FMC Travel Club
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FMC Travel Club A subsidiary of Federated Mountain Clubs of New Zealand (Inc.) www.fmc.org.nz Club Convenor : John Dobbs Travel Smart Napier Civic Court, Dickens Street, Napier 4110 P: 06 8352222 F : 06 8354211 E : [email protected] 2nd July to 5th August 2016, 35 days $8995^^ San Francisco to San Francisco Leader : Phillip Donnell ^^ This is an estimated price only as at June 2015 An accurate price will be established once the 2015 trip has concluded and reviewed with any adjustments that need to be made Based on a minimum of 7 participants, and subject to currency fluctuations Any payments by Visa or Mastercard adds $250 PRICE INCLUDES : All accommodations – mix of hostels, cabins, lodges, motels etc inclusive of compulsory taxes Transports – hired minivan for the trip duration along with dedicated transport for other inclusions i.e. Alcatraz day trip, Lake Tahoe cruise and Silverton-Durango train excursion The services of a very experienced and knowledgeable Kiwi leader throughout, supported by an assistant if numbers warrant a second minivan 34 dinners and 34 breakfasts – includes many restaurant meals inclusive of compulsory tips National park fees and inclusions as indicated in the itinerary PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE : Flights to/from San Francisco Lunches Any optional activities or choices made within the itinerary Travel insurance Personal expenses outside of the inclusions Trip Leader Phillip Donnell lives in sunny Tauranga with his wife Katrina. He has three married children and eight grandchildren. He has been involved in outdoor activities for more than 40 years, leading hundreds of tramping expeditions in New Zealand and overseas, as well as extensive involvement in kayaking and mountain-biking. He has also run more than 70 marathons and 100 half-marathons. He has an M.A. in Geography, which has given him a deep enthusiasm for travel and for exploring places. He has been a teacher of Geography, History, English and ESOL; is a published author of poetry, articles and short stories; and currently works in the tourist industry. He really enjoys visiting other countries and interacting with different cultures, and has the benefit of several visits to the USA as well as considerable experience in leading groups to overseas locations. I am delighted that Phillip has prepared this itinerary and is available to lead this exciting trip for the travel club. If you have any questions you would like to put to Phillip, he welcomes your contact at [email protected] Trip Overview A circle route from San Francisco, timed for late summer with its more moderate temperatures, fewer number of people and the early autumn colours. Seven states, twelve national parks, and three of America’s most exciting cities. A tour for those who want to see it all! The parks are spectacular! Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Yosemite, Zion, Bryce, Capital Reef, Arches, Death Valley, Mesa Verde, Sequoia/King’s Canyon, and Grand Canyon plus numerous other State Parks and National Monuments – including Monument Valley and Antelope Canyon. The scenery is absolutely stunning! Other highlights will include : Lake Tahoe, Twin Falls, the historic Durango to Silverton Scenic Railroad, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Monterey and the Hoover Dam. Walks in the National Parks are a major feature , graded to suit. You choose your activity level on the day – a more strenuous half or whole day walk, a shorter walk or just “tiki” tour with the vehicle. Although day walking is a focus of the itinerary, you participate at your own level, according to how you feel. Full information about walks can be obtained from www.everytrail.com The comprehensive nature of this trip means some days involve a significant amount of travelling, and we have included the expected travel distances within the itinerary to make it easier to understand. Included Highlights Lake Tahoe, the largest alpine lake in North America Crossing the Nevada Desert 3 nights in Yellowstone National Park Grand Tetons and the western town of Jackson The staggering Cirque of the Towers in Wind River Range Arches National Park trails The famous Durango to Silverton Historic Railway Cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde Monument Valley – home of the Navajos Spectacular rock formations in Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks Antelope Canyon – a photographers paradise! 