Stephen Cohen/Bill Wheeler
Hut-to-Hut in Austria's Otztal and Stubai Alps
SUMMARY OF TRIP INFORMATION
Hut-to-Hut in Austria's Otztal and Stubai Alps
Leader Stephen Cohen
Co-leader Bill Wheeler
Otztal Alps and Stubai Alps, Austria
8/22/2014 through 9/6/2014
Total # of days 16
Backpacking
Bicycling-Mountain
Bicycling-Road
Title of trip
Leadership
Location(s)
Dates
Type of trip
check all that apply
Primary type of trip
Number of participants
(excluding leaders)
Advertised cost
Airfare range if not included
When should the trip notice be
published in AMC Outdoors?
Do you wish to have your trip
listed online before it is
published in AMC Outdoors?
Smaller trips and leader
subsidization
Camping
Cultural
Family
Hiking
Paddling-Canoeing
Paddling-Sea-Kayaking
Skiing-CrossSkiing-Downhill
Snorkeling
Country (Nordic)
(Alpine)
Trekking (e.g., hutWalking
Other – please describe
to-hut)
Trekking (e.g., hut-to-hut)
Select one of those checked above.
Minimum 8
Maximum 10
$ 2200
Does it include airfare? Yes
No
$ 1600
Will leaders assist participants with flights? Yes
No
First Appearance: Month September
Year 2013
Last Appearance: Month May
Year 2014
Note: AMC Outdoors is only published in Jan., March, May, July, Sept., Nov.
Yes
No If yes, please list the approximate month and year when it should
be posted on line. ASAP
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 are better and safer in back
country adventures.
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
Form Revised February 2013
Stephen Cohen
104 Manet Road Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
scohen1234@gmail.com
Home
Work 617 928-1221
WFA
AWFA
WFR
Expiration: 5/2015
Cell 617 997-6861
CPR
BLS
Expiration: 7/2014
If this is your first Adventure Travel trip as a Leader you must be present at the AMCATC meeting at which the trip proposal is considered.
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.
Hut to hut in the Swiss Alps August, 2013 10 participants two weeks
Hut to hut in the Dolomites August, 2012 10 participants two weeks
Adventure Travel Trip Proposal Form, page 1 of 5
Stephen Cohen/Bill Wheeler
Hut-to-Hut in Austria's Otztal and Stubai Alps
Trip three
Other related trip
experience
Organized and led Haute Route trip (private) in 2010 1 participant two weeks
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
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?
Bill Wheeler
2506 Mill Pond Dr, South Windsor, CT 06074
bwheelsjr@cox.net
Home 860-324-7374
Work
Cell
WFA
AWFA
WFR
Expiration: 9/2013 Will be renewed prior to this trip
CPR
BLS
Expiration: 2/2014 Will be renewed prior to this trip
If you are a new co-leader you must submit an application to be an Adventure Travel
leader or co-leader prior to submitting this application. Also, it is strongly
recommended that you be present at the AMC-ATC meeting at which the trip proposal
is considered.
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. Please indicate if you were
the leader or co-leader.
Yellowstone National Park; hiking, Sep. 7-18, 2013; 14 participants + 2 leaders
Crater Lake & Central Cascades; hiking, Aug. 4-15, 2012; 14 participants + 2 leaders
Guadalupe & Carlsbad Caverns; hiking, Apr. 21-29, 2012; 14 participants + 2 leaders
Bulgaria 2010 and Norway 2011, European hut stays
Yes
No
If yes, please describe below:
Steve has led or participated in several hut-to-hut trips in the Alps.
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 materials
you send out.
LOGISTICAL DETAILS OF TRIP
Summary
Please provide a description
of the trip and the activities
planned. If available, please
include or attach an itinerary.
Accommodations
Please describe your plans for
accommodation(s)
These treks will follow the routes laid out in recent guidebooks "Walking in Austria" by
Kev Reynold and "Trekking in the Stubai Alps" by Allan Hartley. Aside from the days
of arrival, departure and a sightseeing day in Innsbruck, there will be hiking every day
with an average altitude gain of ~800m(2625ft)/day, and distance covered of
~12km(7.5m)/day
Aside from the days of arrival and departure, all accommodations will be either
mountain huts or small mountain hotels.
Our plan is to make hut reservations 4-6 months in advance. The experiences of myself
and others (TMB - 2008, Haute Route - 2010, TMB -2011, Dolomites - 2012) is that at
European mountain huts, when reservations are made well in advance, there is no
problem booking the huts. In addition, we have the advantage for the proposed hike of
going at the end of the hiking season so overall demand will be less.
There is always a possibility of a hut that can not be booked. In some cases we can
substitute a nearby hut and hike a little longer one day and a little shorter the next.
Depending on where the unexpected booking difficulty occurs, we could alternatively
Form Revised February 2013
Adventure Travel Trip Proposal Form, page 2 of 5
Stephen Cohen/Bill Wheeler
Hut-to-Hut in Austria's Otztal and Stubai Alps
Meals: Please describe your
plans for providing meals. If
the budget includes any funds
for leader meals not shared
with the group please justify.
Local Transportation
Please describe your plans for
local transportation
Permits or permissions
Does the trip require special
permits or permissions?
(required on many U.S.
federal lands and national
parks)
stay in one of the mountains towns that we pass.
Starting August 23, 2014 all breakfasts and dinners will be provided. Lunches can be
purchased at the huts. Alternatively lunch supplies can be bought at local markets.
