Wilderness Permit Information

[wildhiker]

This Mt. Whitney Zone third-party website does not appear to be up-to-date. It links to the official Forest Service website. On the FS site, it clearly states that ALL wilderness permits must be reserved on-line, with NO walkups. In the Whitney Zone page section on supposed walk-up permits, it has a link to an "Unused Whitney Permits" page that dates to 2017. If you scroll down, you find 2023 updates that confirm that there are no longer any walkups. So the authors updated this secondary page, but not the main one.
-Phil

[Wandering Daisy]

Thanks for doing the detective work on this. Too bad. I had used walk-up cancellations in the past for most of my trips.

[John Harper]

Since you have to reserve the "W" permits up to 2 weeks in advance, but if you had to cancel, wouldn't the permit go back up on the system? I just cancelled my reserved (not W) permit for 2 on June 10 (Cottonwood Lakes), and it showed up on the system as 2 available permits. Maybe there is a cut off time that it's too late to re-post. But, hoping for a last minute cancellation is fraught with uncertainty anyway.

John

[Wandering Daisy]

I think you can pick up a last-minute permit on your phone, at any location where you have cell service, however, it was my understanding that you had to carry a printed permit. I may be wrong about that. I think when you get a "W" spot, you still have to turn it into a permit by clicking "print" whereby an e-copy of the permit is sent via e-mail. It used to be if this step was not done 3 days prior to entry, it was assumed you cancelled. The question really is how to get "W" permits that are within 3 days prior. I did not backpack in the Sierra last summer so am not sure what they actually do now.

[freestone]

I think you have to show up at the Field Office with a reservation ID number from Recreation.gov even if it is for "W". They can not/will not issue the Permit without that number even if they are plenty available. I think all Permits are paper because they have to be signed and presentable to a Ranger asking to see it. Never heard of an E-permit.

[Wandering Daisy]

I bet the year(s) I was able to print my own permit without stopping at a ranger station was during COVID when offices were basically closed.

[FrankPS]

I bet the year(s) I was able to print my own permit without stopping at a ranger station was during COVID when offices were basically closed.

You still print your Inyo wilderness permits:

https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/inyo/pas ... rdb5356869

[frozenintime]

you can also print desolation permits and - i think? - humboldt toiyabe.

[bobby49]

What about Emigrant Wilderness? Where I want to go, there are DIY permits and there are no quotas and no fees... I think.

[Harlen]

Yep, Bobby49. We just returned from a fun trip in the Emigrant out of Kennedy Meadows, and were told it is a no quota area. We obtained our WP by walking into the Pinecrest Station on the day we went in-- 5/24. I was super impressed with the area, having never been there before.