High Sierra Topix

@sukhoi_584th I can confirm what you heard on the phone. I heard it the prior week and just responded on the other thread. They loaded them mid-morning or so on Monday when I reserved mine.

So...is 760-873-2483 still the right number to call?

Lone Pine area; Eastern Sierra Visitor Center 760-876-6200
Bishop area: White Mountain Ranger Station 760-873-2500
Mammoth area: Mammoth Lakes Welcome Center 760-924-5500
Lee Vining area: Mono Basin Scenic Area 760-647-3044
Wilderness Permit Office: 760-873-2483

Try any of them, per recreation.gov. I tried each one in succession over and over, then tried just picking one of them and dialing over and over, before moving on to the next one over and over...

I received an email from a ranger after using the "Contact Us" form on the Inyo NF website. She said:

"To pick up your permit, please call the Wilderness Permit Office OR any of the four Visitor Centers as far out as 14 days before your trip. The call load has been significant, so if you get disconnected just keep trying. We are picking up as many calls as we possibly can. (Wilderness Permit Office and Mammoth Lakes Welcome Center have been best at getting permits to people)."

Mammoth area: Mammoth Lakes Welcome Center 760-924-5500
Wilderness Permit Office: 760-873-2483

I hammered the 2483 number like crazy for several days and finally got through yesterday at about 11:30am. I did over 100 calls! I'm pretty sure it was pure random chance, however, and not the time of day. (I think they go to lunch between noon and 1pm.) Anyway, I was getting seriously frustrated and was ready to simply head out into the wilderness with my printed reservation in hand, and if anyone asked me I'd show them my phone's "Recent Calls" list that showed how many times I tried. Especially when it was only for a Trail Pass (non-quota) trailhead reservation. But I feel better for having done it the right way.

I came her looking for this advice. Holy crap. I must have hit "0" at least 100 times to speak with a "human". After it said it was busy, or rang and hung up on me, finally got through. I'll have to do it again and they will email the permit and treat the call as a check-in. This is way better anyway so I don't have to go to Lone Pine a day in advance.

I got through on my 87th attempt! Luckily, I got both my permits (different dates) emailed so I don't have to try and beat my current record by calling back. Good luck and patience to all trying to call for your permits. You'll need both.

John

jfr wrote: ↑Thu Jun 18, 2020 7:48 pm I was getting seriously frustrated and was ready to simply head out into the wilderness with my printed reservation in hand, and if anyone asked me I'd show them my phone's "Recent Calls" list that showed how many times I tried.

That was my plan if I could not get through. I finally connected after 87 tries. I was going to give up at 100 and just take my reservation and "recent calls" on my phone. At least I don't have to execute that plan now.

John

I didn't count all the tries but I did finally get through for a permit over Bishop Pass next week. My phone call lasted 10 minutes and consisted of the ranger verbally orating the permit details as he filled them out on his PC then proceeded to test me on all the wilderness protocol. I could see where a chatty caller could tie these Rangers up on a call for a half hour or longer thus causing the logjam of calls.

Question about Yosemite access:
As the Tuolumne Shuttle (and other bus services) appear to be shut down until 2021, what are folks doing about doing their own self-shuttle (two cars) for non-loop trips ? Considering the limited entry quota (private autos) for this season, does anyone know if the people at entry gates will allow 2 people (intending to hike on a single Wilderness Permit) to each drive in their own car ? I can turn my planned point-point hike into a “there and back” if required, but prefer not to.

Grampy, here's what the Yosemite website says:

What if my group is arriving in more than one vehicle?

A day-use reservation is required for each vehicle (or motorcycle) that enters the park. The person whose name is on the reservation must be in the vehicle with a valid photo ID.

Groups with lodging or camping reservations, wilderness permits, and Half Dome permits may arrive in more than one vehicle. An occupant in each vehicle must provide a copy or photo of the driver license belonging to the person who made the reservation to be permitted to enter.

So it reads like you can do 2 cars if the other person has a copy of the driver's license of the person who made the reservation.