Merri Fox/ Janice Schnabel
Belize Hidden Treasures
SUMMARY OF TRIP INFORMATION
Belize Hidden Treasures
Leader Merri Fox
San Ignacio, Belize
May 2-10, 2015
Backpacking
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
Co-leader Janice Schnabel
Total # of days 9
Bicycling-Mountain
Bicycling-Road
Camping
Cultural
Family
Hiking
Paddling-Canoeing
Paddling-Sea-Kayaking
Skiing-CrossCountry (Nordic)
Trekking (e.g., hutto-hut)
Other
Minimum 12
Skiing-Downhill
Snorkeling
(Alpine)
Walking
Other – please describe Multi-sport
and cultural
Select one of those checked above.
Maximum 14
$ 2490
Does it include airfare? Yes
No
$ 800-900
Will leaders assist participants with flights? Yes
No
First Appearance: Month sep
Year 2014
Last Appearance: Month mar
Year 2015
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. july
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
Form Revised February 2014
merri fox
115 North Road, Harwinton, CT 06791
Merri.Fox@pw.utc.com
Home 860-485-1697
Work 860-565=6435
WFA
AWFA
WFR
Expiration: april 2015
Cell
CPR
BLS
Expiration: april 2015
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.
PR 2014
Tetons 2013
Kauai 2013
Adventure Travel Trip Proposal Form, page 1 of 6
Merri Fox/ Janice Schnabel
Belize Hidden Treasures
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
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?
Janice Schnabel
30 Mountain Terrace Rd, West Hartford CT
janice.schnabel@gmail.com
Home
Work n/a
Cell 860-966-6655
WFA
AWFA
WFR
Expiration:
CPR
BLS
Expiration:
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.
hawaii maui and kauai 2012
tetons 2013
Utah 2011
Yes
No
If yes, please describe below:
Merri has led trip before both as single leader and 2 leaders
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)
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
Form Revised February 2014
This is a multi-sport and cultural trip, based out of one location in San Ignacio on the
Guatemala border. It features 2-3 visits to Mayan ruins including a day trip into
Guatemala to visit Tikal, one of the premier Mayan sites in the world. Licensed Belize
guides will provide extensive information about the Mayan culture and history. In
addition, the Cayo district of Belize is known for its many caves. We will visit the ATM
cave which features a sacrificial skeleton and preserved mayan artifacts, and take a canoe
trip into Barton Creek cave. A visit to the Belize zoo will also provide an opportunity to
learn about native Belize animals. Participants will have a full day free to enjoy the
resort facilities, take one of many additional tours or join leaders on a local hike. The
trip is suitable for individuals with a reasonable level of fitness who can swim.
We plan to stay in Windy Hill Resort, San Ignacio Belize. Several trips to Belize have
used this location with good participant feedback. Lodging will be in individual
cottages, 2 persons to a room. All cottages have private bath and ceiling fans.
All meals are provided by Windy Hill. Any participant dietary constraints will be
discussed with Windy Hill in advance to make sure they can accommodate them. In the
past, this has not been a problem.
Windy Hill provides transport to and from the airport. Transportation to activities is
Adventure Travel Trip Proposal Form, page 2 of 6
Belize Hidden Treasures
Please describe your plans for
local transportation
Will leaders or participants be
drivers of motor vehicles?
Permits or permissions
Does the trip require special
permits or permissions?
(required on many U.S.
federal lands and national
parks)
Merri Fox/ Janice Schnabel
provided by either Windy Hill staff or Belize licensed activity guides.
Will leaders be drivers?
Will volunteer participants be drivers?
If so, MVR checks will be needed. See Appendix S1.
Yes
No
If yes, please describe below what you will need to do to obtain them:
Permit is required to visit ATM cave; it is supplied by the guide service we will use to
visit the cave
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
Because we will be wading in waist deep water in ATM cave and canoing, we require
participant?
participants are able to swim.
Pre-trip activities
Yes
No
If yes, please describe below what you will do:
Do you plan to get your group
together before the trip for an
activity or social event?
We will be offering a unique look into the Mayan culture by using guides trained
Conservation, education and
in this specific area of expertise. We will also learn about the efforts to respect
recreation
How will this AMC-AT trip meet the
and preserve Mayan customs today.
mission of the AMC?
www.outdoors.org/about/mission.cfm
TOUR OPERATOR AND GUIDE SERVICE INFORMATION
This section should be completed if the trip will be using a tour operator, outfitter, guide service, travel agency or
other such company or person(s) for a significant part of the trip or for the entire trip. Any person(s) or companies
that are handling a significant portion of trip funds or arrangements need to be vetted. If there is more than one
tour operator please provide this information about each such entity.
Will this trip require a tour
Yes
No
operator or guide service
Please describe their services. If you are using a tour operator for the entire trip,
during part of or for the
please describe why you will be using them rather than doing this trip on your own:
The Belize licensed guides we will use for our planned activities are trained and certified
entire trip?
by Belize government to provide both information and safety for visitors. They have
specific training for certain activities, such as any water sports and exploring the caves.
Where guides are not required, such as for local hike, exploring the local town and a
small mayan site, leaders will organize and lead these activities.
Name of tour operator/guide These are individuals licensed by belize government, not a tour operator per se.
Normally specific guides do certain types of trips, and these will be engaged by Windy
service
Hill on our behalf for the activities leaders specified.
Tour operator website
Safety record
Please provide information
about their safety record.
