The applications must be made online this year. They have done away with the mail-in version, so there probably isn't a PDF of the 2012 application available. The lottery opens on Feb. 1, so that's when you should be able to go online and apply.
The only way to apply for Whitney lottery permits in 2012 is on line at www.recreation.gov. When you're looking for a 2012 pdf file you're looking for something that doesn't exist.
If you're able to attend any of my Mt. Whitney clinics next week at Adventure 16 stores I'll have all the details of how to apply in the presentation. On this message board I can dictate the opening steps. You can try this and see if you're able to get through it:
(1) In your web browser go to www.recreation.gov. (2) On the left side of this page you'll see the word "where" and a box below it. Type "Mt. Whitney" into this box. Most likely you'll see some wording pop up that says "MT WHITNEY, INYO NATIONAL FOREST". Use your left click button and click on it. (3) The box below that below the words "Interested in" click on the downward facing arrow immediately right of the words "Any Recreation". A drop down menu will appear. Look for "Permits and Wilderness". Click that. (4) Click the next button down that says "Search".
Doing the above steps will bring you to another page and you can start the process of applying for the lottery.
You won't be able to do any of this until February 1 so there's no need to even try until then. You'll have until March 15 to do this and it won't make any difference on which day you do it as long as you do this between February 1 and March 15.
If you come to one of my clinics I will have a presentation that will show screen shots of the actual process from start to finish. I will also offer a couple tips on how to increase your chances of getting a permit.
If you can't attend one of the clinics feel free to get in touch with me and I'll try to answer your questions further.
You must have an account to get a permit...any permit. And they charge a $6 permit processing fee in addition to the permit fee... Obamanomics in action! They will still set aside a number of permits for walk in peeps, but overnighters must use recreation dot gov. This is for all permits in the Inyo.
Hi Long before the current President. The logic debate on fee demo was over 15 years ago.
Kurt has outlined the steps it take to apply very well . When the system went live I checked the first day because in the past systems it never worked , this version works most of the time but wants to think for you and throw information on the screen taking your eye off the box that you need to answer.You may see a lake ,trail, campground with the name you are searching for but it may be in 10 different States Thanks Doug
Last edited by Doug Sr; 01/29/1205:35 PM. Reason: topic needs meet "how to get a permit"
... And they charge a $6 permit processing fee in addition to the permit fee... Obamanomics in action! ... I think it's a Ticketmaster web engine behind the Recreation.gov collections so that could be where the money is going.
You must have an account to get a permit...any permit. And they charge a $6 permit processing fee in addition to the permit fee... Obamanomics in action!
Has anybody submitted their application yet? And if so, is there still a way to enter a range of dates as opposed to one specific date?
For example, last year I wrote in "Any day hike in August" and it worked, but looking at the site it seems we have to pick one specific date and don't have the range option...
Also, we had at least 10 options to pick from per application in the past... is it just a single shot in the dark now or am I completely missing something?
"Also, we had at least 10 options to pick from per application in the past... is it just a single shot in the dark now or am I completely missing something?"
Hi, I checked the site this morning and it is allowing for 15 dates, instead of the 10 we all thought it would be, per application.
Wow...I went to recreation.gov last night and put in my reservation request for some dates. I got in again this morning and requested more after figuring out I could request 15 dates per application. In the past I'd add on to that PDF application and I'd have 100 dates by the time I was done to try and assure myself a spot sometime. Now, if I want to request 100 different days I'm going to have to submit 7 applications.
My thoughts...the website is absolutely terrible. It is very, very buggy and overly complicated. Did anyone test thing? You make a selection and then go for your entry date. Choose the entry date and it doesn't drop in. Then choose again and it drops but the entry trail disappears. It took 25 minutes to create one 15 date application. I'd think it'd be easier to try and get a walk up.
Yup, not a fan of the site at all. I just sat down and submitted 2 applications. Extremely buggy (exactly how you described, fields will populate and unpopulate seemingly at will), and there is no option for a range of dates.
Another problem with the 15 max dates per app is that, if you submit 7 applications, like you stated, you might "win" on all of them, which means $105 per hiker and 7 dates, where you were really only looking for one.
On the bright (and selfish) side, this process may very well scare people away from applying and increase our success rates.
Just put in for a few dates in July and, actually, didn't have any of the problems stated above. The only pull-down menu that was a bit confusing was to select an exit point, so I just started typing "Mt. Whitney" and the correct one popped in.
I only put in for a few days difference between them all, so here's hoping it comes out positively! They also gave me an option to fill out a survey, which I did. But as I said, I was able to submit my app for 5 different dates and get checked out in less than 10 minutes. I just slowed down, read each box, and took my time.
I just put in my application for overnight passes, no problemo! A primary date and 7 alternative dates. You're allow 15 alternate dates. This year they are doing maintenance on the trail starting Sep 4-7 and Sep 10-13.
I just got my first permit under the new system. I needed permits for the Birch Lake Trailhead and went to the Inyo site to find that you now needed to call an 877 number at recreation.gov.
I called and after listening to all the options, got through to a person. I asked for more permits than the daily reservation limit. That was a no-go. I asked about borrowing against the next day's quota, which has always be standard procedure for Inyo. She talked to her supervisor, then said I should call Inyo direct and gave me the old permit reservation line.
Everything went smooth there, they borrowed against the next day's quota.
This new system will need some bugs worked out, but it seems to be working.
Yes, they did charge a $6 processing fee on top of the $5 per person reservation fee. I guess that's what you can expect after the Republicans spent 8 years wrecking the economy! :-)
Make sure to carpool up to that trailhead, Gary. There's only room for 1-2 cars at the gate, maybe one more about 1/4 mile from there. 2WD w/ clearance should get you there. Otherwise, it's a little walk from McMurray Meadows Rd. (Sounded like you've got quite a group headed up)
Yeah, I'm hip to the cows. We'll be careful with that rickety old gate, too. I'm more worried about snow, or rather the lack of snow. Snow would make the climb of Birch and The Thumb a bit more fun, methinks.
Guys, I just submitted my Whitney Permit lottery last night, but at check out, they only charged my $6. Is this correct? Will they be charging me the rest of the reservation amount if I get a space?
