Some Eastern Sierra Closures through June

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Ashery
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Re: Some Eastern Sierra Closures through June

Post by Ashery »

From https://www.facebook.com/inyonf/posts/3019675668113104:
The remaining “walk up” permits will be reserved through www.recreation.gov starting up to 14 days in advance of the date of a wilderness trip.
So, there aren't anymore walk up permits in the traditional sense; what were once walk up permits simply get released for reservations two weeks before any given start date. At least, that's my interpretation of it.
Wandering Daisy wrote: Mon Jun 01, 2020 8:08 am I know many backpackers, who are not even "rich", who simply would not bother with a refund under $20. And if 2-3 members of a group were to no-show at the trailhead, again, it is not worth the bother to apply for a refund. Some agency managers don't care- the less use the easier for them. The has always been misuse of the permit system but I think the new system is ripe for even more misuse.
Heh, fair. I'd joke that I'm a bit of a miser, but I'm also the type who'd likely call to cancel a permit even without a refund.
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counselor
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Re: Some Eastern Sierra Closures through June

Post by counselor »

Ashery wrote: Mon Jun 01, 2020 10:30 pm From https://www.facebook.com/inyonf/posts/3019675668113104:
The remaining “walk up” permits will be reserved through www.recreation.gov starting up to 14 days in advance of the date of a wilderness trip.
So, there aren't anymore walk up permits in the traditional sense; what were once walk up permits simply get released for reservations two weeks before any given start date. At least, that's my interpretation of it.

Yes, that’s my interpretation as well. But that’s not what is happening. Walk up permits have not been made available for any date in June, July, or August. I understand what the website says, what I’m trying to tell you is they the permit allocation hasn’t changed in the last 48 hours and I’ve been checking every hour.

What Inyo is saying is not what they are doing in practice.
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counselor
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Re: Some Eastern Sierra Closures through June

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https://www.recreation.gov/permits/2332 ... 2020-06-02

I can see walk-up permits for certain trails, but when you try to reserve it says "this is available at the facility the day of". That's no different whether your date is in the next 14 days, on day 15, or after that. You simply can't reserve any of the currently "available" walk ups.

That is to say nothing of the fact that most of the trails haven't released any walk ups. They have never had the option of the "w" - they have only released the advanced-reservation permits.

If I'm wrong and someone is able to use the link above to reserve a walk-in permit I'll be happy to eat crow.
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Re: Some Eastern Sierra Closures through June

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counselor wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 7:30 am
If I'm wrong and someone is able to use the link above to reserve a walk-in permit I'll be happy to eat crow.
It looks like the walk up quota has been lumped into the reservable number already. Here is the quota by trail:

https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DO ... 143453.pdf

For example, Cottonwood Lakes has 60 total, 36 reservable and 24 walk up. All 60 show up on recreation.gov if I use the link you provided. Hover your cursor over June 2 and you'll see that 51 out of 60 are still available as of the time I'm writing this.

Not sure why "w" shows up at all. For example, I see "w" for Birch Lake trail, but even that trail has 8 that can be reserved, which is the total quota (including walkups). Maybe all 8 are already reserved? I don't know.
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Re: Some Eastern Sierra Closures through June

Post by freestone »

For Birch Lake I see the current total as 8 but if you go 15 days out the total reverts back to 5 so I think the hiker will have to show up in the trailhead vicinity then call the permitting office for the Walk in Permit then pick it up in the drop box or store it in your smart phone as a pdf.

I see myself driving from the coast to Lone Pine, park the car at the Regional Office, make the phone call, (pray that the walk in quota is not filled) then request it to placed in the dropbox. I grab the permit then drive to the trailhead.
Short cuts make long delays. JRR Tolkien
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TurboHike
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Re: Some Eastern Sierra Closures through June

Post by TurboHike »

freestone,
I see that it reverts back to 5, but tomorrow it will be within the 14 day window and should go up to 8, agree?
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counselor
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Re: Some Eastern Sierra Closures through June

Post by counselor »

TurboHike wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 8:15 am
counselor wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 7:30 am
If I'm wrong and someone is able to use the link above to reserve a walk-in permit I'll be happy to eat crow.
It looks like the walk up quota has been lumped into the reservable number already. Here is the quota by trail:

https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DO ... 143453.pdf

For example, Cottonwood Lakes has 60 total, 36 reservable and 24 walk up. All 60 show up on recreation.gov if I use the link you provided. Hover your cursor over June 2 and you'll see that 51 out of 60 are still available as of the time I'm writing this.

