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Great Basin National Park

Monday, July 7, 2025 - Monday, July 14, 2025 -- $1900 ★

Out in the remote backcountry of Nowhere, Nevada lies a diverse, seldom visited world called Great Basin National Park Rising out of the low Great Basin desert is a towering 13,063' mountain ... Wheeler Peak, just 84 feet shy of the highest point in all of Nevada. Great Basin is home to ancient Bristlecone Pines, which have been known to live for over 5000 years, already 400 years old when the pyramids of Giza were built. Great Basin is so remote that it is a designated international dark sky park and is considered one of the best places in the United States to star-gaze and see the Milky Way.


Our trek will visit a variety of terrains that are accessible by established trail including the summit of Wheeler Peak. Plus, we'll tour Lehman Cave revealing the geology of the past few million years. And hopefully we'll see some of the local fauna: Yellow-bellied Marmot, Bighorn Sheep, Pygmy Rabbit, Porcupine, Water Shrew (whatever that is!) or even a Ringtail Cat


The trails through Great Basin National Park can be steep at times but are generally well-maintained. We will be mindful of afternoon thunderstorms, particularly at elevation. As this is a day hiking only trip, we will be carrying 10 pound day-packs which make the hiking less strenuous. Expect great sunsets and incredible star-gazing if you can stay up that late.


Kick off the Summer the right way (well, that's subjective). Join us for an unforgettable week (that's also subjective) and summit Wheeler Peak.



Weather

Weather is always an important concern when hiking. Expect daytime hiking temperatures in the high 80s with nighttime temperatures around 50. However, be prepared for the possibility of day temperatures as high as 90 and as low as 30 (!), with an ever-present chance of passing afternoon thunderstorms. Here is the historical weather for nearby Ely, NV. Note: Ely is lower in elevation than the park. Be prepared with lots of sun protection and water containers that add up to 6 liters of capacity.



Probable Trip Leaders

Beau Devlin
Any Other Guide(s) TBD

Difficulty

As this is a day-hiking trip, most days we'll be carrying 10 pounds over not-so-rugged terrain. However, do not underestimate Wheeler Peak. It is a long and reasonably steep uphill climb and may have remnants of melting snowfields.



Cost

$1900 per person pre-trip single occupancy, post trip double occupancy. Here, double occupancy means that you will share a hotel room with another trip participant. You will also be responsible for transportation to and from Salt Lake City (SLC) as well as personal equipment, restaurant meals (typically 2 dinners) and any gratuities for guides.


Covered expenses include 2 hotel night, 5 nights in a front country campground, storage fees, 6 days of trail meals, airport transfers, ground transportation to/from/within the National Park, park permits, park entrance fees, Lehman Cave Tour and awesome guides.


Tipping: In order to keep our prices competitive with (and hopefully favorable to) other outfitters, we shamefully can’t pay our guides as much as we think they deserve. Like most other guiding services, we rely on the generosity of our participants to make up this shortfall by tipping the guides. Gratuity can comprise a significant and important part of a guide’s compensation. The industry recommended gratuity amount is 10-20% of the trip cost. Gratuities are always optional and based on level of satisfaction but generally account for 30-60% of a their income through gratuities. Fitpacking supports tipping to the greatest extent possible while remaining tactful and professional. Guides are not permitted to solicit tips in any way other than doing an exceptional job supporting and providing exceptional customer service to our participants. If your guides have served you well, please support them with gratuities so they can continue living their extravagant lifestyles of eating powdered meals, sleeping in the dirt and pooping in smelly outhouses and small holes they've dug.



Notes

This trip is scheduled to coincide with a waxing crescent. As Great Basin is an International Dark Sky Park, the early crescent shouldn't be overly intrusive, however please be aware that it doesn't get totally dark until extremely late this time of year.


Day-Hiking / Base Camping only



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Itinerary
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Guides for this trip
Cost
Important Note
Difficulty (Please Read)
 
 

Itinerary


Monday, July 7, 2025

Fly into Salt Lake City Airport (SLC). The best time to arrive is between around 9AM-Noon. However, if you have completed the online equipment shakedown and can be ready to leave by around 3PM, you can arrive later.

Take the free airport shuttle to our local hotel / gathering spot

We will assemble at: Comfort Inn & Suites Salt Lake City Airport, 202 N Jimmy Doolittle Rd, Salt Lake City, UT, 84116, (801) 783-3165.

Mini equipment shakedown just to make sure you have proper gear

Make-Your-Own Trail mix bar

All the items that you won't bring on the trail will be set aside and put in storage. Try to keep this to a small amount of stuff.

