Wilderness Permit Information

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SSSdave
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Re: Wilderness Permit Information

Post by SSSdave »

On both my permits, I did not receive the email with the permit pdf to print out until a full 48 hours had passed. Be sure you sent the SM.FS.WildPmt_Inyo@usda.gov email with the correct syntax as directed including the trailhead syntax that ought be on the rec dot gov receipt email. Here is what I put in the email title bar ( ENTRY date <SPACE> Trailhead <SPACE> permit number ):

August 3, 2020 Little Lakes Valley - JM09 #0234660333-1
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BardoPond
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Re: Wilderness Permit Information

Post by BardoPond »

SSSdave wrote: Thu Jul 30, 2020 4:47 pm On both my permits, I did not receive the email with the permit pdf to print out until a full 48 hours had passed. Be sure you sent the SM.FS.WildPmt_Inyo@usda.gov email with the correct syntax as directed including the trailhead syntax that ought be on the rec dot gov receipt email. Here is what I put in the email title bar ( ENTRY date <SPACE> Trailhead <SPACE> permit number ):

August 3, 2020 Little Lakes Valley - JM09 #0234660333-1
I should have specified this was SEKI, sorry. I finally spoke with a ranger this morning.

Enjoy your hike!
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jfr
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Re: Wilderness Permit Information

Post by jfr »

SSSdave wrote: Thu Jul 30, 2020 4:47 pm On both my permits, I did not receive the email with the permit pdf to print out until a full 48 hours had passed. Be sure you sent the SM.FS.WildPmt_Inyo@usda.gov email with the correct syntax as directed including the trailhead syntax that ought be on the rec dot gov receipt email. Here is what I put in the email title bar ( ENTRY date <SPACE> Trailhead <SPACE> permit number ):

August 3, 2020 Little Lakes Valley - JM09 #0234660333-1
I tried the phone line again but it was worthless, so I decided to give the Inyo NF email method a try since I had a few extra days to spare. I followed the correct syntax as SSSdave stated. And I got my permit emailed to me a few hours later! Same day service! Woo hoo! :D

Maybe it's faster for them to process the permits electronically without all that wasted time spent yakking on the phone...

How to email: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/inyo/pas ... rdb5144746
Trip Reports and PhotoJournal: http://hikingtales.com/
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kpeter
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Re: Wilderness Permit Information

Post by kpeter »

I have put in my email application twice and have not yet received a reply--once on Monday and once on Thursday last--so more than 5 days and more than 2 days. I will try a third time. I've been meticulous about the nomenclature. I'll try the phone a few times. And if none of it works, I will go without a permit, carrying my reservation and copies of all my emails with me.
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ttucker9
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Re: Wilderness Permit Information

Post by ttucker9 »

A friend of mine spent a few days in Kaiser Wilderness a couple weeks ago. He called the Prather office and they created a permit for him and left in in the box outside for him to pickup the morning of his trip. Of course, quotas are still in effect but it appears walk-ins can be obtained with a phone call. The SNF has never been available on recreation.gov. The process to reserve permits in SNF is to mail a special form with fee included and wait for a response.
Last edited by ttucker9 on Tue Aug 04, 2020 4:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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kpeter
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Re: Wilderness Permit Information

Post by kpeter »

I thought I would relate my Inyo permit information.

I emailed them three times, beginning 10 days out, to receive my permit. I never received a response.

I called today and got through on the third try. The ranger was very nice, helpful, and emailed my permit within 15 minutes. She explained that there is a huge backlog of email requests and they get to them as best they can, but not according to when they come in but according to how close to the start date they are.

I recommend the phone.
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hisdudeness47
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Re: Wilderness Permit Information

Post by hisdudeness47 »

Hey there, I'm in a world of pain here. Long story short, I ordered a new backpack last week (old one is off to Osprey warranty repair) and paid extra to have UPS ship it by Monday. Anyway, the company ended up using USPS (ugh) and sure enough, it's nowhere to be found, but it is SUPPOSED to be here by tomorrow (Wednesday). My entry date was supposed to be tomorrow at Kearsarge Pass for a 5-nighter backcountry loop. I cannot get a hold of any ranger station to even ask about my permit. Since I still have this 5-night permit, how risky would it be to just go and do the same itinerary and leave on Thursday instead without doing anything? I technically wouldn't have a permit for the last night (next Monday), but doesn't it have to do with entry location anyway? Do they really hold you to where you say you're going to camp and how long? I feel as if as long as If I have a permit for Thursday, which I do, and I enter on a Thursday, I'm okay, right?
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TurboHike
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Re: Wilderness Permit Information

Post by TurboHike »

hisdudeness47 wrote: Tue Aug 04, 2020 4:10 pm but doesn't it have to do with entry location anyway? Do they really hold you to where you say you're going to camp and how long? I feel as if as long as If I have a permit for Thursday, which I do, and I enter on a Thursday, I'm okay, right?
It has to do with entry date and trailhead. If your permit is for Wednesday entry and you do not enter Wednesday, it is no longer valid on Thursday. The last time I hiked Kearsarge Pass trail I got a relatively early start, around 7 a.m., and before I made it to Flower Lake there was a ranger coming from the opposite direction who asked to see my permit. I wondered if she got an early start from the Charlotte Lake ranger station (unlikely) or if she routinely hikes up the trail early and then back down to check permits (more likely IMO). I showed her my permit and was quickly on my way, but it seemed to me that her strategy of hiking up then down was a good technique to check permits.
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K_e_v
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Re: Wilderness Permit Information

Post by K_e_v »

To add to the previous posts I will share my experience.

I am leaving from Cottonwood on 8/15. I had zero luck with phone calls to any of the numbers on the Forest service website and got no response from numerous email attempts thru the "contact us" tab.

After reading earlier posts I emailed SM.FS.WildPmt_Inyo@usda.gov with permit#, trailhead and start date and received my printable permit in 36 hours. We are good to good and I would like to thank earlier posters for this info.

kev
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The_El
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Re: Wilderness Permit Information

Post by The_El »

Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences with this. I have a (dumb) question, how do you know what your permit number is when you are requesting a permit?
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