Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Applications for 2007 lottery...mail only

From the Inyo National Forest website:

"New for the 2007 season, lottery applications must be submitted by mail only. No fax applications will be accepted."

http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/inyo/recreation/wild/howto.shtml

Darn thing was overworked and underpaid and decided enough was enough.

US mail? How do I do that? Do I need stamps and an envelope? What museum do I go to get these relics of the past?
Can't I use Quickbooks to pay for this online? I thought FAX was as low tech as we could get, now we go a little further back. Maybe we should wait in line before midnight on 2/1 at the Ranger Station (visitor center or whatever it is now} like tickets for a Rolling Stones or Dead concert (sorry my age is showing). Will we get random lottery wristbands?

Just FYI, I had a one day for last Satuday and made it to Trail Crest. Considering how late I started and the weather I was happy with making it that far. It was a great day. I'll be back.

The summit is a desitnation, the experience is the goal!!!

Incredible - They can assign specific campsites at the Portal online but can't issue permits except by smail.

C'mon guys, not a big deal. This way only the USPS can be held accountable.

Okay, so now we go with snail mail. Never faxed my application anyways. Does that mean we have to submit our applications by January 1 so that the applications arrive in Bishop by February 1? Is the USDA and USPS conspiring here? Let's not get postal, folks! Or is that let's not get aggie?

> Does that mean we have to submit our applications by January...

Nope. That would invalidate your application.

From the <a href=http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/inyo/recreation/wild/whitneylottery.shtml>Mt. Whitney Lottery</a> web page: "Mailed applications MUST have a February postmark."

I was just being facetious. Doesn't anybody have a funny bone out there?

So sorry, N2. I guess I'm a little slow today.

If you click the faq link on the upper left of the page, there is a link to <a href=http://www.whitneyportalstore.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=faq#item-1>How can I use smilies?</a> that would help dense people like me.

What the heck is Danu doing up, much less being facetious, at 3:10 in the morning? Darn sherpas.

Thanks for the info, Janice. With the added numbers now coming in via regular mail, and thus the increased chance of a mail-related problem, I'm wondering if sending it in certified with a return-receipt requested would afford any additional assurance that it didn't get "lost in the mail".

And next year we're transitioning from snail mail to Pony Express. By 2008 the plan is to save the horses by using smoke signals, but so as not to unduly inconvenience the public you will also have the option of tapping out your request in Morse code on bongo drums, which is safer and does not contribute to global warming.

SteveC: My bad for not using a smiley! Dense? Quite the contrary. You are a valuable contributor of information on this MB. Thank you.

BruinDave: Danu Sherpa in training! "Time acclimatization." Danu working on doctoral thesis on time and space travel. Move over, Einstein!

One thing Janice forgot to mention:

"New for the 2007 season, lottery applications must be submitted by mail only. No fax applications will be accepted. Mail must be dispatched by stage coach."

Now don't go and get your knickers in a knot over this. I'm sure Pony Express will also do nicely.