High Sierra Topix

Desolation Wilderness charges a $5 per night with some obscure rules, limited to $100 per trip for any group. You can purchase an annual indivudual wilderness permit for $20 that is good for the entire season. This little known permit is hidden in the website.

https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/eldorado ... ev7_019071

You still have to show up in person and get your permit, and trailhead quotas still apply, but just show the pass (a punch card). The break even is two trips of more than one night, or four overnight trips. So it is worth it if you plan to use Desolation Wilderness a lot. This is not a group card, but an individual card. If a person in your group does not have the annual pass, they would have to pay. I buy one every year and usually at least break even. Then, do not loose the card!

Note that interagency senior passes do not apply to the overnight backpack charges in Desolation Wilderness.

Huh, never knew about this annual permit. You wrote that 'you still have to show up in person and get your permit'...are you referring to the annual permit, or subsequent overnight permits? My recollection is that all overnight permits are now available online, no?

Can you make online reservations using the annual pass, and what about fees for more than one person, can you pay those as an 'add-on'?

The permit I got last year was a paper punch card. I have never used the internet to get my permit nor have I ever reserved, so I cannot answer your question. The ranger station is right on my way so it has never been a problem for me. You will have to call and ask about how it works with internet reservations.