Some Eastern Sierra Closures through June

[richlong8]

Especially because if all permits are reservation only, I predict they will quickly all be reserved by people "just in case" and many will go unused after all, with no opportunity to be re-assigned.
-Phil

I'm certainly guilty of that this year, in the sense that I reserved a permit for two even though I didn't have second person committed to the trip at that time, but with the SARS CoV-2 scare, I'm pretty sure that I'll be going alone. At least I hope that Inyo follows SEKI's lead and issues permits by email with the lecture over the phone and doesn't just declare Inyo closed to the public until further notice.

They have stated on the federal website that hiking trails will not be closed, so please don't give them any new ideas to regulate our freedoms. However, it is much more likely, in my opinion, that they may keep gates locked as long as possible when the road to the trailhead leads to a campground also. But I don't want to give them any new ideas either? Does anyone know if the wilderness rangers are working this summer, or just in National Parks, or Mt. Whitney?

[c0ryh]

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?

[counselor]

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?

I've been scouring all of the internet for information and have been refreshing recreation.gov multiple times a day, including right after midnight, and here's what I have come up with:

They release walk-ups permits for dates 14 days out

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.

With all of that being said, 4pm could come to pass with no new permits released. I really don't know what's going on and I'm just cobbling things together.

[BaneSierras]

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.

[BaneSierras]

Especially because if all permits are reservation only, I predict they will quickly all be reserved by people "just in case" and many will go unused after all, with no opportunity to be re-assigned.
-Phil

I'm certainly guilty of that this year, in the sense that I reserved a permit for two even though I didn't have second person committed to the trip at that time, but with the SARS CoV-2 scare, I'm pretty sure that I'll be going alone. At least I hope that Inyo follows SEKI's lead and issues permits by email with the lecture over the phone and doesn't just declare Inyo closed to the public until further notice.

They have stated on the federal website that hiking trails will not be closed, so please don't give them any new ideas to regulate our freedoms. However, it is much more likely, in my opinion, that they may keep gates locked as long as possible when the road to the trailhead leads to a campground also. But I don't want to give them any new ideas either? Does anyone know if the wilderness rangers are working this summer, or just in National Parks, or Mt. Whitney?

Gate at Horseshoe still closed before campground. We did not see any rangers on our 4 days trip in Inyo. Though there were 3 cars in the parking lot behind locked gate so my assumption is they were out there somewhere but maybe not on duty. Also, the permit office told me they had no trail reports on new army pass before we went so that tells me that rangers hadn't been out there

[Bishop_Bob]

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.

If getting through to the ranger by phone becomes more efficient, this is a great way to do it even beyond the current weirdness. Like others have mentioned, it would be nice not to have to coordinate the timing of the start of my trips with the open hours of the ranger office.

[freestone]

If getting through to the ranger by phone becomes more efficient, this is a great way to do it even beyond the current weirdness. Like others have mentioned, it would be nice not to have to coordinate the timing of the start of my trips with the open hours of the ranger office.

I certainly agree with that except for the Walk Up Permit. It is no longer a situation of being able to show up "on the day of" your hike and score a permit as was intended. Now they seem to be added and up for grabs 14 days out instead of "on the day of". Now they may be all taken at once and last minute cancellations will not show up in the system fast enough for a reissue.
I foresee another problem with people not showing up but not not going back online to cancel their permit thus leaving the trail quota under filled.

[Bishop_Bob]

If getting through to the ranger by phone becomes more efficient, this is a great way to do it even beyond the current weirdness. Like others have mentioned, it would be nice not to have to coordinate the timing of the start of my trips with the open hours of the ranger office.

I certainly agree with that except for the Walk Up Permit. It is no longer a situation of being able to show up "on the day of" your hike and score a permit as was intended. Now they seem to be added and up for grabs 14 days out instead of "on the day of". Now they may be all taken at once and last minute cancellations will not show up in the system fast enough for a reissue.
I foresee another problem with people not showing up but not not going back online to cancel their permit thus leaving the trail quota under filled.

Maybe "no sooner than the day before" is a better strategy for walk-ups. At least there would be some increased level of certainty that the permit will be used.

[LincolnB]

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.

[cdevine]

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