AMC Adventure Travel Committee Meeting
Annual Meeting Boston, MA
Saturday, January 28, 2012
AGENDA AND MINUTES
As Approved by the AMC-ATC on April 15, 2012
10:30 AM
Introductions
The attendee list follows these minutes.
10:40 AM
Approval of minutes from October 2011 meeting
Minutes approved
10:45 AM
Committee Membership
Our rules specify that the Committee has a maximum of 15 members. We currently have 13.
Stacia will be stepping back from being Vice-chair after the spring meeting. We are always
continuously looking to get others to volunteer on the Committee. Anyone with any
knowledge of someone interested, please contact Ralph.
Ron Janowitz spoke and said he would welcome the opportunity to join the committee. He
has done mostly domestic trips up until now, but looks forward to doing more international
hut to hut type trips.
Motion to accept Ron on the committee – Approved.
10:50 AM
Financial Update/Trip Status
 2011
For 2011 28 trips went and 11 trips cancelled. We project that we will end up
close to break even for all 2011 trips. Trips that don’t complete financials in the
year they run end up on next year’s financials on an AMC basis.
 Outlook for 2012
For 2012 we have 30 trips approved with only 1 cancelled (Nepal). At the present
time, all 2012 trips look like they’re going to go. All trips up until August are full
or close to full. 2012 looks much better than 2011 regarding trips scheduled.
We’re always looking for more trips and more participation in AT.
11:15 AM
Trip Approvals
 Spain- Biking; Dick Cable/Janis Stahlhut; May 2013
Comment from Bob Bentley – It’s an expensive trip for 7 days. Merri Fox felt that
this trip would appeal to those with limited vacations. Len commented van
support etc. is worthwhile but this contributes to the cost. Ralph also commented
that participants are trending towards shorter trips. Trip Approved - #1301
 Yosemite-Hiking; Ginette Beaudoin/Anna Panszczyk; June 2013
This is a repeat trip with price of $2025. Merri commented that the easy to
moderate might be incongruous with the elevation gains. Bear safety was
discussed. Stacia felt bears were not an issue for day hikers. In order to be
approved, it was agreed that language in prospectus regarding “easy to
intermediate level” must be further defined and more carefully worded.
Approved #1302
On a separate matter, Ralph commented that leaders need to update any changes
regarding trips schedule in prospectus and notify AMC (Bob Goeke and Bob
White) for updating Outdoors and website listing.
11:45 PM
Subcommittee Updates & Subcommittee Recruitment
Trip Planning has been one of the subcommittees. This committee was created to stimulate
more trips, but has not been very active. Bill Wheeler agreed to participate in the Trip
Planning subcommittee. Bill commented that there are enough on the wait list for his Crater
Lake trip that a second session could be run. Committee encourages leaders interested in
running this second session to contact Bill. A note will be sent out to AMC AT Yahoo group
to see if a leader is interested in taking on a second session.
Eva asked about how to communicate to leaders regarding potential and interest for planning
future trips. Cindy Martell stated the leader newsletter goes out three times a year.
Therefore, there will be one out in the next month. Leaders are encouraged to contact Cindy
with any news they’d like included. Len asked if there are any stats regarding the conversion
of waitlist to second added trip session. Ralph said too many variables to consider. T
Walley shared that he asks for $25 to be on his trip waitlists. Colleen is always looking for
trip stories and pictures to add to the AT newsletter.
Colleen updated the group on the AT Marketing Subcommittee. The AMC Marketing Dept.
has been designing the ads for Outdoors. Marketing Dept has been purchasing images. We
are encouraging participants to submit their photos and have these used instead. Colleen
will look into what should be done regarding having waivers that give permission for AMC
to use photos. Ideally waiver should give permission for AMC to share photo rights with
photographer and permission of any people in photos.
Roger, Cindy, and Colleen have been working on having a presence in chapter newsletters.
So far it’s been successful. Shared trip listings and information regarding training. It’s good
to have additional exposure through the chapters. Colleen is encouraging AT leaders to
present at the international dinners. Sam Jamke does presentations with AMC and other
events. The Blumenthals do presentations as well.
Colleen said AMC is interested in forming a greater partnership with EMS. EMS is
interested in collaborating with AT.
Currently information getting back to Colleen regarding trip feedback and photos is
piecemeal. We need to improve the process of getting this info back to Colleen and Nancy.
