Wilderness Permit Information

[fpb56]

I might be wrong but with the snow levels this year I think getting a wilderness permit should be easy.

[fpb56]

Just gave up 3 permits for July 18-25, entry May Lake

[grampy]

As mentioned by potatopants in her “Yosemite North to South 2020” thread, the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest is switching over to Recreation.gov for Hoover Wilderness permit reservations - formerly (but no longer) available by U.S. Mail.
Here is the USFS announcement:
https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/htnf/hom ... rdb5238673

[wsp_scott]

Does anyone know if Inyo permits on Recreation.gov are released at 7am

[ironmike]

I believe it’s midnight, not 7am.

[TurboHike]

Does anyone know if Inyo permits on Recreation.gov are released at 7am

10 a.m. Eastern, so 7 a.m. Pacific time.

I have never seen the permits released late, but a few times last year they were released early by a couple of hours. I was told this was a glitch in the system.

This is the official clock by the way:

https://www.time.gov/

[wsp_scott]

I have been paying attention to the Inyo permits on recreation.gov for the last couple of days. I don't know what time the permits are being released but it is definitely not 10am eastern.

I checked last night (1/27) around 9pm eastern and only 7/27 permits were available. This morning (1/28) at 6:30am eastern permits for 7/28 were available. Based on this, I assume that permits are being released at midnight (no idea if it is eastern or pacific). I got my 7/28 permit this morning so I am not going to bother calling to figure things out.

hope this helps someone

[SirBC]

There was talk last year of Inyo perhaps expanding the no walk-up policy beyond Whitney. Is there any indication of that happening this year?

[wsp_scott]

There was talk last year of Inyo perhaps expanding the no walk-up policy beyond Whitney. Is there any indication of that happening this year?

The Inyo site (https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DO ... 143453.pdf) still lists quotas divided between reserved and walkup.

Baxter Pass - 8 permits with 5 reserved and 3 walkup

[Wandering Daisy]

So is the ultimate goal to eliminate rangers who write in-person first-come permits? Is it a cost issue? Don't you still have to pick up your permit and get the "talk"? I really think the personal interaction between the rangers and the backpacker is really good PR for the Forest Service.

In my opinion in-person walk-up permits are the only way to fairly utilize the last minute "no-shows". If that means a permit fee, instead of free as it is now, so be it, but if you are required to go through the internet, then you are shutting out those who are less tech literate. If it were a matter of who can punch buttons on an I-phone more quickly to get to the head of the line, I would NEVER get a permit!

A first-come permit in SEKI still requires a permit reservation fee. Not that I like it, but if that is what you need to keep the first-come in person system, that is OK with me. I hope Inyo adopts this system, if they simply need more money.

But perhaps in the future FS desks will be manned by robots.