Wilderness Permit Question

[tmorton23]

I am planning a trip from Kennedy Meadows North to Yosemite Valley. One question that I have pertains to the permit situation when I reach Tuolumne Meadows. YNP's wilderness page says there are two exceptions to voiding your permit when you exit the wilderness. One is crossing a road (Tioga Road, in this case) when part of a longer wilderness itinerary. The second is an overnight in Tuolumne Meadows when part of a long distance hiking permit (I'm assuming a JMT/PCT permit). My question is this: If I reach Tuolumne Meadows, stop at the store to resupply, grab a bite, and then keep going down either Rafferty Creek, Lyell Canyon, or over to Cathedral Lakes because they are on my itinerary, does that meet the first exception?

Or, will I need to try and snag a walk-up permit for the remainder of the trip. Keep in mind, this trip is not planned for this year, so hopefully the walk up permit process will change next year or beyond.

Thanks for any insights!

[gregw822]

Hmmm...I have assumed that my single permit out of Kings for doing the High Route (assuming I get a walk-up) will be good all the way to Twin Lakes. I don't think passing quickly through Tuolumne counts, and I don't plan to ask permission to cross the road and continue my trip.

[Wandering Daisy]

Current regulations do not allow physical "walk-in" permits. I would just pass through, keep a low profile, and say nothing. Be aware that the valley backpacker's campground may not be open - it is still uncertain. Camp4 requires a reservation.

[MitchellK]

I think you'd have to find the world's most pedantic ranger ever to void your permit for using the Tuolumne Meadows store and post office. From what I understand, they are much more concerned about someone getting a single long permit and using it as an excuse to go on multiple independent backpacking trips.

On the other hand, If such a pedantic ranger exists, it seems like they would be in Yosemite...

But in all seriousness. I'm 99% sure that what you are describing won't count as voiding your permit. There is a debate about how to balance letting hikers go into town to resupply vs making sure that people don't abuse the system (abuse = get 1 permit, backpack all summer unrestricted), but that's about getting into a car and driving to town to resupply. The TM store is right on the trail. It's like resupplying at Red's meadow, Vermillion Valley Resort, or Muir Trail Ranch (except it's in Yosemite).

While I'm confident that the Tuolumne Meadows store won't void a permit, I'm actually not so sure the answer to "does Yosemite accept Stanislaus NF permits in the first place?" Does anyone on this thread have experience hiking south to Yosemite like this and getting checked by a ranger?

[bobby49]

If you got as far as Tuolumne Meadows, then jumped in a car and raced off to San Francisco for a day, and then returned to Tuolumne Meadows to resume your route southward, then that would be a technical violation. However, they would still have to catch you in the act.

Last year, I was northbound along one section of the PCT. There were backpackers who got as far as Onion Valley, then ducked out to resupply in Independence, then got back to Onion Valley and continued northbound. I don't believe that there was any problem. In fact, there were trail angels at Onion Valley offering rides back and forth to Independence, just for that very purpose.

[Wandering Daisy]

This year may be different, so for a 100% answer to permits obtained outside Yosemite that go into Yosemite, you need to call the wilderness office in Yosemite. It is my understanding that permits from out-of-park trailheads are accepted as written. The only exception may be that there are some odd restrictions/limits on the JMT-PCT at Donehue Pass. But if you are going into the Valley or the Sierra High Route (Rafferty Creek NOT Donehue Pass) then you should be OK.

[Lumbergh21]

I e-mailed and asked a similar question last year, before CoVid shut down walk-up permits. The ranger said that I could spend a night in the backpackers campground and pick up a resupply at TM before continuing - north in my case - after my planned loop in Southern YNP.