Piute Pass- already booked for early Aug.

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mokelumnekid
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Piute Pass- already booked for early Aug.

Post by mokelumnekid »

Wow, color me naive, but I tried to get a wilderness permit today (March 27) for Piute Pass in the first two weeks of Aug, and there is nothing- NO DAYS- available until after the 15th. Picture big wrench entering plans :crybaby:
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Re: Piute Pass- already booked for early Aug.

Post by quentinc »

I've never had a problem getting a walk-up permit for Piute (admittedly, just for one person), even at peak season. So have an alternative in your back pocket, but don't give up hope!
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Re: Piute Pass- already booked for early Aug.

Post by maverick »

Q has it right, go for the walk-up, but have a back up plan just in case, wouldn't
change my plans if no reserved permits were available.
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Re: Piute Pass- already booked for early Aug.

Post by mokelumnekid »

Thanks guys- good advice. I had planned to go in on Tuesday Aug. 7 (exit about the 13th), and so on Aug. 6 be driving from Ebbetts Pass area to Bishop. I can stop in Lee Vining on Aug. 6 and try and get a permit there, as I can probably get there by noonish (depending on how much time I spend at Jolly Kone in Bridgeport). The next place is Mammoth and that is a real zoo.

I guess a back-up would be Pine Creek, but that would require a shuttle and extra miles that aren't really relevant to the trip. They have a lot of permits for Pine Creek. I don't seem to mind Pine Creek like many do, but it still doesn't get me close to where I want to be. Going in Pine Creek to Ramona or Honeymoon in a day would be something tho... :confused:

I guess what surprised me was that Piute was booked-out so early! But the take-home is that late March is not 'early' anymore. I have to be more on top of it.
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Re: Piute Pass- already booked for early Aug.

Post by Jimr »

Bummer. Hope you're successful getting a walk-in. Do they allow you to sleep in line at the door any more? I did that several times in the 80's so I was one of the first few in line. For the east side entrances, I diarize exactly 6 months to the day and fax it in first thing in the morning, then call later in the morning to assure they received it.

What's your plan if you go over paiute?
If you don't know where you're going, then any path will get you there.
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Re: Piute Pass- already booked for early Aug.

Post by tim »

This year the online booking system changes things quite a lot. Now you could see when there were days with space and plan your trip around them. I think the added convenience made more people book early. But much more importantly for you, this year you can cancel and get a refund for one or more slots if less people come than expected or indeed if you have to cancel completely. All you lose is the $6 booking fee. So I'd watch the website carefully about 1-2 weeks out to see if there are cancellations. That's likely to present some more options if you have a little flexibility in timing.
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Piute Pass- already booked for early Aug.

Post by bheiser1 »

mokelumnekid wrote: The next place is Mammoth and that is a real zoo.

I guess a back-up would be Pine Creek, but that would require a shuttle and extra miles that aren't really relevant to the trip. They have a lot of permits for Pine Creek. I don't seem to mind Pine Creek like many do,
This caught my eye as one of my trips last summer went that way. I had planned to pick up a permit in Mammoth for a trail from Reds Meadow or some such. Talk about naive, I had no idea what was in store for me at the Mammoth RS. It was like grand central.

I ended up walking out and driving to Bishop instead, that seemed quicker than waiting in that line :). There I picked up a permit for Pine Creek. I camped near Honeymoon Lake and day hiked up to Italy Pass.

People don't like Pine Creek? The switch-backing up past the mines isn't ideal I guess, but it was worth it.
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Re: Piute Pass- already booked for early Aug.

Post by RoguePhotonic »

I like Pine Creek.

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Re: Piute Pass- already booked for early Aug.

Post by quentinc »

The problem with Pine Creek is coming down. :\ I've done it 3 times and it's probably taken 3 years off my knees and ankles. Never again. The trail was designed by an orthopedic surgeon.
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Re: Piute Pass- already booked for early Aug.

Post by Wandering Daisy »

If you are going to loop and the loop includes Lamark Col, permits to reverse your route may be easier to get. Reserve the reverse route, and then if your preferred direction is available, get that as a first-come permit. My last experience of getting a permit at North Lake was that ALL parking was full even though I had a permit. I finally found a parking place almost a mile back from the trailhead. By the time I had parked the car and walked back to the trailhead, an hour was wasted. This also complicates doing a very long first day. We did a short afternoon to Piute Lake- it has nice camping and fishing too. Then second day we went into Puppet Lake. Lately I have been driving to the trailhead and walking in a shorter distance the same day rather than do the long first day. For me this is logistically simplier because I do not have to deal with trailhead car camping.
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