High Sierra Topix

I was wondering if anyone could give me some info on reserving a backcountry permit for the Circle of Solitude in SEKI (for July). (I contacted the SEKI NP WIlderness Office but haven't received a response).

On the application, it sounds as if permits are issued for Bubbs Creek Trailhead, ONLY as part of the Rae Lakes Loop, exiting at Woods Creek. SInce the C of S entry AND exit is Bubbs Creek, it seems as if a permit cannot be reserved for this trip. But elsewhere, the application states that the Lakes Trail is the only trail that cannot be reserved in advance.

I assume I'm reading this incorrectly. If anyone can clarify this for me, I'd greatly appreciate it!

Justin

justinh wrote:I was wondering if anyone could give me some info on reserving a backcountry permit for the Circle of Solitude in SEKI (for July). (I contacted the SEKI NP WIlderness Office but haven't received a response).

On the application, it sounds as if permits are issued for Bubbs Creek Trailhead, ONLY as part of the Rae Lakes Loop, exiting at Woods Creek. SInce the C of S entry AND exit is Bubbs Creek, it seems as if a permit cannot be reserved for this trip. But elsewhere, the application states that the Lakes Trail is the only trail that cannot be reserved in advance.

I assume I'm reading this incorrectly. If anyone can clarify this for me, I'd greatly appreciate it!

Justin

You can reserve a permit for Bubbs Creek trailhead.

The unfortunate thing is that they include the Avalanche Pass trail within the Bubbs Creek quota, which tends to fill up quickly (thanks to all the people doing Rae Lakes); but you can reserve a permit for it.

Tom--

Thanks! I'll make sure to get to a fax machine.

Justin

Just tried faxing a permit application from 12 to 12:45 am, but after receiving a continuous busy signal, I had to give up. (It's 3:45 here in CT.) I'm guessing the busy signal is normal. I'm going to try again in a few hours, but if I can't obtain a reservation for the Circle of Solitude, anyone know the odds on getting one first come, first-served? If I'm not mistaken, I can show up at Roads End 1 pm the day prior to my trip to secure a permit. Any advice on how much earlier than 1 I should get there?

Thanks,

Justin

justinh wrote:Just tried faxing a permit application from 12 to 12:45 am, but after receiving a continuous busy signal, I had to give up. (It's 3:45 here in CT.) I'm guessing the busy signal is normal. I'm going to try again in a few hours, but if I can't obtain a reservation for the Circle of Solitude, anyone know the odds on getting one first come, first-served? If I'm not mistaken, I can show up at Roads End 1 pm the day prior to my trip to secure a permit. Any advice on how much earlier than 1 I should get there?

Thanks,

Justin

I wouldn't give up on a reservation just yet. It was probably busy because this is the very first day of permit applications; give it a few days, then try again (and check the trailhead availability page). Bubbs Creek reservation quotas will eventually fill up for most of the summer, but from what I've seen they don't all fill up the very first day. (And my sense is that most Rae Lakes Loop hikers do it clockwise, so the Woods Creek quota fills before Bubbs Creek.)

That said, I did a trip up to Sphinx Lakes last year and got a walk-up permit (Bubbs Creek) easily; I got there ~12:15 and there was nobody waiting, I went down to the river for a bit, got back ~12:45 and there were a couple people ahead of me. My trip started on a Monday, so that might make a difference (what day of the week are you starting?), but I think if you get there by 12:30 you should be in good shape.

Thanks (again), Tom. You were right; I tried again a few hours later, and after a couple of tries, my fax went through. Really looking forward to it.

Justin