Inyo N F wilderness permit reservations

[SirBC]

I'm surprised by the number of folks that miss the reservation pickup. I couldn't stand it, myself. Who wants to stand in a line wasting half the morning, when you can be miles up the trail watching a beautiful sunrise. Or, just not dying in the heat on a trail like Taboose. I did the Night Box whenever I could.

I usually rely on walk-up permits and my usual "system" is to arrive in Mammoth two days before I want to start my trip so I can acclimate for a couple of days. So the morning after I arrive I get in whatever line exists (sometimes none) at around 7:30 am, get my number at 8 and then go and grab some breakfast and come back at 11 to get my permit for the following day and am usually on the trail by 6-7 am. Pretty easy and allows for much more flexibility than what I have to do this year. Hopefully they don't make this system permanent.

[Wandering Daisy]

I am in the process of reserving trips; I have done Yosemite, Inyo and Sierra NF. I am running into another problem with the current system.

I wanted to go in to Ionian from North Lake, but no available permits. The problem is, that when the 2-week "walk-in" window opens, I am going to be 2nd day out on an 8 day trip, fishing at Big McGee Lake . I will still try when I get home (6 days after walk-ins open) but not hopeful. So I just reserved a permit from Sierra NF for a 10-day trip from Maxon to Ionian Basin, a backup plan but likely the trip.

A week after the Ionian Basin trip I want to do two back-to-back trips from Cedar Grove SEKI, Again I will be in the mountains when walk-ins open. I have yet to try to do a permit from SEKI.

I totally missed this complication when I thought I would just wait and get one of the walk-ins the first day they were open. I was only thinking of fire closures that may occur in August so wanted to wait to get permits. should have figured this out earlier!

[Gazelle]

WD A thought is to have someone else...husband, me, anyone get a 2 person permit when they become available walk up and make you the alternate leader, then cancel the other person?

[Wandering Daisy]

Good idea. I think just a permit for 1 person would work, because I think you are allowed to change the leader name later.

A bit more information- called Inyo regarding early trips using Devils Postpile trailheads. Permits are being sold even when the road is not likely to be open. They are prioritizing opening the road to George Lake, so you will be able to drive to Duck Lake TH and Deer Lk trailheads in about mid June. Evidently a lot of repairs have to be done on Devil's Postpile Road. If you go out of Agnew Meadow, not bad- just walk 2.8 miles down the road or another trail. Since the gate is locked you would not have to pay to get in. But walking to the end of valley (PCT, JMT, Minaret Lk, Fern Lk, Beck Lk trailheads) is much longer. The person I talked with estimated that the Devils Postpile road will open late June to Reds Meadow.

The thing I do not like about the reserve.gov is that you can pay and reserve even if the roads to the trailheads are not likely to be open. I looked at the Devils Postpile web page, and nothing there said much either. Just a list of historic opening dates.

[wildhiker]

Good idea. I think just a permit for 1 person would work, because I think you are allowed to change the leader name later.

A bit more information- called Inyo regarding early trips using Devils Postpile trailheads. Permits are being sold even when the road is not likely to be open. They are prioritizing opening the road to George Lake, so you will be able to drive to Duck Lake TH and Deer Lk trailheads in about mid June. Evidently a lot of repairs have to be done on Devil's Postpile Road. If you go out of Agnew Meadow, not bad- just walk 2.8 miles down the road or another trail. Since the gate is locked you would not have to pay to get in. But walking to the end of valley (PCT, JMT, Minaret Lk, Fern Lk, Beck Lk trailheads) is much longer. The person I talked with estimated that the Devils Postpile road will open late June to Reds Meadow.

The thing I do not like about the reserve.gov is that you can pay and reserve even if the roads to the trailheads are not likely to be open. I looked at the Devils Postpile web page, and nothing there said much either. Just a list of historic opening dates.

Get your husband or other trusted person to login and reserve your permit while you are out on the trail. They can go ahead and put in your name as the leader, especially if you give your husband your recreation.gov password so he logs in as you. From the point of view of the reservation system, you did it.

Also, they let you reserve permits on recreation.gov even if the road might not be open. Their policy is that if access is not possible, they cancel your permit and refund your money. At least, that is what they did for me when a campground I reserved last year was unexpectedly closed due to COVID.

-Phil

[wildhiker]

Ok, thinking about trying to get a "walk-up" (actually, "short term reservation") wilderness permit later in the summer for one of the Inyo NF trailheads. Checking the Inyo NF permit website https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/inyo/passe ... recreation, I see two conflicting messages about when these "walk-up" permits get added to recreation.gov. Both messages are in the "How to reserve a permit" section.

First, at the top of this section, it says:

*If you see a W displayed reservations are currently fully booked. Additonal space will be added for short term reservations 14 days before the trip at 7am Pacific time. Please contact the Wilderness Permit Office for further information.*

Next, near the bottom of this section, it says:

40% of quota traditionally set aside for walk up permits is being added to the reservation website every Monday afternoon for the following Monday through Sunday.

So which is it? Walk-up permits added to recreation.gov each day for the day exactly two weeks out, or added in groups for an entire week, one week earlier on Monday? Anybody know the answer from either personal experience or official communication with a real person in the Inyo NF?

-Phil

EDIT: Answered my own question. I got through to the Inyo NF wilderness information line at (760) 873-2483 and talked to "Cindy". She confirmed that the FIRST message - "walk-up" permits are added exactly two weeks in advance at 7 am - is CORRECT. She says that so far, this automated process has been working correctly and these "walk-up" permits are in fact showing up at 7 am. The second message, about adding permits in weekly batches, was the procedure last year. Their web person forgot to remove that old language when adding the new language up top. "Cindy" says they have requested that the website be fixed. Who knows how long that will take. Probably requires filling out a paper form in triplicate and sending it to an unmonitored box in D.C. :-)