Insurance
Liability? Yes
No
Maximum amt: $
Do they have liability
Are they willing to list AMC as an
Yes
No
insurance?
additional insured?
Individual guides have been trained in first aid and all carry medical kits as well as cell
Emergency response
Please describe the outfitters’
phones, which have good service even in rural areas. We will also never be more than an
response plan in the case of an hour from emergency care clinic.
Form Revised February 2014
Adventure Travel Trip Proposal Form, page 3 of 6
Merri Fox/ Janice Schnabel
Belize Hidden Treasures
emergency.
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
there is a poisonous snake in Belize and the opportunity for high water levels.
Response
It is normally timid but guides are trained to watch for them and will show participants a
picture of what it looks like. Windy Hill and Leaders will determine the best days for
any activity involving water to make sure conditions are good.
Political concerns, crime, language translation, terrorism
Foreign Country
Potential hazards
petty crime, serious injury
Response
San Ignacio unlike the capital city is still a relatively safe town, and English is the
official language. However, participants will be advised to take normal precautions with
their money and persons and to stay with group or another group member at all times.
We will also be staying in the resort at night; no one will be allowed to go off for the
evening.
Transportation
Potential hazards
Response
Participants
Potential hazards
Response
Other
Potential hazards
Response
While there are medical clinics and hospitals within an hour or less there in no level 1
trauma center in the country. We will advise all participants to review their medical
coverage for the country .
Road conditions, drivers, insurance
roads are reasonably good for dirt roads; coming off dry season in May they should be in
good shape. Local drivers in any case will know road conditions so bad situations can be
avoided.
Level of fitness, screening concerns, experience with equipment or activity
Even large caves can be claustrophobic for some individuals
We will screen for this and make sure participants are well aware of the conditions in the
2 caves we visit. In the case of ATM which is the more difficult, we may be able to offer
an alternate activity but will try to avoid this by good screening.
Conditions unique to this type of trip
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
Each leader will carry all pertinent medical and emergency contact information for all
Emergency communication
Phone contacts, language,
participants and carry AMC emergency cards. Leaders will carry cell phones but
documentation, distance from
driver/guides will definitely have ones that work. We will be able to contact emergency
emergency services
services wherever we are, and in the event leaders cannot reach AMC on our cell phones
we can certainly ask Windy Hill to make the immediate notification. There is an
emergency walk-in clinic in San Ignacio. We will never be more than 1 hour 15 minutes
from that except when we travel into Guatemala. The closest facility to Tikal is in Flores
and it is a full-service hospital.
Leaders will have cell phones as will local guides.
Emergency equipment
What sort of emergency first
aid or communication
equipment (satellite phone,
two-way radios) do you plan
to use, if any?
For critical care, patients are typically airlifted by helicopter to the hospital in Belize
Evacuation
Form Revised February 2014
Adventure Travel Trip Proposal Form, page 4 of 6
Merri Fox/ Janice Schnabel
Belize Hidden Treasures
Please describe your plan for
evacuation from the
backcountry location if
applicable?
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.
City.
Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (Princess Margaret Drive, Tel. 501-223-1548).
COST AND BUDGET DETAILS
Belize is tied to US dollar so there will be no currency fluctuations.
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?
No monies are required until we have minimum group size and are sure trip is a go,
Group Trip Deposits
What deposits will be required
with monies in hand from participants to cover the room costs at least if they cancel.
from you by airlines, hotels, tour
operators, etc., and when?
120 days in advance less $50/room processing charge.
Group Trip Refunds
What is the latest date you can
cancel and still receive a full
refund of any deposits?
$1,200 deposit; $690 January 1st 2015 and $600 due by Feb. 15, 2015.
Participant deposits
What are the initial deposit and
your schedule of payments by
participants to you?
Cancellation must be in writing (email is okay)
Cancellation policy
What will be your cancellation
Prior to December 1 - $100 non-refundable fee charged; All other moneys returned.
policy for the participants?
After December 1 - All moneys returned, except:
a) Same $100 as above; and
b) Any moneys already paid out to vendors and money necessary to keep the trip cost
from increasing - causing an increase for other trip members.
After April 1 - NO REFUNDS for any reason, including accident, illness, or any other
type of emergency.
Note: Sometimes additional moneys are returned after the trip, if a cancellee’s spot can
be filled from the waiting list. This depends upon two factors:
1. That the trip is filled - 14 participants (in addition to the leaders).
2. That there is a waiting list. This list is compiled by the leaders through the
application and screening process only. No one may substitute another person for
themselves.
Minimum numbers
Will you still run the trip if you
do not get the minimum number?
Yes
No
If yes, please describe conditions:
minimum number is 12 for 2 leaders; however trip has been run as a single leader trip
in the past and this could be done here if we get a minimum of 9. Windy Hill will
honor rate for a group of 10.
Reference web links:
AMC-ATC Home Page: http://snebulos.mit.edu/orgs/amc/
Forms:
http://snebulos.mit.edu/orgs/amc/application/
Deadlines:
http://snebulos.mit.edu/orgs/amc/committee/proposals/
Form Revised February 2014
Adventure Travel Trip Proposal Form, page 5 of 6
Merri Fox/ Janice Schnabel
Belize Hidden Treasures
E-Mail Addresses:
Club House:
AMC-ATC Chair:
Form Revised February 2014
nholland@outdoors.org
mikebarry657@mac.com
Adventure Travel Trip Proposal Form, page 6 of 6