self-issued permits at wilderness access points?

[bheiser1]

Not at all. I go spontaneously all the time. Just today someone called up and said "let's go to Mineral King for four days this Friday!"

So how did you get your permit?

[rlown]

Hmmm, well ... the idea was (being on a Wiki and all) that it develop into something maintained by the community ... just like wikipedia.

Yeah, links to usfs sites could be part of it ... but given how vague the various sites are, that's of limited use.

I guess I mis-judged how this idea would be received... oh well!

So am I really the only one who thinks of my weekends as a time to be "free", do things (including weekend backpacking trips) spontaneously, not planned weeks in advance?

Don't get me wrong.. wiki's are great but, unless moderated, the information is as bad as a very old thread on a forum for conveying solid information.

There is a permit page on this forum is at http://www.highsierratopix.com/411_perm ... tions.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If you discover great stuff, beyond the two URL's on that page, you should take that page, bulk it out, and submit it to Eric for possible publishing.

You almost always have to call, in my opinion, to understand permitting in a specific area, or be prepared to try and get somewhere on the day before to get a walk-in permit. I like self-registration, but that would mostly in low use trailheads.

[bheiser1]

OK, thanks for that link. This is all rather frustrating to say the least ... a forced requirement yet an archaic system for its users... maybe I'm just cranky about it right now because I stayed home this weekend, in spite of the beautiful weather, mostly because I didn't have a permit to go any of the places I had in mind for the weekend (was hoping for a high sierra destination since before long it'll be covered in snow). I was super busy at work all week, and simply didn't have time to research to find the right trailhead, search around to find the right ranger station to call, and then actually call around during business hours to find a permit. <sigh>...

[AlmostThere]

Not at all. I go spontaneously all the time. Just today someone called up and said "let's go to Mineral King for four days this Friday!"

So how did you get your permit?

Permit? It's after Sept 26. We drive out there, write a little on a piece of paper, and hike. Self reg period for SEKI...



And if it weren't... we would drive out there, talk to the ranger in the wilderness center, get a permit for an open trailhead, and go wherever we could. Never gone out and not gone backpacking because I could not get a permit.

For areas like Yosemite leaving an itinerary with someone is as easy as texting - reception is okay in the valley and at Tuolumne Meadows - so if we are just wanting to go backpacking and did not have a reserved permit, we drive out and get whatever we can get. There are usually ample slots for some trailhead or other, and sometimes, you just get lucky at 10 am when they release the unclaimed reserved permits.

SEKI I am less familiar with cell phone reception spots.... But it is easy to leave a note saying "I am going to mineral king, I left my itinerary (whatever it will be) with the ranger out there."

[bheiser1]

Hmmmm, cool ... glad to hear it's so easy. I guess my pov is, I need to drive 4-5 hours to get there, so it's not worth going and risking not getting a permit... or spending all of my Saturday (half my weekend) to hunt down ranger stations where I might find one... assuming the stations are even open when I arrive.

Anyway it seems I'm the only one with this issue, the rest of you have this all figured out so it works for you. Thanks for the feedback .

[rlown]

you must have pop-ups blocked or don't look at your PM's.. On the top bar, there should be a # messages indicator.. Sent you one a while ago..

Unfortunately, during the high season, on certain trailheads, you're gonna waste a day, if you expect self-issue, depending on where you're going and when.. I often waste a day anyway in travel and camping high the first night to acclimatize. Accept that you're gonna waste Friday driving. Plan on a great meal or two on the way and the scenery..

[bheiser1]

ohhh, my apologies ... you're right, I was rejecting pop-ups. I'll watch 'em now .

[AlmostThere]

Anyway it seems I'm the only one with this issue, the rest of you have this all figured out so it works for you. Thanks for the feedback .

Perhaps you are taking a different message than we/I was trying to send you from all the posts in this thread... it isn't that you are somehow the only one with an issue. As I have explained to many backpacking noobs in my own hiking group, all this is do-able - it just takes a little figuring out. Some trips you have to do in advance, some you can do at the last possible minute, and some really popular ones you may have to be really patient for permits - once you're aware of the rules in the places you want to go it just sort of falls into place. I live within shouting distance of Yosemite, the police state of the parks, and their permitting system consistently irritates folks coming from out of state just as they irritate you, for similar reasons. It doesn't irritate me at all because I go often enough to know what I can expect from showing up at the wilderness office at the last minute - Happy Isles, Sunset, Rafferty, Vogelsang, Cathedral, will all be booked on weekends. If I show up at 10 am Saturday I'll get an unclaimed permit for something. Everyone forgets they put unclaimed reserved permits up for grabs.