NUI Galway Mountaineering Club is pleased to announce that the 37th annual Maamturks Challenge will take place Saturday 14th April 2012. The walk, covering 24.3 kilometers over tough, mountainous terrain and with a total ascent over the course of the walk of 2336 meters, will begin between Maam and Maam Cross and end in Leenane.
Check-in will be open from 5am-7am or until the walk limit of 200 is reached. Walkers will be required to check in at all of the checkpoints along the route and have their Walk Cards punched. The cut-off points at Loch Mhám Ochóige and the Col of Despondency will be implemented at 2pm and 5pm respectively. Unfortunately participants who fail to make these cut-offs will be requested to make their way to the nearest designated exit point.
In the interest of safety we do require that all walkers should be properly equipped for a tough days hiking with strong boots, waterproof jacket/pants, warm clothing, and sufficient food/drink for the day. All participants, irrespective of whether they are a part of a group are required to have their own map(s) and compass and be proficient in navigation. GPS is not to be considered a substitute. A list of rules for the walk can be downloaded here. A printable information sheet is available here.
Registration
Registration will be taking place at the base of Corcog (L 966 498) between 5am-7am. The cost of registering on the day of the walk will be 25 Euro. This year the club is offering the opportunity for participants to register in advance for the reduced fee of 20 Euro. The main benefit of registering in advance is that you can avoid the registration queue on the morning of the walk. The registration form, which contains all the necessary information, can be downloaded here. The closing date for pre-registration is April 6th.