High Sierra Topix

Thank you Maverick for sending me this link about permit pickup.

http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/inyo/pass ... 6#reserved

And thank YOU for sharing it on this thread, Robmannn!

We might need to make the distinction between "hiking" (during one day) and "backpacking" overnight for multiple days.

In some jurisdictions, you can hike all you want in one day, no permits required. However, as soon as you are staying out overnight, then the wilderness permit is required.

In a scant few jurisdictions, you cannot even enter the particular wilderness without a permit (day or overnight).

In most cases, you might need to get one overnight permit to start your trip, and that is all you need for the entire trip even if you cross from one jurisdiction into another. For example, you can backpack the entire Pacific Crest Trail on one permit if it is prepared correctly.

Years ago I was going into the Hawaiian Volcanoes National Park. I inquired in advance about a wilderness permit, and I was told that there were Zero available for the time period of interest, and that was because I was not a resident of the state (state residents had some other deal). I was all set to enter the park for 3-4 days. So, I spent the first night just outside the park boundary. Then I entered the park and covered some miles. There is a place where my trail left the park and then re-entered, so it criss-crossed the boundary. I spent my second night just outside the boundary. Then I continued back into the park and down to a standard trailhead. At that point, there was a park ranger monitoring those coming off the trail, and she was checking their names off her list of those who had wilderness permits. When she got to me, she could not find my name on her official list. I explained that I had slept outside the park boundary for two nights, even though I had traveled along those trails during the day. The ranger was a little pissed, but she waved me on.