 2012
Total # of days 12
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 14
Min 14
$ 2295
Does it include airfare? Yes
No
$ 1300
Yes
No If yes, please list the approximate month (max is one year in
advance of trip)
August 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?
If a participant fee increase of more than 15% is proposed, please explain
why?
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: 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.
Canadian Rockies Aug 2010
New Zealand Feb 2010
Morocco Feb 2009
Tour du Mont Blanc July-Aug 2008, New Zealand Feb 2007, Colorado San Juans
summer 1999, Greece May 1999, Wyoming Wind River Range summer 1998,
Colorado Elk Range summer 1997, California High Sierras summer 1996

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/Frances Scullin
Italy's Tuscan Mountains and Cinque Terre
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
Frances Scullin
4A Strawberry Lane, Johnston, RI
hikerfran@cox.net
Home 401-233-2163
Work
WFA
AWFA
WFR
Expiration: 4/13
CPR
BLS
Expiration: 4/13
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.
Italy's Tuscan Mountains and Cinque Terre 10/2010
Cotswolds and London 06/2009
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:
Fran co-led this trip in Oct 2010 and John has traveled to this region previously.
Executive summary
Please provide a brief
description of the trip and the
activities planned.
This trip will give participants the ability to experience and explore Tuscan culture. We
will stay at a restored farm and sample the local cuisine. We will visit Cinque Terre
which is a unique area in that it is sheltered and we will be able to walk from village to
village and sample local olive oil and wines. We will begin our trip in Lucca which is a
walled town and pristine. There is very little traffic because cars are not allowed into
many of these villages. While in Castlenuovo di Garfagnana we will hike in the
Apenines and Apuan Alps and have time to explore some the remote villages. From there
we will go to Cinque Terre and end the trip with a night in Pisa.
In Lucca , Levanto, and Pisa we will stay in hotels. In Castlenuovo di Garfagnana, we
will stay in apartments in a restored farm. Here we will eat local cuisine.
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
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)
Revised October 2009
Breakfast will be provided in Pisa, Levanto, and Garfagnana. In Lucca, the participants
will be on their own for breakfast, but can order at the hotel or from numerous coffee
shops in the area. In Garfagnana, we will have dinner together in the farm dining room.
In both Lucca and Pisa, there will be a single group dinner. The group will be on its own
for four dinners, but leaders will be available to take the group or individuals to
restaurants. Lunches will be either taken with us or eaten in a café in one of the villages.
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:
Major Excursions Trip Proposal Form, page 2 of 5
John Lisker/Frances Scullin
Italy's Tuscan Mountains and Cinque Terre
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
Yes
No
If yes, please describe below what type of equipment and how you
will ensure that people know how to use it:
Yes
No
If yes, please describe below what type of experience? Also describe
how you will ensure that the participant has this experience?
Yes
No
If yes, please describe below what you will do:
In this area of Italy, life is much as it has been for hundreds of years. They grow their
crops on small tracts of land. Land is very important as is the enviroment. Cars are not
allowed to most of the smaller villages. This maintains the integrity of the village as
well as halting pollution. Hiking will be a key element on the trip. We will hike in the
Alps as well as along the coast in Cinque Terre. In Cinque Terre we will be able to see
how the land is farmed while walking the trails between villages. We will be able to take
ferries to visit old monastaries and forts. In Italy as in most of Europe, people are very
concerned with conservation. Gasoline is expensive as is electricity. We will use public
transportation for most of the trip: buses, trains and ferries.
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
Hiking in this area is relatively easy. The trails are good and well marked. Risks would
be the same as with any hiking trip; a fall, twisted ankle, etc.
Response
We will have transportation at the trail head and not be far from villages on our hikes.
We will also have first aid kits and be able to deal with minor injuries on the trail.
Political concerns, crime, language translation, terrorism
Foreign Country
Potential hazards
Language could be a barrier but was not a problem on the last trip.
Revised October 2009
Major Excursions Trip Proposal Form, page 3 of 5
John Lisker/Frances Scullin
Italy's Tuscan Mountains and Cinque Terre
Response
Transportation
Potential hazards
Response
Participants
Potential hazards
Response
Other
Potential hazards
Response
We will have dictionaries and there are English speaking people in each place that we are
staying. All of our tour guides and hiking guides speak English. Coleader has been
there before; leader has been only to Cinque Terre and Pisa.
Road conditions, drivers, insurance
Nothing more than would be encountered here using public transportation.
We will use public transportation and will rely on trains to get us to each of our
destinations. We will use a bus service to transport us to and from our hikes each day.
Level of fitness, screening concerns, experience with equipment or activity
Participants will have to be screened for physical conditioning and will have to have
hiking experience. Hiking boots, day packs, rain gear are the essentials.
There is always the possibility of not doing a hike and staying at the farm or in the
village if the partipant feels that they are not up to the hike.
Conditions unique to this type of trip
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
This is not a remote trip. We will not be far from telephones and English speaking
Emergency communication
Phone contacts, language,
people. In Castlenuovo di Garfagnana, the owner will supply us with all emergency
documentation, distance from
contacts, and the hiking guides speak English and are native to the area.
emergency services
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?
This trip is not in the backcountry.
Evacuation
Please describe your plan for
evacuation from the
backcountry location if
applicable?
Because we will be staying near cities, there are hospitals and medical clinics. In
Medical care
Please describe the medical
Castlenuovo di Garfagnana, the owner will supply us with medical contacts.
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
Revised October 2009
Italy uses the Euro. At this time the exchange rate is about $1.42; 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 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.) The
Major Excursions Trip Proposal Form, page 4 of 5
John Lisker/Frances Scullin
Italy's Tuscan Mountains and Cinque Terre
by airlines, hotels, tour
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 October 2009
hotels do not require any deposits to hold reservations.
The purchase of non-refundable airline tickets will be postponed until it seems clear that
the trip will go. This go/no go decision will have to be made before the Garfagnana
hotel advance payments are due 60 days before arrival.
Initial deposit of $500 will be due with application. Second payment of $500 will be due
two weeks after acceptance. Final balance of $1,295 will be due February 1, 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
November 2011, $200 in November 2011 through January 2012, $400 after January
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:
Would go with only 13 participants, and maybe with as few as 12.
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