3 nights at the Grand Canyon Bright lights and a late night in Las Vegas The stark landscape of Death Valley 3 days in Yosemite National Park Giant trees in Sequoia and King’s Canyon National Parks Picturesque Monterey and the Pacific Coast Highway Other matters Transport is based on the hire of a large minivan of the kind North America has produced for many years. Typically these have up to 15 seats on a long wheelbase where we can request to have the final row of seats removed to greatly increase the storage for packs and gear. Such vans are powered by V8 engines and have proven ideal for our previous trips to USA, Alaska and Canada. We will collect the van from San Francisco and return it there, so we have full flexibility to go where and when we want. Unlimited kms are included in the hire and as there will be some days involving long travel, you can expect to cover at least 7000kms overall. Rotational seating is preferred and regular stops en-route for comfort, refreshments, photography and walks will help. We would prefer to restrict the group to no more than 10 plus trip leader to ensure the greatest comfort and space aboard. However, should early strong interest indicate we need to hire a second van, this can be arranged. Another driver for the second van could be available to enable this to come together. However, we also need to provide a back up driver for each vehicle for safety and so volunteers will be sought. Driving in North America is, of course, on the right hand side and a standard clean NZ car driving licence is all that is required to present, on pickup. Drivers in USA are generally very courteous and respectful and this goes a long way toward smooth and pleasant travel. Accommodation, as mentioned on the front page, will be a mix of types, styles etc as are available and within budget. Where possible we will try to secure twin sharing arrangements, but this should not be expected every night. While we have indicated many day tramps and walks, there are really only two (optional) overnight tramping options involving camping and tenting. Everywhere else is a ‘roof over your heads’. Bookings can only commence once we start building our viable numbers and the myriad of local, state and federal taxes applicable in the USA are included in trip costings. Meals. Including breakfasts and dinners throughout, while leaving lunch responsibility to everyone, is easier to manage. Some accommodation may include a light breakfast within tariffs, otherwise we will sometimes go out to a local restaurant, other times buy food in to prepare at the accommodation. Dinners will be at moderate restaurants and as with the accommodations, we have included compulsory tipping within our budget. We are planning for you to enjoy good, nourishing meals throughout. Some flexibility is needed, but if you indicate dietary concerns within your registration, we will do our best to accommodate these requirements. At least one pre-trip newsletter will be required. This is a standard feature of our trips and the best way to impart finalized accommodations, recommended gear/packing lists, logistics, update any necessary itinerary changes, incorporate the group details of course, and other relevant bits and pieces. Anyone at any time should make contact with Phillip or myself if you have any questions or concerns about any aspect of the planned trip. There is only limited information that can be disseminated in this dossier. Itinerary DAY TRAVEL ACTIVITY/WALKS OVERNIGHT STAY ON OUR WAY Day 1 Auckland to San Francisco – depart San Francisco Saturday early evening, arrive mid evening 2 July (date line) SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA Day 2 Around San Francisco Sightseeing in San Francisco: San Francisco Sunday walk the Golden Gate, explore 3 July the prison island of Alcatraz, Pier 39, Chinatown and other iconic sights of this colourful city. LAKE TAHOE, CALIFORNIA Day 3 San Francisco, California to South *Heavenly Ski Resort Chair lift to South Lake Monday Lake Tahoe California (a.m.) summit Tahoe 4 July San Francisco to South Lake Tahoe EASY: TOTAL: 295 km *D.L. Bliss and Emerald Bay (Rubicon Trail and Vikingholm) (west shore, 10.5 km) Day 4 South Lake Tahoe, California to *Lake Tahoe boat excursion Battle Tuesday Battle Mountain, Nevada (p.m.) from Zephyr Cove (a.m.) Mountain, 5 July South Lake Tahoe, California to Or: Nevada Carson City, Nevada (45 km, 40 mins EASY: Carson City, Nevada to Battle *Angora Lake (6 km) Mountain, Nevada (375 km, 3 hrs 30 *Maggie Peaks (5 km) TOTAL: 420 km *Horsetail Falls (5 km) NEVADA-IDAHO: Across the Great Desert Basin Day 5 Battle Mountain, Nevada to Twin We will have time to visit some Twin Falls, Wednesday Falls, Idaho (375 km, 3 hrs 45 mins) of the attractions in and around Idaho 6 July Twin Falls: Shoshone Falls, Pillar Falls, Snake River Canyon, Balanced Rock, Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument, Caldron Linn Canyon, Wilson Butte Cave, Banbury Hot Springs. CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT, IDAHO Day 6 Twin Falls, Idaho to Macks Inn or MEDIUM: Macks Inn or Thursday Island Park, Idaho Craters of the Moon Trail 10.9 Island Park, 7 July Twin Falls via Carey and Dubois to km, 1-3 hours Idaho Macks Inn / Island Park TOTAL: 390 km YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, WYOMING Day 7 Macks Inn/Island Park, Idaho to Northern Loop: West Entrance- Canyon Friday Canyon Village, Wyoming (a.m.) Mammoth Hot Springs-Tower- Village, 8 July Macks Inn/Island Park to West Canyon Village Wyoming Yellowstone Village to Canyon Village via northern loop (many attractions en route) TOTAL: 170 km Day 8 Approx 120km within Yellowstone NP Geyser Fields: Canyon Village- Canyon Saturday Madison-Norris Geyser Basin- Village, 9 July Steamboat Geyser-Monument Wyoming Geyser Basin-Old Faithful Geyser Basins-Shoshone Geyser Basin- Lone Star Geyser.