Not sure why "w" shows up at all. For example, I see "w" for Birch Lake trail, but even that trail has 8 that can be reserved, which is the total quota (including walkups). Maybe all 8 are already reserved? I don't know.
This is helpful - you may be onto something. Who knows what the deal is.
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RiseToADry
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Re: Some Eastern Sierra Closures through June

Post by RiseToADry »

TurboHike wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 8:15 am It looks like the walk up quota has been lumped into the reservable number already. Here is the quota by trail:

https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DO ... 143453.pdf

For example, Cottonwood Lakes has 60 total, 36 reservable and 24 walk up. All 60 show up on recreation.gov if I use the link you provided. Hover your cursor over June 2 and you'll see that 51 out of 60 are still available as of the time I'm writing this.

Not sure why "w" shows up at all. For example, I see "w" for Birch Lake trail, but even that trail has 8 that can be reserved, which is the total quota (including walkups). Maybe all 8 are already reserved? I don't know.
Turbo is correct. If you hover over all the permits for Monday June 15 the total number available is different than Tuesday June 16th, and the total number for June 15th is all the normal permits available (walkup + reservation).

The next thing to figure out - When do the online walk-up permits get released? 12:00AM? 6:00AM? Will need to check every hour to figure it out...
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Re: Some Eastern Sierra Closures through June

Post by c0ryh »

RiseToADry wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 10:55 am
TurboHike wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 8:15 am It looks like the walk up quota has been lumped into the reservable number already. Here is the quota by trail:

https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DO ... 143453.pdf

For example, Cottonwood Lakes has 60 total, 36 reservable and 24 walk up. All 60 show up on recreation.gov if I use the link you provided. Hover your cursor over June 2 and you'll see that 51 out of 60 are still available as of the time I'm writing this.

Not sure why "w" shows up at all. For example, I see "w" for Birch Lake trail, but even that trail has 8 that can be reserved, which is the total quota (including walkups). Maybe all 8 are already reserved? I don't know.
Turbo is correct. If you hover over all the permits for Monday June 15 the total number available is different than Tuesday June 16th, and the total number for June 15th is all the normal permits available (walkup + reservation).

The next thing to figure out - When do the online walk-up permits get released? 12:00AM? 6:00AM? Will need to check every hour to figure it out...
I read the permits are released at 7am PST, two weeks prior to the day. What's confusing me is, two weeks out from today is the 16th. Why are the walk up permits only available for the 15th?
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counselor
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Re: Some Eastern Sierra Closures through June

Post by counselor »

RiseToADry wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 10:55 am
TurboHike wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 8:15 am It looks like the walk up quota has been lumped into the reservable number already. Here is the quota by trail:

https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DO ... 143453.pdf

For example, Cottonwood Lakes has 60 total, 36 reservable and 24 walk up. All 60 show up on recreation.gov if I use the link you provided. Hover your cursor over June 2 and you'll see that 51 out of 60 are still available as of the time I'm writing this.

Not sure why "w" shows up at all. For example, I see "w" for Birch Lake trail, but even that trail has 8 that can be reserved, which is the total quota (including walkups). Maybe all 8 are already reserved? I don't know.
Turbo is correct. If you hover over all the permits for Monday June 15 the total number available is different than Tuesday June 16th, and the total number for June 15th is all the normal permits available (walkup + reservation).

The next thing to figure out - When do the online walk-up permits get released? 12:00AM? 6:00AM? Will need to check every hour to figure it out...
While I think this is right I swear they haven't released any walk up permits for North Fork Big Pine Creek. I was up at midnight on June 1 to get something, woke up at 6am checking it, and have been regularly checking since and have never seen any walk ups become available for that trail.
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