01
MANDATORY GEAR
Mandatory equipment of the participant is checked in the starting area before the start of the event.
Participants who are missing a unit of equipment required by the organizers during the equipment check and during the event will be disqualified. HIGHLANDER Pin, Patch and Certificate will not be issued.
- Tent or bivouac sack or hammock and waterproof tarp
- Sleeping bag (not required if bringing bivouac sack)
- Sleeping pad (not required if bringing bivouac sack with a built-in sleeping pad)
- Head torch / flashlight
- Cookware & cutlery
- Portable stove (gas / gasoline / alcohol)
- Start water 2-4L
- Hydration bladder or water bottles with a minimum total volume of 4L
- Warm clothing and footwear suitable for terrain and conditions
- Boots or trail runners (footwear)
- Compass
- First-aid supplies (bandages, adhesive tape, adhesive bandages, stretch bandages, sterile gauze, antiseptic, repellent, pain relievers)
- Survival blanket
- Trash bag (provided by organizer)
02
SHARED EQUIPMENT
Some of the equipment can be shared in a group of maximum 4 people.
However, the group must cross the Finish Line within a time difference of no more than 30 minutes from the first to the last group member. Participants sharing equipment must inform the organizing staff at Registration - Event week. Staff may check equipment before the event start. Participants missing required equipment, either at the start or during the event, will be disqualified and will not be eligible to receive a HIGHLANDER Pin, Patch, and Certificate.
- Tent
- Portable stove and canister
- Compass
- First-aid KIT
03
REGISTRATION INCLUDES
You can leave your additional luggage with us. Leave it at the Check-in and collect it after you finish. Please note that the Organizer is not responsible for any of your valuable items.
Participants may make private transportation arrangements to mentioned locations.
- On duty Mountain Rescue Service
- 3 meals per day (dehydrated food, cold cuts, cheese, bread, ready meals)
- HIGHLANDER ID – detailed itinerary showing all checkpoints (with dedicated checkpoint stamp spaces)
- HIGHLANDER Pin
- HIGHLANDER Certificate
- HIGHLANDER Maps – detailed maps of the route
- HIGHLANDER Map Cover - waterproof cases
- HIGHLANDER Patch
- Hiker tag, Luggage tag and other Kit items
- Educational and leisure activities
- Infrastructure at start, finish, checkpoints and along the route
04
VIOLATION OF THE RULES
Participants will not receive the HIGHLANDER Pin, Patch, or Certificate in any of the stated circumstances.
Participants will be disqualified under the following circumstances:
- If groups the teams sharing gear reach the finish line more than 30 minutes apart
- Preventing staff from verifying that gear meets requirements
- Missing required gear
- Littering
- Fire starting
- Sleeping or cooking in mountain lodges, huts or other accommodation facilities
- Borrowing equipment from the same facilities
- Bivouacking outside of the designated camps
05
FOOD
HIGHLANDER Georgia offers meat and vegetarian option.
For each participant, the Organizer will provide camping food, distributed at the Start and checkpoints. Provided meals will be handed out in small packages suitable for carrying in backpacks.
Each participant will receive three meals per day. We recommend bringing snacks, dry fruit, and similar in addition to the meals provided by the Organizer. You choose your diet preference during the registration process.
06
WATER
You have to bring your own water at the Start (2-4L).
Plenty of drinking water will be available at all checkpoints.
Mountain water is generally safe for drinking, but using water purification (tablets/drops/filter) may be a good idea.
07
BIVOUACKING AND SITES
Participants choose their bivouacking spot on site.
The Organizer will designate non-mandatory bivouacking spots. There is no designated bivouacking spot at the checkpoint.
Fire making is prohibited at certain places.
Sleeping arrangements may include only the required gear: tent, tarp, bivouac sack or hammock.
Lodging, cooking, or borrowing gear in and from mountain lodges or huts ARE PROHIBITED.
08
TIME LIMITS
HIGHLANDER is not a race but it does have a time limit.
All participants who collected all stamps and came to finish by the time of the finish closing on July 22nd, will receive their HIGHLANDER Pin, Patch and Certificate.
09
FIRE
Note that fire restrictions can change based on the current conditions.
We will update you with the current restrictions before and during the event.
10
LITTERING AND WASTE
Garbage cans will be located at some the bivouac camp checkpoints.
Littering and polluting is strictly prohibited and will result in immediate disqualification.
Participants may use the toilets available at checkpoints, huts, hostels, etc.
When relieving in nature, feces must be buried or covered with stones well outside camping sites, buildings, and hiking trails. Failing to do so will result in immediate disqualification. Participants will be denied the HIGHLANDER Pin, Patch, and Certificate.
11
DOGS
This is a dog-friendly event but dogs must be on a leash. You need to carry the dog food with you.
$0No extra registration fee required.
When in camping area: dogs will need to stay on a leash and must be taken outside of the camping area to relieve themselves. Dogs are not allowed inside any buildings including the dining hall.
Please note it might still be pretty hot and unless the dog is acclimated to the heat, overheating might be a challenge. For the same reason, please make sure the dog is well hydrated - you probably need to carry 1.5x to 2x your water amount for the two of you.
12
WITHDRAWING
In the event of a serious injury or inability to walk, and if there is no cellular coverage, this must be reported at the nearest checkpoint through other participants or the organizers so that emergency service can be called.
If cellular service is available, a serious injury or inability to walk must be reported to emergency services by dialling 112.
The organizer is not responsible for in any way for participants' withdrawal. Withdrawing participants will be responsible for making their own transportation arrangements.
Check Backcountry safety tips to avoid unnecessary withdrawing.
THE ORGANIZER RESERVES THE RIGHT TO CHANGE THE RULES.
