High Sierra Topix

Can one assume that if you go in from something other than a quota trailhead, it is non-quota? What if you were to go up the trail (at least it is a trail on the map) that follows Little Cottonwood Creek? George Creek is a quota trailhead, but what about going x-country up Bairs Creek (which is an alternative approach to Mt Williamson) and then drop over the SE shoulder of Williamson into George Creek? These are just two examples.

Desolation Wilderness has zones and seems to only allow a certain amount of people into each zone, in effect, a quota regardless of entry point. Not sure if this is precisely how it is done. Is that how the Whitney Zone works?

I sure would like to see data on how many reserved permits are actually used by the initial person who gets the permit. How many turned back in and how many no-shows the day of the permit entry? Seems like we are in a gambling game here; would be nice to know the odds.

First of all, almost all of the east-side trails in the Mount Whitney area have daily quotas. The Whitney Zone is basically on the east side, but there are almost no other east-side entry points except for Whitney Portal. The Whitney Zone has one daily quota for dayhikers, and a different daily quota for overnight backpackers. So, it is possible for a whole herd of people to be up there at the same time. Along the Mount Whitney Trail, there are only a few decent places to camp overnight. However, I have been up and down the Mount Whitney Trail for forty consecutive years, so I got a little burned out. Now I start from somewhere else and backpack in to the west side, do the summit, and then backpack out. I've done that a couple of times and prefer it, so that's why I am continuing. I believe that wilderness permit reservations are non-transferable. Yes, some people prefer to go to the Interagency Center near Lone Pine and just hope to get a walk-up permit, but I've had friends who found that almost impossible to deal with.

Are the permits given for the route up to Iceberg Lake (Mountaineers Route and other east face routes) under the same quota as the ones to Trail Crest? I have never been up Whitney on the trail, just three routes from Iceberg Lake. But I was not the one who procured the permits; I just paid my share and did the climbs. I have been seriously looking at going from Iceberg Lake over to Arctic Lake to get into the Upper Kern. Or coming out that way. Not sure if that is any easier to get permits than via Trail Crest.

Wandering Daisy wrote: ↑Wed Mar 27, 2019 8:34 pm Are the permits given for the route up to Iceberg Lake (Mountaineers Route and other east face routes) under the same quota as the ones to Trail Crest?

For overnight, no, you need an overnight permit for the NF Lone Pine Creek (JM34). For day use, yes, the Whitney Zone day pass is the same for both routes.

Interesting (as well as disturbing if this is what Inyo is going to do for all trailheads) post on the Whitney Zone.

http://www.whitneyzone.com/wz/ubbthread ... #Post54890

Wandering Daisy wrote: ↑Tue Apr 09, 2019 7:28 am Interesting (as well as disturbing if this is what Inyo is going to do for all trailheads) post on the Whitney Zone.

I saw that.. Kind of disturbing.. A lot of people would use the walk up route to grab a Whitney Permit when they struck out in the lottery. I've never seen the draw in hiking up the conga line to Whitney from the portal. When I did climb Whitney I went up the backside and down the MR to avoid the crowds.

I get up super early and hit trails on the back side of the range here in the LA area as to avoid as many people as possible.

psykokid wrote: ↑Tue Apr 09, 2019 10:18 am I get up super early and hit trails on the back side of the range here in the LA area as to avoid as many people as possible.

Yeah, so much of California living is crowd avoidance. Try leaving Tahoe on a Sunday afternoon :P

And the digital divide gets higher...
Have they thought about whether everyone who hikes or backpacks (including many old-timers) is going to be proficient at using their own personal internet capable device at the local coffee shop to check for and grab a "walk-up" permit that is now a "web only" permit? You know, there are still folks who don't have a smartphone.
-Phil

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