At around 3PM, shuttle to campsite: Grey Cliffs Group Campground, Great Basin National Park, NV. Site(s): A1, A2 Elevation: 7120'

Shuttling will take about 4.5 hours

Guides prepare dinner in camp. On some trips with longer shuttle times, we may opt to go out for an opening dinner at a local restaurant. (Cost of restaurant dinner not included in trip price)

Camp at Grey Cliffs Group Campground, Great Basin National Park, NV. Site(s): A1, A2 Elevation: 7120'

Water found at nearby Baker Creek Campground


Tuesday, July 8, 2025

Shuttle 1 hour to Snake Creek Rd

Shuttle to Snake Creek Rd and start Day Hiking-at the end of the road, Elevation 8013'

Day-Hike 1.7 uphill miles to Dead Lake, elevation 9564'

Day-Hike 1.7 miles back to Snake Creek Rd.

Day-Hike 0.7 miles to Snake Creek

Shuttle 1 hour back to Grey Cliffs Group Campground, elevation 7120'

Camp at Grey Cliffs Group Campground Group Site TBD, elevation 7120', water found at nearby Baker Creek Campground

Miles today: 4.1. Total miles: 4.1


Wednesday, July 9, 2025

Day-Hike 0.6 miles on the Osceola Ditch Interpretive Trail, elevation 8,400'

Drive to Wheeler Peak Drive Pullout, elevation 8409' or 8565'

One guide will drop off the group and shuttle the vehicle to Strawberry Creek Trailhead, elevation 7920'

Day-Hike 5.0 mostly flat miles along the Osceola Ditch to the Sage Steppe Loop Trail, elevation 8200'

Meet up with other guide here

Day-Hike 3.0 round-trip miles up Windy Canyon, elevation 9199’

Day-Hike 2.0 round-trip miles to Sage Creek Springs, elevation 7800’

Day-Hike 0.6 miles to Strawberry Creek TH, elevation 7920'

Drive 0.5 hours back to Grey Cliffs Group Campground, elevation 7120'

Miles today: 11.2. Total miles: 15.3


Thursday, July 10, 2025

Drive to Bristlecone Trail Parking Area, elevation 9800'

Day-Hike 4.6 miles on the Bristlecone-Glacier Trail through a Bristlecone Pine grove to the only permanent glacier between Sierra Nevada and Wasatch Range, elevation 10,900'

Day-Hike 2.7 miles around the Alpine Lake Loop, elevation 10,400'

Drive to base camp, Grey Cliffs Group Campground, elevation 7120'

Miles today: 7.3. Total miles: 22.6


Friday, July 11, 2025

Drive to Lehman Caves

Day-Hike 0.3 miles on the Mountain View Nature Trail, elevation 6800'

Tour Lehman Cave, one of the most decorated caves in the world (whatever that means).

Drive to Baker Creek Trailhead, elevation 8000'

Day-Hike 5.3 miles around the Timber Creek Loop, elevation up to 9800'

Drive to base camp, Grey Cliffs Group Campground, elevation 7120'

Miles today: 5.6. Total miles: 28.2


Saturday, July 12, 2025

Awaken pre-dawn and leave camp by first light in anticipation of a long and rewarding (but difficult) day.

Drive to the Wheeler Peak Summit Parking Area, elevation 10,160'

Day-Hike 4.0 miles to the summit of Wheeler Peak, elevation 13,063'

Day-Hike 4.0 miles to Wheeler Peak Summit Parking Area, elevation 10,160'

Drive to base camp, Grey Cliffs Group Campground, elevation 7120'

Miles today: 8.0. Total miles: 36.2


Sunday, July 13, 2025

Drive to Baker Creek Trailhead, elevation 7931'

One guide will drop off the group and shuttle the vehicle to Pole Creek Canyon TH, elevation 6870'

Day-hike 3.8 downhill miles by Pole Creek to Pole Canyon TH, elevation 6870’

End of hiking. Break camp

Miles today: 3.8. Total miles: 40.0

Shuttle 4.5 hours back to Salt Lake City

Shuttle back to local hotel: Comfort Inn & Suites Salt Lake City Airport, 202 N Jimmy Doolittle Rd, Salt Lake City, UT, 84116, (801) 783-3165.

Gather your off-trail items from storage

Dinner and awards ceremony at a local restaurant (Dinner cost not included in trip price)

Stay in our local hotel (included in trip cost)

This is the official end of the trip. You are welcome to spend the night at the hotel, however if you drove and would like to get on the road or if you flew and would like to schedule a late flight (or a red-eye if this is a West Coast trip) you can definitely do so.


Monday, July 14, 2025

Take free airport shuttle or we will pay for a shared cab/Uber


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