Leaders will also purchase lunches - this will be a budgeted expense since it is an out-ofpocket travel cost for the leaders.
We will take local public transportation from Innsbruck to Landeck, from Landeck to
Gepatsch Haus (trek start), and from Soelden to Neustift Neider (transfer from Otztal to
Stubai Alps).
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:
Special equipment
Yes
No
If yes, please describe below what type of equipment and how you
Does the trip require special
will ensure that people know how to use it:
equipment?
Special experience
Yes
No
If yes, please describe below what type of experience? Also describe
Does the trip require special
how you will ensure that the participant has this experience?
skills on the part of the
Participants will need to be strong hikers. We will screen for this by telephone and
participant?
through references.
Pre-trip activities
Yes
No
If yes, please describe below what you will do:
Do you plan to get your group We will have one pre-trip outdoor activity to get to know each other. Ideally this will
together before the trip for an
consist of two relatively strenuous day hikes over the course of a weekend.
activity or social event?
This trip will explore both the natural and cultural splendor of the Austrian Alps.
Conservation, education and
We'll interact with locals throughout the trip, learning about their customs,
recreation
How will this AMC-AT trip meet the
natural resource management and environmental stewardship. Along the way,
mission of the AMC?
we'll enjoy the beautiful mountain scenery. In addition, we'll have a guided
www.outdoors.org/about/mission.cfm
walking tour of Innsbruck as a group, including a visit to a palace or museum.
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
Form Revised February 2013
Adventure Travel Trip Proposal Form, page 3 of 5
Stephen Cohen/Bill Wheeler
Hut-to-Hut in Austria's Otztal and Stubai Alps
if applicable.
Climate/terrain
Potential hazards
Response
Foreign Country
Potential hazards
Response
Transportation
Potential hazards
Response
Participants
Potential hazards
Response
Other
Potential hazards
Response
Trail conditions, river crossings, weather, wildlife (bears, snakes, etc.)
Rugged trails, unpredictable mountain weather, altitude.
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
Political concerns, crime, language translation, terrorism
None
Austria is an economically and socially stable country.
Road conditions, drivers, insurance
Nothing more than would be encountered here using public transportation.
We will use public transportation
Level of fitness, screening concerns, experience with equipment or activity
Experience level, health, social interactions
A full screening process will eliminate many potential problems. Those that arise will be
dealt with on an individual basis. Both leaders have extensive 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 look for people with backcountry experience, tolerance for rustic
conditions, and experience in foreign countries.
Conditions unique to this type of trip
None
None
EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN
Please describe your plans for dealing with emergencies. Give 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 BLANK
Mountain huts all have wardens that have communication abilities (e.g. radios,
Emergency communication
Phone contacts, language,
telephones, etc.). The hiking trails we will be on have significant traffic in August.
documentation, distance from
Steve can communicate in German, the primary language of Austria.
emergency services
We will be carrying first aid kits. Steve Cohen will purchase or borrow an international
Emergency equipment
What sort of emergency first
cell phone
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.
evacuation from the
backcountry location if
applicable?
Austria has first-world medical facilities. This area has mountain safety and rescue
Medical care
Please describe the medical
capability and appropriate facilities. Police - 133, ambulance - 144 Helicopter rescue
care available in the area(s)
140
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
Form Revised February 2013
Austria uses the Euro. Currently the exchange rate is about $1.30/Euro;
the budget is figured at $1.45/Euro. Except for leader airfare and minor
administrative expenses paid in dollars here, everything will be paid in
Euros.
Adventure Travel Trip Proposal Form, page 4 of 5
Hut-to-Hut in Austria's Otztal and Stubai Alps
Stephen Cohen/Bill Wheeler
a tour operator or agent is being used, what
currency is the agent to be paid in?
Non-refundable airline tickets for the leaders will have to be purchased in advance, but
Group Trip Deposits
What deposits will be required
not until it seems clear that the trip will go. (The cost of refundable tickets is
from you by airlines, hotels, tour prohibitive.) Other reservations do not require deposits or are refundable on short
operators, etc., and when?
notice.
The purchase of non-refundable airline tickets will be postponed until it seems clear
Group Trip Refunds
What is the latest date you can
that the trip will go.
cancel and still receive a full
refund of any deposits?
Initial deposit of $1000 are due with application. Second payment of $1200 due June
Participant deposits
What are the initial deposit and
2014. Deposit checks from wait listed applicants will not be cashed unless and until
your schedule of payments by
we accept them AND they confirm continued interest.
participants to you?
Cancellation by an accepted participant will not be allowed to raise the cost to the
Cancellation policy
What will be your cancellation
other participants or to the leaders. Published MINIMUM penalty schedule: $100
policy for the participants?
before February 2014, $250 in February 2014 through April 2014, $500 after April
2014. 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.
Minimum numbers
Yes
No
If yes, please describe conditions:
Will you still run the trip if you
do not get the minimum number?
Reference web links:
AMC-ATC Home Page:
Forms:
Deadlines:
E-Mail Addresses:
Club House:
AMC-ATC Chair:
Form Revised February 2013
http://snebulos.mit.edu/orgs/amc/
http://snebulos.mit.edu/orgs/amc/application/
http://snebulos.mit.edu/orgs/amc/committee/proposals/
nholland@outdoors.org
amcatchair@comcast.net
Adventure Travel Trip Proposal Form, page 5 of 5