Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board a PURELY HYPOTHETICAL question

Hello.

This Thursday, I'm going to do an easy day hike up up the Mountaineer's Route to Lower Boy Scout Lake. However, the day before, I'm going to the local Ranger Station in Lone Pine at 2 p.m. and try to get a day hike permit in order to make it higher, to Upper Boy Scout Lake. Since I'll be alone, I guess my chances of getting a permit are pretty good.

Now for the dicey part: HYPOTHETICALLY speaking, if I were denied a day hike permit into the Whitney Zone, would my chances of being 'busted' by a ranger be pretty low or does it vary? And if I'm stopped heading up toward UBSL, might he or she be kind of lenient -- or do they tend to follow the letter of the law? (I've been up to the summit several times via the MR, and I know the route very well.)

Again, this situation is PURELY HYPOTHETICAL, *and* I'm pretty sure I'll get a permit at the Ranger Station, given that it's after Labor Day (barely) and I'll be a party of one. I certainly do not plan on ACTUALLY DOING this.

Thank you, and be safe out there.

This is a politically incorrect question... But on the hypothetical side of things, I have in the past, but not recently, hiked in the Whitney Zone a number of times always with a permit, but I was never asked for a permit and hardly ever saw a ranger. My impression is it's sort of like speeding on the freeway; you almost always get away with it. And, if you were stopped, I suppose they could tell you to turn around or issue you a summons, but what then? It's not like the highway patrol where they just call in the cavalry and arrest you. After all, you could just squat at that point and they'd have to bring in a helo to haul you out. So, if they gave you a summons it's not like it's a major felony. You'd probably have to pay a fine which you could probably afford. In the end,the system is mostly based on voluntary compliance and the biggest penalty might be you getting to feel like you'd been a complete a#$hole.
Rangers are spread pretty thin in national forests, so what do you think?

Whitney is already too popular for its own good. If you and then others start pulling that, it gets out of hand quickly. Don't be that guy... get a freakin permit, it really isn't that hard..... and carry out your wagbag....thank you and have a nice day.

Don't hike it unless you have a permit. I got one this past Sunday for a day hike. There were only 4 people looking for one, so no lottery was needed. I was checked on the trail by a ranger.this was the third time in a row that I was checked. I have seen rangers give out tickets for not having a permit. Not worth the risk. Play by the rules, don't go unless you get a permit.

Good luck.

CalSurfer

The funny part about your question is that you assume the forest service can't read. They read this message board just like anyone else.

Yeah, if you can't get a permit, you're pretty much screwed since there are absolutely no other places to go...

btw there was a ranger on the summit at 8:00 a.m. on the 2nd checking permits

That's pretty funny. & turning you around if you didn't have one?
We were on the main trail 8-23. Was eerily deserted on the ascent. In 11 times I've never seen so few folks on the trail. There were more going up later, & we noticed there were a lot of hikers beyond Lone Pine Lake without tags.
Never saw a ranger that day.

Seven Whitney summits, three ranger checks.

36 summits, only 2 on the main trail during quota season, plus maybe twice when I took the MR one direction and the trail the other. I’m guessing that I’ve been checked about twice.

20 summits, 12 Main Trail, 8 MR winter ascents (April, May depending on weather) 3 permit checks total only on Main Trail.

Berne Mettenleiter

66 summits in all four seasons, been checked maybe 8 times. That being said.... don't chance it.

Aren't you the one, that did summit 3 times in 24 hours??

I kind of remember that i called you a name at that time!

The Goat

Guilty as charged

So true Jeff!!!

borderline insulting our intelligence to pretend that this is "only hypothetical" when you have such detailed plans. Obviously there is a high chance you can get away with it. The quota system is there for a reason, either you care about that and the idea of Wilderness or you do not. If you are willing to break the biggest rule of the trail, the impression i get is that i can only imagine what other damages you might do out there.

In my many years of climbing Whitney, even if I climb in the the off quota season, I always go to the Ranger station in Lone Pine and get a permit!

The reason is that they and my wife and kids know where I am, my wife would kill me, if I didn't come home from one of my what she says crazy undertakings!

I grew up in Germany, was a ski instructor- patrol and mountain guide there, know the local and overseas mountains and try to do the right thing!

By the way, the rangers that are out there patrolling the trails, do an outstanding job and I salute and thank them a million!

Berne, the Mountaingoat