Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Picking up permits after "winning" the lottery

If I have been successful in securing permits for the MMWT, does my entire group have to be present at the Ranger station to pick them up? I am trying to be flexible in applying for dates, but one or two of the group I am applying with may not be able to be there by 11am the day before if we get the earliest day I apply for. Can't I pick up their permits and give them to them later when they show up at the Portal?

I've never had a problem with picking up the permit and all the accoutrements to hand out. I think you just have to have your name on the permit as a 'primary' in order to pick it up.

-L

Are you referring to the "luggage tags" for the packs?

The actual permit is a contract between the group leader and the Forest Service. As the group leader, you have to be at the Eastern Sierra Interagency Visitors Center to sign the permit, but not everybody in your group has to be there for you to get their tags and wag bags. You still are responsible for the conduct of everybody in your group.

If you are successful in "hitting the lottery", then either the group leader, or any of up to three alternates designated on the application, can pick the permits up at the ranger station in Lone Pine. I always find it a good idea to list at least one or two alternates when I submit my permit application. Good luck. Whitney Mike

For the benefit of future readers, the original Lone Pine ranger station no longer issues permits. Since 2006, permits have been issued at the visitors center about 2 miles south of Lone Pine.

Oops, sorry Fred...the Visitor center is where we got our permits last time as well...my mistake in referring to it as the Ranger station.
Thanks for the responses. That gives me more flexibility in picking trail dates. All but two of our group have previously done this trip, so I will have some dependable alternates on the list. Hopefully we will get our permits this year!
Joe