Some Eastern Sierra Closures through June

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Lumbergh21
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Re: Some Eastern Sierra Closures through June

Post by Lumbergh21 »

cdevine wrote: Mon Jun 08, 2020 11:21 am
BaneSierras wrote: Sat Jun 06, 2020 9:59 pm
c0ryh wrote: Fri Jun 05, 2020 12:23 pm Right when you think you have recreation.gov figured out, you realize you don’t. I checked Piute pass permits for 6/18/2020 yesterday and today at 7am PST, hoping the walk up permits would post. However, nothing has changed, there are still zero permits available. Does anyone understand why the additional permits for the 18th did not post two weeks ahead of time at 7am PST?
From my conversation with the office and my experience gaining a walk up permit for 6/1 they are not releasing the permits on recreation.gov until you call in. You just can't call in until 14 days before trip. They release them while you are on the phone with them for the exact trail and quantity you request. They wait for you to grab them, finish the process to completion, then give you the talk and email you the permit.

Any luck getting thru? I've called several times with no answer. Do you have a phone number for Inyo? Or some secret line... hahhaha
That's what I'm worried about being able to get through to a ranger when the time comes.
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BaneSierras
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Re: Some Eastern Sierra Closures through June

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cdevine wrote: Mon Jun 08, 2020 11:21 am
BaneSierras wrote: Sat Jun 06, 2020 9:59 pm
c0ryh wrote: Fri Jun 05, 2020 12:23 pm Right when you think you have recreation.gov figured out, you realize you don’t. I checked Piute pass permits for 6/18/2020 yesterday and today at 7am PST, hoping the walk up permits would post. However, nothing has changed, there are still zero permits available. Does anyone understand why the additional permits for the 18th did not post two weeks ahead of time at 7am PST?
From my conversation with the office and my experience gaining a walk up permit for 6/1 they are not releasing the permits on recreation.gov until you call in. You just can't call in until 14 days before trip. They release them while you are on the phone with them for the exact trail and quantity you request. They wait for you to grab them, finish the process to completion, then give you the talk and email you the permit.

Any luck getting thru? I've called several times with no answer. Do you have a phone number for Inyo? Or some secret line... hahhaha
1-760-873-2483
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BaneSierras
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Re: Some Eastern Sierra Closures through June

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LincolnB wrote: Mon Jun 08, 2020 9:44 am
mort wrote: Fri May 22, 2020 11:03 am
Anyone know about how far up "Forest boundary" gate is on horseshoe meadow Rd?
The gate is just beyond Carol Creek. Where the lilac farm is. 6000 ft alt.
-mort
I just got off the phone with the Lone Pine ranger station, and they said the gate that is closed is just one mile from the campground - the gate at Carol Creek is open. Can anyone confirm?

They also said that gate will stay closed until the campground opens, target June 30.

Yeah, I was there. It's open at Corol Creek but closed at the very top. A short 15 minutes walk from trial heads. There's about 20-30 spots available on the side of the road at the top before the gate.
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Re: Some Eastern Sierra Closures through June

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I am heading over Duck Pass on Thursday and had luck getting my permit via the Mammoth office.
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Re: Some Eastern Sierra Closures through June

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counselor wrote: Fri Jun 05, 2020 2:22 pm I *believe* these are released at 4pm on Fridays. I think this because I'm waiting for one for Big Pine Creek North Fork, and nothing new has opened up this week despite me being ready when they "went live" with the online system on June 1. No new permits have been added to that trail since June 1. I called Inyo and was told dates are released at 4pm on Fridays for the next block of "14 day out" period. If you look online you'll see a bunch of options available up to June 19. That would back up the theory that they release blocks at 4pm every Friday, and that at 4pm today we'll see the next 7 day period open up.
I think this release time of 4pm on Fridays is true, however it doesn't seem universal for all trailheads. For example, Duck pass has 30 available for June 18th, but only 18 available for the 19th. The River Trail has 30 available (full quota) through at least June 22nd.

Most trailheads seem to be like Duck pass - full quota available up to June 18th, but reservation only after. There are some exceptions that have full quota up to 22nd... Sabrina Lake, Sawmill, Treasure, Tuttle, Tyee and Upper Buttermilk (and maybe more). Is it weird that all of the ones that have full quota are at the bottom of the list?

Guess I'll try calling 14 days ahead of time if the permits don't show online... Maybe in a couple weeks the phone lines won't be slammed.
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Re: Some Eastern Sierra Closures through June

Post by GGC23 »

I've also given up on trying to figure out any sort of logical pattern or rule behind when Inyo NF releases walk-up permits. I've been checking recreation.gov almost every day around 8 am and 2 pm, and based on what I've seen, there is no way to know for sure when permits for a certain trailhead will be released. It seems like you can generally expect that they will be available 10-14 days before your start date, but beyond that window, it's anyone's guess.

