Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Getting passes for MR Route in October 2022

Hi Whitney Portal Members,

Its been a while since I've been in good enough shape to tackle Mt Whitney.

It used to be, that it was quite easy to get a pass for the MR Route branching off of North Fork trail. Now, from my reading, it looks as though this route's quota system is grouped in with the main trail.

I was hoping to attempt the trail on Oct 7. From what I can tell, there are no available passes at all, for the rest of the year. With, the exception of last minute cancellations the day before. For example, if I look today, there are 14 passes available for an ascent tomorrow.

I am confused though. How is one supposed to pickup a pass out of the available 14 for tomorrow, if they have to be first picked up in person from the ranger's station, which probably doesn't open until 8a? I am guessing, if you are lucky to be in Lone Pine today (sunday), then you will fine.

So if my research is correct, I have to watch for cancellations to appear on the website and grab said passes, online. Then, I need to be in Lone Pine to pickup these passes the day before the hike AND before the office closes (15 mins before).

Am I correct? Thanks for your advice Portal members.

-QB

QB,

This season I have obtained all my Inyo NF permits (including Mt Whitney) by printing them online. No need to pick up in person. The process plays out like this:

Make reservation at rec.gov.

Within seven days of start of hike, print reservation by retrieving it in your rec.gov account and pushing PRINT.

Once permit is printed, no changes are allowed.

Prior to printing, cancel permit if the hike is not going to happen, so another person has a chance to make a reservation and and enjoy the Mountain.

Read instructions carefully on the Wilderness Permit Inyo NF website, including "no show" deadlines.

Jim

Some of the info on the website is very confusing (it does state that you need to appear in person to pick up the permit somewhere on the site)...

But, if you have a flexible schedule, it does work to get on the mountain legally...

My complaint is that after decades of free permits, $21 a pop for a Whitney Permit bugs the crap out of me... and I still have heard any reliable information as to whether you can get a permit issued at the IAVC... and never seem to be able to get there during Open Hours to check for myself.

This was my experience at the visitor ctr on Aug 16 trying to get my Whitney permit for Aug 24.... I was driving up to Bishop so I thought I would get it since I was in the area. The staff informed me that they do not print permits any more that you need to get on their website then log on to their printer. OK I tried to do that but I was 8 days out not 7 so it wouldn't give me the print prompt. Still they refused to print it out. So I ended up calling the main no. & they faxed it right over, which printed out on their printer anyway so why couldn't they do it? & there was no one else at the desk at the time so it wasn't like they were too busy...