Re: HST Permit vs fines
Posted: Mon Feb 29, 2016 8:16 am
It sounds like you'd be coming through Walker pass/Isabella, so that puts the Lone Pine IAVC into play.
Have you ever been to Miter basin or Crabtree? You can make a 3/4 day loop by going XC through Miter/Crabtree, then hightail it back on the PCT. There are 4 passes to choose from: New army, Army, Cottonwood & Trail. (As Tim mentioned above, Trail pass is non-quota, hence 100% available. It's an extra 5 miles from Cottonwood on the PCT, so say 2+ hours.)
If you were planning on a different trip and somehow got shut out, this would be a good fallback option. OTOH, Miter/Crabtree is considered by some (myself included) as a top-shelf destination, so you could go there directly knowing you were definitely going to hike. As an aside, I'd be astounded if you couldn't get a walk-in permit for either NAP or Army, which would be the two most scenic routes.
Another consideration, and this would be dependent on your experience, conditioning & equipment, would be to go for one of the 'bad boys': Shepherd, Sawmill, Baxter & Taboose. They have (very) low quotas, but not many takers. Getting over to the eastern Sierra in the afternoon sets up the perfect schedule, because you'd wouldn't have to burn all day waiting around. That is, you could leisurely car camp the first evening @ the TH, then get a fresh 4-5am start the next day.
My (1st world problem) is that I can get to LP in under 4 hours. So, If I leave at 4am, I can be waiting for the office to open @ 8am, but even a rushed 9am start can be too late for those suckers. Alternatively, I can waste a day going up after lunch, but then again I get antsy and think about starting late. If your logistics dictate a certain schedule, then it's out of your control and you can plan appropriately.
Have you ever been to Miter basin or Crabtree? You can make a 3/4 day loop by going XC through Miter/Crabtree, then hightail it back on the PCT. There are 4 passes to choose from: New army, Army, Cottonwood & Trail. (As Tim mentioned above, Trail pass is non-quota, hence 100% available. It's an extra 5 miles from Cottonwood on the PCT, so say 2+ hours.)
If you were planning on a different trip and somehow got shut out, this would be a good fallback option. OTOH, Miter/Crabtree is considered by some (myself included) as a top-shelf destination, so you could go there directly knowing you were definitely going to hike. As an aside, I'd be astounded if you couldn't get a walk-in permit for either NAP or Army, which would be the two most scenic routes.
Another consideration, and this would be dependent on your experience, conditioning & equipment, would be to go for one of the 'bad boys': Shepherd, Sawmill, Baxter & Taboose. They have (very) low quotas, but not many takers. Getting over to the eastern Sierra in the afternoon sets up the perfect schedule, because you'd wouldn't have to burn all day waiting around. That is, you could leisurely car camp the first evening @ the TH, then get a fresh 4-5am start the next day.
My (1st world problem) is that I can get to LP in under 4 hours. So, If I leave at 4am, I can be waiting for the office to open @ 8am, but even a rushed 9am start can be too late for those suckers. Alternatively, I can waste a day going up after lunch, but then again I get antsy and think about starting late. If your logistics dictate a certain schedule, then it's out of your control and you can plan appropriately.