Regarding calling to get your permit, I did it for the first time yesterday. All things considered, it was fairly painless. I couldn't get through the first few times I called, so I waited 15 minutes and tried again. Someone picked up that second time, and our conversation lasted all of 2 minutes. 760-873-2483 seems to be the best number to call.
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Re: Some Eastern Sierra Closures through June

Post by BaneSierras »

GGC23 wrote: Tue Jun 09, 2020 9:04 am I've also given up on trying to figure out any sort of logical pattern or rule behind when Inyo NF releases walk-up permits. I've been checking recreation.gov almost every day around 8 am and 2 pm, and based on what I've seen, there is no way to know for sure when permits for a certain trailhead will be released. It seems like you can generally expect that they will be available 10-14 days before your start date, but beyond that window, it's anyone's guess.

Regarding calling to get your permit, I did it for the first time yesterday. All things considered, it was fairly painless. I couldn't get through the first few times I called, so I waited 15 minutes and tried again. Someone picked up that second time, and our conversation lasted all of 2 minutes. 760-873-2483 seems to be the best number to call.

I posted above exactly how walk up permits are being handled. They aren't just released. No matter how often you refresh recreation.gov they aren't going to show up until you call and tell them what TH you are going in and how many you want. And you can do this 14 days in advance or less until there are no more permits left (which from my understanding they won't run out of permits for non quota trails unless a ridiculous number of people go)
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Re: Some Eastern Sierra Closures through June

Post by LincolnB »

BaneSierras wrote: Mon Jun 08, 2020 2:07 pm
LincolnB wrote: Mon Jun 08, 2020 9:44 am
I just got off the phone with the Lone Pine ranger station, and they said the gate [on Horseshoe Meadows road] that is closed is just one mile from the campground - the gate at Carol Creek is open. Can anyone confirm?

They also said that gate will stay closed until the campground opens, target June 30.

Yeah, I was there. It's open at Corol Creek but closed at the very top. A short 15 minutes walk from trial heads. There's about 20-30 spots available on the side of the road at the top before the gate.
Thanks BaneSierras. I made a reservation a couple days from now for Trail Pass trail on Recreation.Gov - looks like reservations are limited to 10 per day, even though it states "No quota".

Now I'm trying to follow the Recreation.Gov instructions: "Check-in by phone 1 to 14 days in advance to have the permit emailed." Of the five numbers they list, three have a phone recording saying they're closed. The other two - Lone Pine visitor center, and the Wilderness Permit Office - I've called about 40 times today, no luck yet. If I don't get through I'll carry a copy of the reservation confirmation from Recreation.gov, and if I get stopped I'll tell them I did make a good faith effort to get the permit.
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counselor
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Re: Some Eastern Sierra Closures through June

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BaneSierras wrote: Tue Jun 09, 2020 2:35 pm
GGC23 wrote: Tue Jun 09, 2020 9:04 am I've also given up on trying to figure out any sort of logical pattern or rule behind when Inyo NF releases walk-up permits. I've been checking recreation.gov almost every day around 8 am and 2 pm, and based on what I've seen, there is no way to know for sure when permits for a certain trailhead will be released. It seems like you can generally expect that they will be available 10-14 days before your start date, but beyond that window, it's anyone's guess.

Regarding calling to get your permit, I did it for the first time yesterday. All things considered, it was fairly painless. I couldn't get through the first few times I called, so I waited 15 minutes and tried again. Someone picked up that second time, and our conversation lasted all of 2 minutes. 760-873-2483 seems to be the best number to call.

I posted above exactly how walk up permits are being handled. They aren't just released. No matter how often you refresh recreation.gov they aren't going to show up until you call and tell them what TH you are going in and how many you want. And you can do this 14 days in advance or less until there are no more permits left (which from my understanding they won't run out of permits for non quota trails unless a ridiculous number of people go)
It sounds like you may have figured it out. It’s a bit ridiculous it has taken people coming together on a forum instead of, you know, just issuing guidance as to how to get a permit? So much for the entire process going online June 1...
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Re: Some Eastern Sierra Closures through June

Post by SSSdave »

I'll bet the recreation dot gov webmaster is way too busy with more important issues of that national site to deal with all the many changes throughout the national system during this pandemic turmoil. Consider how each national forest is probably making a lot of changes on the fly and then submitting changes that queue up for the next update. Stuff that they can deal with on the phone they will. So people need patience.
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