MONT BLANC Final event guide 22 nd - 25 th June 2017
We are now at the 4 weeks to go point for our Mont Blanc Challenge, and by now you should have been training hard, and have tested your kit in preparation ready for the adventure! This final guide should provide all the details you need - including flight info, the itinerary and other essential details. Please get in touch if you have any questions by e-mailing info@ultraadventure.com or call us on 0207 609 6695. FINAL TRAVEL INFORMATION Meeting Information If you selected the flights included package, then we ask that you arrive at London Heathrow Airport Terminal 5 at 06.30am on 22ⁿ June. We will be meeting close to Zone G and the Action Challenge leader will be there and will accompany you on your flight. If you are meeting us in country, please arrive at 12.00 in the Arrivals Hall of Geneva Airport Terminal 1. The leader will be wearing an Action Challenge branded red polo, so they will hopefully be easy to spot coming through arrivals. If not, please wait by the Information Point. If you are meeting us at Geneva Airport, please ensure you arrive on time as we need to have a prompt departure from the airport. Flight Tickets You will NOT receive tickets prior to the Challenge, these will be given to you at the airport by our staff. Luggage Allowance There is a strict allowance of a maximum 15kg per person for your main bag. This ensures that we have enough capacity to transfer everyone s baggage between the hotels/refuges. Main bags will be weighed, and any exceeding this limit will need decanting into your trekking rucksack / day bag which should be 30-35 litres in size and you will carry it with you whilst trekking. Delay If you are running late on the day of departure please contact us immediately on (+44) 207 609 6695 so that we can inform the teams at the airport. Emergency contact details for our team will be published 1 week before the event. Travel Clothes IMPORTANT! You MUST wear or take your outdoor clothing & hiking boots on the plane. This is because we will be transferring straight from the airport to the start point, so if your main luggage goes missing, you will still be able to start the Challenge with the right gear. PASSPORT, INSURANCE AND MEDICAL DETAILS You MUST have updated your online form with your Passport, Insurance and Medical details PRIOR to travelling. If we do not have your details you will not be able to join the Challenge. CLICK HERE to update your Personal Details >>> Passport British Citizens do NOT need a visa as we are within the EU, but you do need a valid passport (and ideally valid for 3 months beyond your stay). If you are NOT a British Citizen please check the visa / passport requirements by visiting the embassy s website. Travel Insurance You MUST have appropriate travel insurance, and if you have not purchased this yet, you can do so through our recommended providers Campbell Irvine. Please be aware if you are travelling on an annual policy or a basic policy provided by your bank you MUST check that it covers you for a trip of this nature (ie trekking being the main activity and that helicopter evacuation is covered). Please bring a printed copy of your Policy with you. CLICK HERE to go to the Campbell Irvine website for an online quote >> Medical If you have declared any on-going medical conditions to us and filled out a medical form, your details have been passed over to our UK Qualified Medic who is accompanying you on the challenge. This is so they can understand any details and provide the best level of support during the challenge. You must make us aware of any new medical issues which arise prior to departure. 1 P a g e
ITINERARY A summary of the challenge itinerary is set out below, with a breakdown of the distances & timings for each day. The timings for an event of this size are extremely important as it gives everyone the best chance of completing their challenge. We do expect all participants to stick to timings and instructions issued by the leader. You will need to be organised yourself - with packing up and sorting your bags, and adhering to the meal time schedule; we can t jeopardise the group s challenge by waiting for individuals if they are not ready to start on time. Weather will be a factor in how this event is actually run, as well as the general pace of the group, so the timings may be subject to change. Thursday 22 June - Arrival 06:30 Meet at London Heathrow Airport Terminal 5 09:25 Flight departs London Heathrow 12:10 Arrival expected at Geneva Airport Terminal 1 12:00 Land-only participants meet main group at Arrivals hall of Geneva Airport Terminal 1 13:00 Whole group is transferred from Geneva Airport (1 1/2 hour drive) 14:30 Drop off at Saint Gervais train station 15:30 Arrival into Col De Voza and check into hotel 18:00 Briefing & kit check 19:00 Dinner, then bed! Friday 23 June Trekking Day 1 05:00 Breakfast at the hotel 05:30 Challenge begins! 7.5KM AM rest stop water & snacks 18.5KM Lunch stop 25.5KM PM rest stop water & snacks 31KM Arrive at refuge 20:00 Dinner and bed! Saturday 24 June Trekking Day 2 06:00 Breakfast at the Hotel 06:30 Start Time 5KM AM Rest stop water & snacks 14KM Lunch stop 24KM PM Rest stop water & snacks 29KM The Finish Line, Courmayeur 20:00 Group Celebration Dinner Sunday 25 June Courmayeur 07:30-09:30 Breakfast at the hotel 09:30-14:00 Free time 14:30 Depart from Courmayeur 15:45 Arrival at Geneva Airport 18:45 Flight Departs Geneva Airport 19:30 Expected Arrival into London Heathrow Airport ALL Land Only participants will be transferred back to Geneva Airport with the group if required. 2 P a g e
