Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board No Walk In Permits for the Main Mt. Whitney Trail

THIS APPLIES TO THE MAIN MT WHITNEY TRAIL ONLY

To Clarify what's happening...

There is a new software vendor for the reservation system. They are still working out the kinks to the software. One of the pieces of functionality it does not have at this time is the ability to deal with No Shows. Here’s how it’ll work for this summer:

(1) No Shows: If someone has a reservation for the Main Mt Whitney Trail and does not activate their permit AND they don't notify the Forest Service they are not using that reservation those slots will NOT turn into "no shows" and become available for walk-in's within 24 hours of the date like they used to. They won’t show up on the system until the clock strikes midnight at the end of the day the permit is for so they won’t be made available. For this summer those slots will be not be able to be reserved and will go unused.

(2) Permit cancellations: If someone cancels their permit or reduces their group size by calling the Forest Service those slots will be made available on the reservation website within 24 hours after the cancellation is made (usually less than 24 hours).

(3) Reduction in group size: If a party reduces their group size either by actively calling the Forest Service or when they show up to pick up their permit those slots will be made available on the website for reservation.

In scenarios #2 and #3 above the only way to get these slots is to reserve them online. You cannot walk into the ranger station to get them.

Please... IF YOU ARE NOT PLANNING TO USE YOUR PERMIT OR IF YOU ARE REDUCING YOUR GROUP SIZE NOTIFY THE FOREST SERVICE SO THOSE SLOTS WILL GET PUT BACK ON THE WEB SITE TO BE RESERVED.

Hey, that's pretty sneaky---and it's buried on their website. You'd think they might issue a press release or something. Blame the software vendor...

Last October during the week I went in to the Visitor Center to get a walk-in permit.
Normally dozens would be available. On that day there were less than 10 and some walk-ins were denied. The explanation was the same "software kink" that Kurt mentions.

So no software fix in six months. Perhaps there is no real intent to make a fix, or perhaps it is even intentional. In a business/administrative model a walk-in might simply be seen as a nonprofitable nuisance.

Walk-ins are hikers who have actually travelled to the Mountain with packed gear and a plan and are ready to hit the trail. This effort and enthusiasm should be valued and it seems that these hikers should be accommodated within the constraints of the Wilderness Act.

Jim

I have been writing computer software for the last 35 years. A reservation system for permits does not impress me as being all that difficult. Who are the clowns behind this debacle?

Great news! This will free up more personnel to build giant cairns on Mt. Langley!

the verification process has changed to only 1 week in advance, and the web reservations will be open up to one day before a hike so at least that means most cancellations will make it back online, although there will be Zero same day cancellations. that NFS quote above is missing this line.../Web reservations will remain open the day before the trip for reserving space from last minute cancellations... that helps, but does still mean that permits for people who verified a week in advance and then no show last minute will not become available. Hopefully that is a fairly small number, most people should know a week before if they will make it or not. And it still means you have to get your res. online at least one day in advance, no last minute permits. The verification process should keep this disaster relatively low impact vs what it would be without it, although now im not sure when the verification window opens...// and if you got this far// october hikers might want to have checked out rec.gov like yesterday because i see a grip of permits ready to go right now....// the other slight benefit of this debacle is once you verify, your permit will be there until end of day... no calling in to hope they got your message about holding your permit if you are going to arrive after 10 am.... let's just hope people who are not going do not verify their permits too early, good idea to hold off until you know for sure you can make it.

Hi Thanks for the update , can you share a link to the site that explains how this will work and is it Official, will a press release be coming to explain the change? Again Thanks for the update

Okay, just the facts:

• No refunds - period, regardless of how long before your trip you cancel.

• No walk-ins is already listed as being the status quo for 2020 on the website.

So, it looks like a permanent software kink...

the same link you (JeffM) posted appears to have slightly different info from what is posted here, it adds "web reservations will be open until one day before" then on the same page in that link you click on permit pickup instructions.... what used to say verify between two weeks and 48 hours before picking up permit now says a somewhat confusing : Verify Final Group Size
One week before your trip, verify group size to hold your reservation until close of business on the entry date. :
I hope i am correct in assuming that means you can't verify your trip until one week before instead of two, which might get a few more people to know for sure if they can make it or not. This gives no indication of when the permit goes up for grabs either.. there is the Big Hope that if you have not verified by 48hrs before your trip, the permit goes back online... i guess we will find out.. while every one will Have to get a permit online at least 24 hrs in advance, i think the majority of unclaimed reservations will end up available and put to use.

Yes, the info on that link has changed a few times over the last few days. I'm sure there's a well-thought out, troubleshot, and contingency-based plan in place.