Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Do the Rangers check every where?

With all the talk of the Rangers checking permits, I wonder why I have never seen any Rangers up in the Meysan Lake Canyon, The North Fork of Lone Pine Creek, or up in the Cottonwood lakes area. Do they really check all the trails or do they just hang out trying to catch the Whitney trail violators.

I've seen rangers in the Cottonwood Lakes, Little Lakes Valley and on the north side of Guyot Pass during my travels in the Sierra. The only place I have ever had a permit checked was on the Main Trail of Mt. Whitney, on the switchback up to Bighorn Park, Trailside Meadow and at the Lone Pine Lake Junction, 3 of of 4 trips.

Bill

I have only been on the main Whitney trail from the Portal but I have done it a few times. I have had my permit checked by Rangers at Lone Pine Lake, Trail Camp, the switchbacks and on top of Whitney. Every time that I have gone they have checked it. The tags they have changed to now that attach to your pack is very nice. It's a lot quicker and easier for them to check you and then you can be on your way. I would not recommend going without a permit.

I have only hiked the Main Mt. Whitney Trail once, last August, from the portal store to the summit and back, and I never saw a ranger once.

About 3 years ago on my first attempt at Whitney we ran into a ranger on the North Fork trail at lower boy scout lake, checked everybody's permit.

I should qualify that report. During that particular week they had the main trail closed for some maintenance (dynamite was heard). So they might have been over on the north fork out of bordome, concern for day hikers pushing it by going up the MR, or due to heavy traffic (was peak of the season).

I know HaroldA. He has been up in the Whitney area about 35 times. He told me he has a permit but was wondering if he could enter the wilderness 1 day early. He appreciates all the info. It can be hard to take the chance.

The year before last in September, we were checked on the North Fork trail at the waterfall just below the Ebersbacher Ledges.

Last year I made my first Whitney summit. We went from Horseshoe Meadow to Whitney Portal. My permit was checked around Rock Creek campground. It was checked again up by Crabtree Meadow. It was checked a third time while I was coming down from the summit, just before I got to trail crest. In all the years that I have been backpacking I have never even seen a ranger out in the wilderness. It was quite a surprise to see three of them on one trip. I'm sure that it is making the best use of the forest' resources by concentrating their focus on the most heavily travelled area(s).

It sounds like you can run into the rangers anywhere, even off the Mount Whitney trail. In the old days, when I was up in the area more often, I hardly ever saw a ranger, even the three times I was on the Whitney trail. Now with all the new restrictions, the rangers seem to have a heavy presence on the Whitney trail, and even venture onto the other trails. I guess you had better be on the safe side and have your permit with you. Otherwise your trip could be ruined.

Last August, we met up with a ranger at Trailside Meadow who was checking everyone's permit. One guy did not have one, and she cited him on the spot ($250!!!) and sent him back down. Saw her again at Trail Camp, and she checked everyone's permits there too. Doesn't seem like a good bet going without a permit. Odds are you'll get caught, cited, and turned around.

Since the ranger station only issues one permit to a group what is the ranger checking for if the group is spread out on the trail. Last year we never saw a ranger and I had the permit(day hike) everyone else had copies is this expectable to the ranger?
I would hate to have someone turned back even though they have a permit but I am carrying the original.

Chris, I had a day hike group last year in July and the rangers gave a tag for each member of the group to have displayed on our backpacks. I like the new system because when the ranger checked us it was very quick and we were on our way.

Two years ago we had a group of 13 for 2 nights. We each got our own tag to sign and wire on the outside of our backpacks. We all got checked at Trail Camp. On our way out we were just a couple of switchbacks from the sign that states you must have a permit beyond this point, I was stopped by a guy that wanted to poach my permit for his day hike since I was almost out of the Whitney Zone. He almsot had me convinced and then I turned him down. He got so mad at me and started swearing at me and calling me an idiot cause I didn't need it anymore. Not 5 minutes later a Ranger stopped us on the trail to check permits. Of course I shared with him a discription of my admirer and explained what he was trying to do. Ranger said, don't worry, we'll catch him. We found the Rangers to be really cool and easy to get along with if you are following the rules.