ACCOMMODATION Your accommodation has been upgraded and you will no longer be required to camp on one of the nights. The first 2 night refuges are either twin/triple/quad shares and you will be matched together by similar age and gender. You may have requested to share with another participant on your registration form and this has been taken into consideration with the room allocation. The final night stay is in twin/triple share rooms. Thursday 22 June - Village APAS-BTP du Col De Voza Friday 23 June CCAS Holiday Centre, Les Chapieux Saturday 24 June Hotel de la Telecabine, Courmayeur Hotel / refuge facilities Twin/Triple/Quad rooms for 22ⁿ /23 June - Shared bathrooms available at the refuges drinking water, toilets & showers - Bedding is provided, no need for a sleeping bag - Twin/Triple share at the hotel for 24 June, with private bathrooms - Breakfast/dinner will be at the accommodation each day - An open surgery will be available each evening with our Doctor for first aid / medical issues - There will be daylight for most of the day, but will get dark after 9pm with the sun rising again around 5.50am - Make sure you bring a headtorch as this may be required - You will be able to charge phones overnight at the accommodations, but if you are an avid user, it may be worth also bringing a portable battery pack FOOD The food served on the challenge will be both nutritious and varied ideal for an event of this nature. Please note, we can only cater for dietary requirements that we have been made aware of in advance. We also recommend that you bring with you any of your favourite snacks & energy supplies to help you along the way. 3 P a g e
SAFETY ON THE ROUTE Emergency Contact Details 1 week prior to departure we will email you the emergency contact list which you can share with your family for an emergency or for any other reason. Route The route follows along part of the Trail du Mont Blanc and you will be walking in groups - with a faster and slower group if needed. Your Action Challenge Leader & Medic will be accompanying you throughout the trek. Dropping Out If you need to drop out of the challenge, there are set rest stops where you can drop out at. On the 1 trekking day - lunch stop, or the PM stop has vehicle access. On the 2ⁿ trekking day - there is an opportunity just after the lunch stop and the PM stop. You will need to inform the challenge leader that you wish to drop out and you will then be driven to the night s hotel/refuge to rest. If you drop out on the second day of the challenge, you will be driven to the finish line. In genuine and serious medical emergencies, if a vehicle is unable to reach you, we would require a helicopter - so make sure this is covered on your insurance. Cut-Off Times We will be assessing cut-off times - on the first day, the latest arrival to the lunch stop should be at 1.45pm. If you are unable to reach this point by this time, then you will be transferred to the first day finish. You are expected to walk at a minimum pace of 4km per hour. If you are unable to do so, you may be driven forward to the next rest stop or finish. Please respect the Leader s decision as this is for the safety of you and the group. Your pace on the first day will determine your start time on the second day. Bad Weather There is a small chance of experiencing very bad weather on this challenge, so please come prepared for heavy rain. To ensure safety on the Challenge, you must walk in a group of at least 3 people at all times. In the case of bad weather you may be asked to walk in larger groups with one of our mountain leaders. If we experience very bad weather then the timings and route could be changed at short notice. First Aid A UK Qualified Medic will be walking at the back for first aid. Plus during the evenings, they will be on hand if you need any help or advice. EVENT RULES Below is a selection of the main event rules / guide lines and are in place to keep all participants safe during the event: 1. You must carry a mobile phone. This is an essential part of the emergency response process. 2. All participants must remain in a minimum of groups of 3 at all times. 3. All participants are expected to complete the entire distance each day. 4. All participants must respect any cut-off times. Anyone who fails to respect the decision of the Management Team foregoes the right to receive services from the organiser and will bear the cost of any subsequent search and rescue. 5. All participants must carry the clothing and equipment stipulated on the kit list. There will be a kit check and anyone without the correct clothing and equipment will not be allowed to start the event. 6. Your main luggage (to travel between accommodations) is limited to a maximum of 15kg. 7. All participants must remain behind the leader at the front and in-front of the doctor at the back. 8. You are responsible for carrying out and disposing of any litter (including toilet paper) in the bins at the hotels/refuges, not on the route. 9. All participants must have signed the medical declaration, and hold valid and appropriate travel insurance. 4 P a g e
DON T FORGET... Below is a quick check list to make sure you have all the key things ready for the challenge. ü Money The Euro is the currency for France and Italy. It is advised to bring at least a small amount of cash with you, which you can change beforehand at a currency exchange or at the airport. Credit and debit cards are accepted in most places - make sure you inform your bank that you plan to travel before you leave. ü Clothing wear your hiking boots and trekking clothes on the plane or have them in your carry on rucksack ü Kit Check & Weigh Your Bag you must have the correct kit and that your main luggage does not exceed 15kg. ü Important Documents Passport and copies of your Travel Insurance are both a MUST! ü Phone make sure your phone is unlocked and will work abroad before you go coverage is good. ü Update Your Details if you haven t done so already make sure we have all of your updated Personal Details! ü Join our Facebook Page this is a dedicated page for our Challengers, and the place to go for all the latest updates and to meet fellow team mates. You can join by clicking here. ü Plan your Travel Check train, driving & journey times. It s your responsibility to get to the airport on time! WHAT NEXT In the coming month you can expect to receive from us - 1 Week to Go Final Email - Any final itinerary/flight schedule changes & Emergency Contact List Best of luck with all your preparations, we hope this Final Guide has been useful. If you have any questions that you don t think were answered here, just e-mail in to info@ultraadventure.com and the team will be able to help. 5 P a g e