Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Is permit office open if government is "shutdown"

t...h...i...s

t...h...i...s

t...h...i...s

Okay, done.

Now, will the road/camp/store be open or what? (I'm not really heading up there, but I NEED TO KNOW!!!11!!!1)

Maybe you guys know the answer to this. I was told by a Yosemite wilderness ranger two weeks ago that Inyo no longer has any backcountry rangers due to lack of funding. True of false?

The answer is "yes" and "no." The National Park system has been under pressure to cut back. For example, in the year 2012 (and maybe earlier), the ranger stations at the Kern River and Bearpaw Meadow were closed leaving Little Five, Tyndall, Crabtree and Lower Rock Creek in the Sequoia National Park.

In talking with Ranger Laura out of Lower Rock Creek this year, the park service is looking at a 3% reduction for next year. I am not sure how that will translate, maybe reduced time in the backcountry, ie, activating the ranger stations later, or closing them earlier.

But, most if not all the ranger stations close after Labor Day. Some sooner after Labor Day, others a little later. Crabtree is the exception, it closes a little later due to the focal point of hikers attempting Whitney.

The above thoughts on the subject are my own, and thru experience.

Paul

I think the question relates to the Inyo side. I believe that there are some Inyo backcountry rangers (e.g., Brian).

That is indeed the plan

Hi Tom WPS is taking request for winter jobs watching the snow fall and doing related work on the pond ,Jeff will be your co- worker will add humor and thought provking graphic arts. I was going to ask about the concept Mills brought up some years ago about is it better to be a pig satified or a human un.... , OH Well hope to see you soon bring a jacket and snack. Thanks Doug

Yes, the question was about Inyo NF. I know YNP and SEKI have backcountry rangers but what about the National Forests and specifically Inyo? Where does "Brian" work?

Brian is an Inyo ranger. Sometimes patrols Whitney MT, often brought in for SARs. Last I heard (in September) he was still working there.

So is the trailhead open and more importantly is the bathroom open? (oh and which way to each?)

I dropped a pole up near Thor about ten years ago, will someone please go get it?

Thank you and have a nice day

I'm guessing this was pre-Wag Bag.

pre permit...

Hi Just got word the campground is closed and they have 48 hours to secure the campground. Until we hear more information the store will stay open. Thanks Doug

Thanks for the update, Doug. If you hear anything about Whitney Portal Road, could you post it here? Our group has a day-hike reservation for Saturday, but we don’t want to drive 240 miles (from Las Vegas) on Friday if the road is closed.

Is the campground closure because of the federal gov't shutdown?

Same here! We're driving from the OC on Sat; 4h drive!

Okay Doug, we're on it. First thing is to get all the leaves out of the pond and then test the water to make sure none of that Obamacare got in there. The last thing we need are the fish feeling "empowered."

There's a trailhead?

Remembering the chaos in the Store after the flood a few years ago and the 16y/o up in Dad's face screaming, "WHADDYA MEAN THE TRAIL IS CLOSED???"

Jimbozoom, maybe that pole can replace the one lost on the way down from Sill...

I'm thinking Taboose sounds like a good idea this weekend...

The Portal road is a county road, not Federal. Inyo County decides when to open/close it, not the Feds. I saw a post elsewhere where Doug posted that the road and the store are open.

I think the people who enforce the hunting laws are fish & game officers, which are state employees not federal government so they're probably still on the job.

Yeah, I remembered that Fish and Wildlife are CA State employees after I posted. Interesting... state employees enforcing mostly on federal land when speaking of the hunting in the Eastern Sierra area?