THE PLACE:
The Great Basin . What does The Great Basin conjure up in your mind? I am guessing for many it is of long straight roads, a monotonous ocean of endless sage, an uninviting place void of water, aesthetics, or general convenience.

It is also quite possible that nothing comes to mind.as much of the landscape of The Great Basin people tend to find, well, forgettable.

I think of the incredible natural history of the place --- once covered with water, it is now the most arid region in the Nation.

I think of The Great Basin and think of Nevada and its 314 separate mountain ranges --- the second most mountainous state behind Alaska .

I think of the climatic and geographical diversity throughout the Great Basin . A range of elevations from -282 to 14,000+.rainfall from 2" to 20" annually depending on your locale.

I think of the traditional characteristics of the west.endless horizons, few people, immense spans of open space, a tangible sense of recent history still present in its towns, in its people, and throughout its landscape.

I think of the Great Basin and know that it remains one of the least populated areas of the United States .

I think of The Great Basin and think of a wild place.

THE PLAN:
The plan is a simple one: To create and hike a route through the Great Basin that explores its cultural, climatic, and geographic diversity and to do so in a manner that is generally practical and relatively efficient.

Lightweight hiking strategies (low base weight, re-supplies, higher daily mileage) will be implemented for increased likelihood of success.or death depending on which side of the bed you sleep.

The proposed route is an ideal.one in which I hope to attain, but not one that I am bound to in any way. Freedom at its finest!

Adaptation to the plan will be required due to a number of variables.one in which is my own skill set in regard to the terrain in which I plan to travel. When no route exists and no expectations have been set, I am free to choose what is on the menu each given day and I certainly plan to utilize that freedom.

Ultimately the point of the plan is to be out hiking.

THE ROUTE:
Like the landscape in which it passes, the route corridor of The Great Basin Traverse (GBT) is diverse as well. The GBT travels through 2 National Parks, 10 designated Wilderness Areas, 6 Wilderness Study Areas, along the Pony Express Trail, visits a National Wildlife Refuge, climbs the highest peak in Nevada, passes through ghost towns, and also goes through the humorously named Project Faultless Nuclear Test Site. In addition, for those looking for an ambitious project, the GBT easily links into the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) in the south, and the Idaho Centennial Trail in the north.

While some of the route is along mapped trails or old dirt tracks, much of the route is cross country hiking.either along high elevation (9K-14K) ridgelines, or across open, lower elevation basins. In addition, the current degree of planning is a general guideline. I will be making most navigational and route decisions day to day based on general safety (weather, terrain, etc), physical and mental health, and of course..WATER.

Another aspect of the route worth mentioning is the ending .I've always wanted to do an open ended trip.one that does not have an arbitrary end point like a border, a landmark, or a good restaurant that somehow determines "the end."

With that in mind, I've established 3 alternative endings that give me a degree of latitude to complete my trip when I actually feel like. The first section of the route is ~1000 miles zig-zagging across Nevada . Completing this first section is my primary objective.

After completing the first section, I can then decide to continue along to 1, 2, or all 3 of my alternative endings. If I complete all three alternative endings, than I will have also hiked the length of the recently mapped and attempted Lowest-to-Highest Trail (L2H) which has strangely been on my to do list for sometime as well, but it looks as if Brett beat me to it!

Completion of all three alternative endings will result in a route ~1,200 miles long. I suppose if I get to Mt Whitney I could then head south on the Pacific Crest Trail until Mexico . Hmmmm..

Great Basin Traverse: Resupply Points
	Pre-departure
	Deeth

THE GEAR:

As always the gear I take will play an important role in determining the ultimate outcome of my trip. As packed, I am hovering around a base weight of ~10 lbs sans food, fuel, electronis, or water. I am hoping to keep my last minute insecurities to a minimum and stay as close to ~10 lbs as possible. Come OCT, I will be taking on additional gear for the cooler temps I anticipate. I will try ot post a complete gear list online before my departure...

Currently I've decided to carry a new prototype panel loading pack. I have another, lighter pack in the works as well, but I do not think the suspension is stable enough to haul the 4+ gallons of liquid life that the route may require at times. We'll see what I decide on.

As for shelter I plan to use a prototype from Henry Shire's at TarpTent.com. While heavier than what I normally use (tarp), it will be a far superior shelter in high wind.

In the cooler month of hiking I will be using a custom 4 oz overbag from Titanium Goat to add a few much appreciated degrees to my sleeping quilt.

I have also planned to go stove-less for this jaunt. An idea I've always been intrigued by, but never implemented during a long hike.

As for the rest of it, basically lots of odds 'n ends from Backpackinglight.com.

THE JOURNAL:

Originally I was going to be updating my journal daily with the use of myriad electronic devices. Unfortunately, despite numerous guarantees, the devices refuse to speak to one another. So, full circle, I am back to where I started...dependent on Pocketmail and the increasingly endangered Payus Telefonus to post journal updates. Hopefully the 'on-ground' situation will be better than I anticipate and updates will be available from each re-supply.