High Sierra Topix

I make a good effort to get a permit for every trip, because I really believe that the permit system makes my experience, once out there, better by not limiting usage. But I do not reserve. Yet, I have rarely had to stand in line more than about 10 minutes for any permit. It is logistical luck that if I leave home, east of Sacramento, at 7-8AM, I get to the Mono Visitor Center a bit before 11AM, which is an ideal time to get a first-come same-day cancellations as well as the next day unreserved permits for any trailhead on the east side to the south. About 90% of the time I get a same-day permit. I have also had little trouble with permits in Yosemite. It is more difficult to get a permit from SEKI. It is annoying that you cannot pick up a Roads End permit at Grant Grove office.

I wrote about a friend and permits. If I wanted to write a negative response to what I wrote I would have invented a story VERY much like the story bobby 49 wrote. After reading his story I can say this. In all my time backpacking ,which is a great deal, I never saw anything even remotely like his story. In fact I never saw a confrontation between a ranger and someone else.

Cross Country wrote:I wrote about a friend and permits. If I wanted to write a negative response to what I wrote I would have invented a story VERY much like the story bobby 49 wrote. After reading his story I can say this. In all my time backpacking ,which is a great deal, I never saw anything even remotely like his story. In fact I never saw a confrontation between a ranger and someone else.

As a former ranger I know they do occur. Two occasions come to mind. Once I caught a hunter who did not tag his deer. It was outside of the park and the hunter had two friends. I immediately had all three unload their weapons, had one cradle all three rifles in his arms and the other two carry out the deer about 2 miles to the trailhead. About 1/2 way out we met 2 CDFW wardens that I had contacted by radio. There really was no hostility and the three were very cooperative. Next year I ran into the same hunters and they greeted me by name, "Hi mike! He was so stupid! He lost his rifle, had to pay $380, and lost his hunting privileges for 3 years." I never drew my weapon during the incident but did unbutton the safety strap. I was on horseback and never dismounted.

The other incident was a little more unnerving. I met a man with 2 kids about 5 miles into the park with a dog. I told him he would have to turn around and he pretty much refused to. I said, "Well you can do anything you want. But your rig is at the trail head and if you don't return immediately there will be rangers waiting and you will receive a citations for having a dog in the park and disobeying a lawful order of a park official." He sat on his horse with his hand on his large belt knife eyeing me for about 2 minutes. Then led his kids and pack stock back towards the trail.

So confrontations between rangers and visitors do occur. I for one would never have tried enforce the law by resorting to force, either physically or with a weapon, unless necessary to protect my life or the life of others. FYI back then commissioned rangers were not required to wear their weapons. In the first instance I was because I was doing boundary patrol during hunting season. In the second incident I was not and I think that was to my advantage.

And then... sometimes you don't have to have a confrontation. Many years ago, some bikers rode their Harleys up to Tuolumne Meadows and arrived late at night after the campground was already full. So, one guy rode his Harley off the road and out into the middle of the grassy meadow, in plain site of everybody, and where no vehicles are permitted. Early the next morning, one park ranger got on his horse and was doing the early morning patrol. As soon as he got out there to the meadow, he saw the Harley parked with the guy asleep in a sleeping bag beside it. So, the ranger quietly tied up his horse, then walked over and removed the distributor rotor from the Harley and put that in his pocket. He left a note that said he could claim his motorcycle part at the nearby ranger station, but that he would need to display the entire motorcycle there in order to get it. Then the ranger quietly got back on his horse and rode off to the ranger station.

When the guy woke up and tried to start the Harley, of course it wasn't going to start. He read the note. Then he had to push the Harley all the way over to the ranger station. That is a heavy bike, and I'm sure it took a lot of work. I'm not sure what other penalty was levied by the rangers.