recreation.gov system inop Inyo NF no phones
Posted: Fri May 01, 2015 2:35 pm
Tried to set up a wilderness permit today Friday May 1, 2015 and was unsuccessful after several attempts at doing so. Have gone through the permit process 8 times in the past few years so understand what to do. Each time after I completed carefully filled out the permit information, then selected the "Check Out Now" it would send me to the pre-checkout page where it always showed
"Details Required" that normally means something wasn't filled out correctly. I made screen captures of what I did on the permit page to be certain it was correct. The only non-grayed out field allowing selection once the "Details Required" shows brings one back to the permit page. However in doing so it removes most of the information entered so one has to reselect a bunch of stuff including all the itinerary camp spots. Did this 3 times before realizing there was something wrong.
Then removed the request, logged out of my account, logged back in, and started again carefully but submitted for another national forest permit of just 2 days to make things simple. That failed the same way indicating the problem is more likely at the recreation.gov site. So sent an email using their online help form. Then called their telephone number at 1 877 4446777 and was surprised to end up with a warm body. But they could only forward the permit system issue to others and not actually check anything or submit permits.
Then went online and tried to contact Inyo National Forest directly by phone in order to set up a permit directly. Was surprised to find most of the Inyo NF phone numbers have been removed from the fs.usda.gov pages with only a single phone number 760 8732400 to their headquarters office shown that has an answering system set up to say they are on the phone and not available. Searched through a bunch of other information for Inyo NF phone numbers of which their used to be many and all have been removed. Also a number of their web pages are now broken links. Of course this same tactic has been used by many annoying companies this last couple decades discouraging attempts to contact them about problems with their services and products. Many just send one around in circles by automated phone systems. I work for a company that makes VOIP business phone systems so am well aware of how it all works to avoid customers. Of course for government employees not having to respond to we citizens by making it difficult to contact them means less work and stress.
"Details Required" that normally means something wasn't filled out correctly. I made screen captures of what I did on the permit page to be certain it was correct. The only non-grayed out field allowing selection once the "Details Required" shows brings one back to the permit page. However in doing so it removes most of the information entered so one has to reselect a bunch of stuff including all the itinerary camp spots. Did this 3 times before realizing there was something wrong.
Then removed the request, logged out of my account, logged back in, and started again carefully but submitted for another national forest permit of just 2 days to make things simple. That failed the same way indicating the problem is more likely at the recreation.gov site. So sent an email using their online help form. Then called their telephone number at 1 877 4446777 and was surprised to end up with a warm body. But they could only forward the permit system issue to others and not actually check anything or submit permits.
Then went online and tried to contact Inyo National Forest directly by phone in order to set up a permit directly. Was surprised to find most of the Inyo NF phone numbers have been removed from the fs.usda.gov pages with only a single phone number 760 8732400 to their headquarters office shown that has an answering system set up to say they are on the phone and not available. Searched through a bunch of other information for Inyo NF phone numbers of which their used to be many and all have been removed. Also a number of their web pages are now broken links. Of course this same tactic has been used by many annoying companies this last couple decades discouraging attempts to contact them about problems with their services and products. Many just send one around in circles by automated phone systems. I work for a company that makes VOIP business phone systems so am well aware of how it all works to avoid customers. Of course for government employees not having to respond to we citizens by making it difficult to contact them means less work and stress.