Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Asinine Rules - A Rant

Armed with the required permit and briefings, I spent 16 days in late July / early Aug on a solo loop in the INF / Sequoia NP backcountry. My 19th consecutive year of Sierra adventure.

I planned a 5 day trek over Shepherd Pass over Labor Day weekend. Paid $5 for a trailhead reservation. Because my employer actually expects me to do work for the salary they pay me, I figured the easy way to make the departure schedule would be an evening after hours permit pick up, then spend Wed night at the Shepherd trailhead.

However, a call to the visitor center referred me to the permit office, who were very nice, but upon learning that I was actually going over Shepherd into the park, allowed as how I had to pick up the permit in person in order to interact with the visitor center personnel.

When I explained that I had just completed 16 solo days in the backcountry, and there was nothing the rangers could tell me that I didn't already know, and that there would be tremendous inconvenience delaying permit pick up till Thursday morning - it didn't matter.

The rules was 'da rules!

Why can't the park folks be reasonable and allow folks who have been briefed within the past month or so pick up permits after hours?

Why bother with the permits? If more people rebel against the system, the system will have to eventually change...

Booger: I don't think your request sounds unreasonable. They do that for backpackers all the time down south here for the San Gorgonio Wilderness. I agree with you that the staff is very nice - it may be that they're inundated with so many requests for Whitney that even a simple request like that gets denied.

My girlfriend and I ran into booger a couple of times in late July on
the HST and other than managing to 'lose' his skeeter repellent
he seemed more than trail competent to us !


give 'em a little hell booger...

The rules are probably made to protect the least-capable backpackers. It's the same reason the speed limit is 55 and not 80 in most places.

Sequoia/Kings Canyon requires people to pick up permits in person. In fact, in the parks, there is a required orientation that ALL participants MUST attend, for the permit to be issued.

I was at Road's End a couple of years back, when a guy had to go roust his 16 y/o to hear the talk. What I found particularly irritating, was that the guy's job is a National Park Wilderness Ranger, in Glacier National Park. He and his son had to attend, to get his permit.

I imagine they require this primarily for bear issues. Although I have not heard about this new requirement coming in from outside the parks, it is probably because of repeated abuse/neglect of the regulations.

Not all permit stations are that bad. I go out of Mineral King on a regular basis, and if you call and tell them that you will be leaving after work and not arriving at Mineral King until after they go home, they will put your permit in an envelope by the door, you just sign it and leave the copies they want. Just tell them that you have heard the talk on numerous occasions, and know all the regs (it helps to cite some of the Mineral King-specific rules, so they know you're not just blowing hot air).

Took a trip over Bishop Pass a few weeks ago and had to pick up my reserved permit in person. I knew this was the case as I was notified verbally when requesting the permit and in writing when receiving the reservation in the mail. Yes, it was a little inconvenient but what was irritating was there appeared to be no special reason. No special orientation talk or anything outside the normal. A bit of a waste of time IMHO.

It's funny how other areas of the Sierra which don't have these requirements seem OK. I was up in the "20 lakes" area above Saddlebag Lake and all you have to do is just show up and hike. No beer bottles or happy meals bags on the trail!!
I could be wrong, but I don't know any entry restrictions in the east except Katahdin. California seems very bureaucratic by comparison and I wonder why it should be, for example permits are easy to get for most trailheads except Whitney, which suggests they are not overused.
Just the 2 cents.

Adrian

The frustration I have with the in-person pickup requirement is I now have to take a day off work to get a full weekend backpack in. I could accept the in-person pickup deal if they were open when I got there, typically at midnight or 2 am. For some reason they're not open then :-)

haven't you people figured it out yet. THEY don't want us in the wildernes.There was a recent news article about how the camping and hiking numbers were down.GO FIGURE! with all the regs most people just give up and go see a movie.The funniest thing of all is i have to pay people that work for me to hike on land that i own.

okay... I will finally admit it... I have been climbing now all over the place with NO PERMITS!!! That's right, I got so fed up with the system I said "#$%^& IT".... I have climbed extensively in the Sierras and else where with no problems..... as a matter of fact, on the other peaks (Split, Middle, Thundrbolt, etc...) I hardly ever see other climbers, much less a Ranger. Just my 2 ceents worth, and don't bother replying with some kinda talk about how this is bad, it is my personal decision,,, the system is just too difficult to deal with

Pirate