Inyo wilderness permits

[bobby49]

I booked a wilderness permit on Recreation.gov, paid, and waited. The reservation was confirmed right away. I was told to check in 2-14 days prior to the start. So, at 14 days prior, I tried to check in by email. I was warned that it might take 2 days for them to send me the permit. No response at all. I resent the email. No response at all. I tried to telephone the Interagency Visitor Center. The call was answered by machine, and then dropped. I've tried that four times now. Always dropped.

Am I expecting too much of the permit office?

I'm within one week of the start, and I need to have the signed permit with me. I will not be able to get to the Interagency Visitor Center.

[robow8]

I called them for a week about a campground question. I finally got to talk to someone on Monday. But I had seen on Facebook that people were having problems getting their permits emailed in time, so I asked. He chuckled, then said that the best way of the three (email, phone then email, and in person) is in person at one of the centers. I heard that they are really understaffed, and that many are working remotely, so that is adding to the delays.
I have a reservation for the beginning of August. I am going to email them two weeks out, and I will stop by a station if I need to.
Oh, and I saw on Monday on Facebook, that someone with a July 1 start finally got their permit emailed.
Good luck.

[Wandering Daisy]

I had a similar problem with a permit from Agnew Meadow. I could not reach the Mammoth Office at all. Then I called Bishop office and someone answered and wrote me a permit. Evidently it does not matter which office e-mails you the final permit. You may try other offices.

[SSSdave]

Tomorrow will start playing at recreation dot gov the 2 weeks from a potential trip start day at 7am, can I get that INF trailhead game.

[SSSdave]

Successfully obtained an 8-day Mono Pass out of Mosquito Flat permit for 2 of us. As I logged in at 7:05am, there were still all 12 walk-up permits available for a Wednesday while 0 showed for Thursday and 4 for Saturday since the latter 2 days had been available over last 2 days. Also just cancelled a (6 month) reservation 3 person permit for July 15 that someone else could now go for. So system has been working for this person though now will find out about actually getting the paper permit.

[BandedGlossoma]

I have a pass out of North lake on July 6 and still haven’t received an email back from them

Question: if I never get a return email can I expect to be able to pick it up in Paterson on the 6th?

[bobby49]

The Interagency Visitor Center permit phone is impossible. I've tried a dozen times per day. "We're unable to take your call..."

Despite the paid permit reservation, if I can't check in, then I will need to cancel my trip. I guess that is my federal tax dollars at work.

[Flamingo]

@bobby49 -- I agree it is frustrating! Have you tried calling the regional offices? (e.g. the Mono Lake wilderness permit desk, or the Mammoth lakes desk). Same as you, I was getting no answer on the main Interagency Visitor Center phone number, but I had success when I called a regional desk.

[bobby49]

I tried calling the INF office in Bishop. Suddenly the call went through, and Haley answered. I exclaimed, "My gosh, a human!" Then the call was dropped.

[SSSdave]

As someone noted, one can still try and get a permit printed out at a forest service office on the drive up however that can be inconvenient and delay getting on trails during the preferred early morning coolness. However the basic issue is one of government failure to adequately staff the program that leaves it in some cases non-functional. If rec dot gov issues a reservation for a national forest wilderness permit while the lack of staffing at a national forest makes it impossible to actually print out a permit before a trip, one could argue that no court would convict a person for being cited in the wilderness without said permit if they instead carried copies of rec dot gov and national forest emails.