PROPOSED ANNUAL EXPEDITION PROGRAM

10 MAY 2006

Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC), Mountaineering Section

PROPOSED ANNUAL EXPEDITION PROGRAM

SYNOPSIS: The #1 object of the Mountaineering Section is “to provide the opportunity for group enjoyment of mountaineering and related activities” (Constitution of the Mountaineering Section, Potomac Appalachian Trail Club). I propose that the MS conduct an annual call for proposals for expeditions and then review, select, fully endorse, and resource (within the organization’s available means as decided by it’s leadership and members) those proposals that best advance that objective.

GOALS: Promote individual climbing level, team cooperation, and enhance the status of the club within the greater climbing community.

TRIP ELIGIBILITY: A trip/expedition outside of our normal area, and the objectives must be defined to expand the participants mountaineering/climbing experience" "Leading 5.8 at Seneca where I only led 5.7 before" will not cut it. Nor will an ice climbing trip to Smugs where you stay in motels. Examples of the types of trips that might qualify are Katahdin, Eastern Sierras, Alpine excursions into the greater ranges of this continent and abroad, big wall, etc. ***This proposal IN NO WAY LIMITS PATC-MS endorsement of other (non-funded) trips/ expeditions throughout the year. Those trips/ expeditions will continue to be announced and promoted via the list serve and endorsed when posted to the club calendar.

MEMBER ELIGIBILITY: All participants must be members in good standing of BOTH the PATC-MS and our parent organization, the PATC. Participants should be suitably fit and technically able to support the expedition group. This may include attending training activities at the discretion of the trip coordinator. The expedition leader will have the final say in all membership matters once a trip is approved.

IN-TRIP REQUIREMENTS: All trips must be physically, through banners or some other fashion, identified as PMC trips to maximize the marketing and visibility of the PMC.

AFTER-TRIP REQUIREMENTS:

- Trip slide show for presentation at a PMC monthly meeting and/or other local climbing venues.
- A trip report for publication in Up-Rope.

FUNDING: This is not intended to fully fund trips; rather it is intended as seed money to be provided as an organizational incentive. Annual individual trip grants will be in the $200 to $500 range per trip with an initial total budget not to exceed $1,000. Any hardware purchased with grant funding become PMC equipment upon purchase and will be returned for future use at the completion of the trip.

WHO MAY SUBMIT? Any PATC, MS member in good standing.

TO WHOM ARE PROPOSALS SUBMITTED? To the general membership and officers via the ListServ AND in person at a monthly meeting.

WHEN ARE PROPOSALS SUBMITTED? Initial proposals should be made on the ListServ between 1 - 30 SEPTEMBER each year for expeditions proposed for the following FEB thru JAN. Expedition leaders will then present their proposed trips in person at either the OCT, NOV, or DEC monthly meeting (the MS Expedition Coordinator will schedule and deconflict presentations as required). Selection and announcement of the endorsed expeditions for the following year will be announced at the ANNUAL MEETING in JAN.

WHAT IS THE FORMAT FOR PROPOSALS? Creativity is encouraged and while there is no required format for presentations (pictures, charts, slides, music, dancing monkeys and bears are all OK), at a minimum each proposal should contain the following information:

- Expedition Name
- Expedition Dates
- Expedition Objective(s)
- Member names and qualifications for the proposed expedition
- A description of how the expedition advances MS objectives (ie. What’s in it for us?)

* All approved expeditions will also need to comply with PATC Excursion Guidelines prior to departing (WE WILL NEED TO PUT THESE ON OUR HOMEPAGE IF THIS PROPOSAL IS APPROVED)

HOW ARE PROPOSALS SELECTED? In two phases.

FIRST, the GENERAL MEMBERSHIP (all us folks) will send provide their priorities (1st thru however many proposals are presented) to the MS Expedition Coordinator (via private e-mail, phone call, letter, carrier pigeon, etc) by 31 DEC. The Expedition Coordinator will consolidate an overall prioritization for the proposals and present those to the EXCOM NLT the 2d TUES of JAN.

FINALLY, the EXCOM will decide which of the prioritized proposals best meet the organizations objectives and submit those to the vote of the GENERAL MEMBERSHIP at the ANNUAL MEETING. In the (unlikely?) event that the process proves particularly inept or ineffective the Executive Committee may grant or deny any proposal at its sole discretion.

A suggested evaluation criteria is as follows:

Best advances PATC, MS objectives
Best potential for success
Affordability

RESPONSIBILITIES:

TRIP LEADERS:

- Be members in good standing (dues paid and waiver signed) of the PATC-MS and PATC.
- Propose an expedition on the list serve (1-30 SEP) and in person at a monthly meeting (OCT-DEC).

IF SELECTED:

- Responsible for the overall leadership and coordination of the expedition.
- Assign/ coordinate team member responsibilities as required.
- Manage the expedition budget.
- Maintain accountability of all PMC equipment.
- Be suitably fit and technically able to support the expedition group.
- Be honest about your individual capabilities and limitations and SHARE those with the other trip participants.
- Be flexible and cooperative about your personal goals for the trip. Weather, other objective factors, and/or various group dynamics may prohibit any specific objective you start with. No trip should ever be a complete waste if you can do this. At a minimum you are guaranteed to learn your way around a new area and meet some new people.
- Climb and enjoy the trip.
- Coordinate and ensure a trip report and slide show following the trip.
- Post the trip details on the club calendar

TRIP PARTICIPANTS:

- Be members in good standing (dues paid and waiver signed) of the PATC-MS and PATC.
- Be suitably fit and technically able to support the expedition group.
- Execute duties as assigned by the trip leader.
- Be honest about your individual capabilities and limitations and SHARE those with the other trip participants.
- Be flexible and cooperative about your personal goals for the trip. Weather, other objective factors, and/or various group dynamics may prohibit any specific objective you start with. No trip should ever be a complete waste if you can do this. At a minimum you are guaranteed to learn your way around a new area and meet some new people.
- Climb and enjoy the trip.
- Contribute to the post-trip slide show and trip report.

EXPEDITIONS COORDINATOR:

- Coordinate proposals presentations with the EXCOM and webmaster
- Receive general membership prioritizations and make overall prioritization
recommendation to the EXCOM NLT the 2d TUES of JAN.
- Assist trip leader as necessary and requested.

WEBMASTER:

- Post approved Annual Expedition Grant Guidelines to the club website.
- Post all proposals to the club website for membership review 1-30 SEP).
- Include monthly presentations (OCT-DEC) to meeting agendas .
- Assist trip leaders to post approved trips to the club calendar.
- Coordinate and schedule post expedition slide shows.

UPROPE EDITOR/ STAFF:

- Receive, edit, and publish the expedition trip report in Up Rope.
- Coordinate copyright release, appropriate bylines and credits, and submit
expedition trip reports to other publications as appropriate.


Humbly submitted.

//SIGNED//
Robert Graver
PATC-MS