Bill Wheeler brought up the idea of having business cards for AT leaders. AMC will be
considering sending a staff person on an AT trip so they can publish an article. Trips in mind
had filled, so AMC staff writer trip participation TBD.
AMC Luggage tags are now available for AT leaders to use as needed on their trips.
No other subcommittee reports were submitted.
12:00 PM
Leadership Requirements
Suggestion is to have the option of running 3 day trip with successful evals or 2 2+ day trips
with successful evals. The issue in the past is the limited number of long weekend during the
year. Bob Bentley said the 2 day trips should have 2 overnights because 1 overnight is not
enough to judge leadership ability.
Ralph suggested the wording of Co-Leader Requirement #4 be changed to the following:
Have successfully demonstrated leadership skills by having a significant role in the planning,
organizing and executing of a longer trip by leading (preferred) or co-leading an AMC
Chapter trip of 3 or more overnights or two AMC Chapter trips each including 2 or more
overnights and have obtained positive participant feedback from the online survey that is
arranged by the AMC Adventure Travel Programs Manager.
This stronger version was approved.
12:15 Lunch
1:00 PM
AMC Adventure Travel – Staffing Update
Ron Phelps – From Co-leader to Leader status
Leo Kelly – New co-leader
New status approved for these leaders
Colleen will be helping out with young member initiatives: 18-early thirties. Hence, Nancy
Holland has been hired for 20 hours a week to assist with AT. Colleen wants it to be
transparent who AT people should go to for different subjects.
John Judge (new AMC President effective as of next week) stopped in and said hello to the
Committee. Ralph invited him to join one of our excursions.
1:10 PM
Standing Rules
Current Standing Rules are on snebulos under Committee Business. Ralph first took the
existing rules and then made the needed changes to reflect that we now have a new name and
Colleen has a new title. He also made a few edits so that the format is more consistent. This
created a "base document" which does not contain change marks. He then went through and
made changes so that the Rules more closely reflect how we actually do business. Other
changes: Include the Executive Committee, delete Spring Gathering, change Chairperson to
Chair, Webmaster and the Leadership person now Functionaries and not Officers as neither is
currently a member of the Committee, and to update Colleen's duties.
Some discussion ensued regarding the term “functionary” sounding a bit too bureaucratic.
Recommendation was made to substitute “functionary” with “individual”.
Discussion ensued regarding communication between the Executive Committee and AT
Committee. Merri Fox said she believed the Executive Committee should have some latitude
regarding what they feel appropriate to share with AT Committee because of the sensitive
nature of some subject.
Bob Bentley questioned why 3.1 specified “meeting in June”. Ralph shared that the meeting
needs to be in mid June to meet the July 1 deadline for getting into the September issue of
AMC Outdoors. If we miss this date the notices would not appear until the November issue.
Move approved to adopt changes as discussed.
1:30 PM
Summary of Meeting and Action Items / Topics for Next Meeting
Ralph will update the leader requirements and the standing rules and send them to Bob G for
posting on snebulos.
 Next Meeting : Spring Leader Retreat, April 14/15, 2012
Noble View is the location.
Volunteers are needed to organize and plan the retreat.
Andy Falender addressed the Committee and said how proud he is of
AT and the outstanding changes and improvements we’ve
accomplished over his tenure.
1:49 PM
Adjournment
Minutes prepared by Pam Madigan, Secretary.
Attendance Roster AMC AT Meeting January 28, 2012
Pam Madigan
Robert White
Colleen McLaughlin
Jeff Aceto
T. Walley Williams III
Bill Wheeler
Rebecca Budaj
Ron Janowitz
Jenni Blumenthal
Art Paradice
Bob Bentley
Marianne Page
Stacia Biel
Merri Fox
Nancy Holland
Colleen Yout
Len Weiss
Eva Borsody Das
Willy Ashbrook
Ralph Blumenthal
John Lisker
Anna Panszczyk
George Schott
AT Committee
AT Committee
Worcester Cycling Chair
ME Chapter Outing Chair
AT Committee
AT Co-Leader
AT Co-Leader
AT Leader
AT Co-Leader
AT Committee
AT Committee
Trip Review Committee
Vice Chair
AT Committee
Staff
Staff
AT Committee
AT Committee
Board of Directors
Chair
AT Leader
AT Co-Leader
CT Chapter Hike Leader