Mt Whitney Reservations Now Being Mailed

[Kevin Rooney]

I got my permit for an early June overnight on Whitney on Saturday. Technically, it's not a permit but a 'reservation confirmation', and the actual permit is issued within 2 days of the actual date. This reservation confirmation' was part of the February lottery. With any luck, people of the East Coast can expect to begin receiving theirs in a week or so.

 

[TMax]

Wooo Hooo! I've got some plans on hold waiting to see when (and if) I got permits. I applied for all variations over two different weeks and am just waiting to hear what dates they've given me. How did you manage an "early" notification?

 

[Kevin Rooney]

Tmax -

I don't have any special "ins" - but I don't live far from Bishop, CA, where the reservations are mailed, so maybe that's reason mine showed up so soon. But who knows? Maybe they mail them as soon as they're processed. Have only applied for one once before (usually I just take my chances and drive up to the Ranger Station in Lone Pine the day before) and that one didn't arrive until late March.

 

[Homer]

Got my permit for Mt. Whitney!!

Just checked my credit card account and was charged the $15 permit fee to dayhike Mt. Whitney on June 8th. I believe that to be the first step prior to actually getting the stuff in the mail. I've been getting nervous because the deadline for the lottery ended on Feb. 15th. I've been checking my credit card account every day since. I guess they have around 4600 applications to sift through, so it's a very long process. I feel very lucky to have only made one choice and recieved it. So of course then I made my reservation for a tent site at the Whitney Portal campground for the night before. Those seemed to be filling up quickly as well. Now I'm really psyched!!!!!

 

[Motabobo]

A lot of people have already received their permit via the lottery. I have nothing yet but I live in Canada so it may take a while longer (they are mailing up to april 1st I think). Congratz to everyone who did it

 

[Head]

I still have yet to get ours but am waiting patiently....come on!! hurrry up!!! lets go!!! GEEZ

 

[TMax]

Got mine for the second week in July!

 

[Camel]

Mt Whitney's fun! Good luck to all who did the lottery.

 

[Jay H]

Yeah Terri!

Jean, et al, do any of you know if it's a rolling permit system, i.e. based on the time you sent in the request?

Good luck to all! Does this remind you of being a senior in high school waiting to find out what college wants you??

Jay

 

[poison ivy]

Jean, et al, do any of you know if it's a rolling permit system, i.e. based on the time you sent in the request?

Provided the system is the same as last year, permit applications mailed between Feb. 1 and 15 are processed randomly. Any applicaiton received after the 15th is processed in the order it is received. I faxed my permit application over on Feb. 1 last year and it was processed on the last day before they began post open permits on the website, so getting it in early isn't always better.

- Ivy

 

[Motabobo]

Nothing yet, this looks bad

 

[Kevin Rooney]

Nothing yet, this looks bad

Not necessarily. IIRC, their website says they may not complete the processing of applications rec'd during the first half of February until April.

That decreases your chances of getting a cheap airfare, but you should hear one way or the other.

 

[Motabobo]

Ohh I got it cheap, 350$ CAN round-trip

But my main objective is Whitney, I'll cry if I can't hike it !!! My 2nd option is a round-trip in the cross-country North Fork Pine Creek Trail. Do you think there will be available spots after April 1st for the 2 weeks of mid-july until end of july ??? I am planning to make a reservation (4 days) as soon as I have a confirmation I can't use the Mt. Whitney Trail.

 

[poison ivy]

But my main objective is Whitney, I'll cry if I can't hike it !!!

I'm not sure if you were looking for a dayhike or an overnight permit but
don't give up hope... (and sorry if you've already heard this story.) I didn't get the overnight permit I was hoping for last year (I'm pretty sure I was the last application processed... so I settled for a day hike permit and hoped like heck I could make it up there. Two days before my dayhike, I went to the office and they had PLENTY of overnight permits left. Cancellations can be your friend if you're willing to chance it.

- Ivy

 

[jn316]

the day before?

One of the benefits of having accumulated a lot of years is having memories of driving up to Whitney Portal early one morning, more or less on a whim, and setting out on the trail, pausing at the self-registration box, and then going on to the top.
And being able to repeat the same hassle-free hike about 10 years later.

In this more regulated era, what are the chances in July or August, of showing up at the ranger station at the end of the afternoon, and picking up a permit for the next day because of a no-show?

I was there a couple years ago, just stopping in on the way to a day hike to Cottonwood Lakes, and even at mid-day there seemed to be people hanging around to see if they could get a permit.
The trail up Whitney is an amazing trail...a trail that seems to have built the town! I hope to hike it again sometime. Maybe i'll see some of you there...last time there were 5 of us who got to the top at about the same time, all from New England, all in Limmers.

 

[Kevin Rooney]

In this more regulated era, what are the chances in July or August, of showing up at the ranger station at the end of the afternoon, and picking up a permit for the next day because of a no-show?

I'd say the chances were excellent - that's usually the way I do it. Couple ways to improve your chances:

1) The closer to 10AM you show up the better. They start processing permits from the no-shows at 11. It's first come, first serve for the next day's dayhiker and overnight permits.

2) Avoid Friday, Sat and Sun if possible, and to some extent Thursday. Those seem to be the days with greatest demand. I realize if you're traveling that may be easier said than done.

 

[Camel]

Ohh I got it cheap, 350$ CAN round-trip

But my main objective is Whitney, I'll cry if I can't hike it !!! My 2nd option is a round-trip in the cross-country North Fork Pine Creek Trail. Do you think there will be available spots after April 1st for the 2 weeks of mid-july until end of july ??? I am planning to make a reservation (4 days) as soon as I have a confirmation I can't use the Mt. Whitney Trail.

If you really want to do Whitney, go from the back as a backpack (is that the North Fork Pine Creek?). I forget how long the "quick" way in from the back is (hooks onto the JMT), but I don't believe it's a week (could be wrong!). Then walk down to the portal, or as a loop.

Transport back to your car could be tricky. It's relatively easy to find a ride to Lone Pine, then there's minimal public transportation from there or ?Bishop(least there was 4 years ago).

 

[Motabobo]

Booooooooooo

Well I didn't get my f_ _ _ ing my permit, as expected Is 4 nights roundtrip from the North Fork Lone Pine Creek Trail enough for acclimatizing and including one bonus day in case of bad weather ? Any quicker alternatives (besides the mountaineer route) ? I can reserve right now for that trail right ?
Thanks

 

[Pete_Hickey]

.... Is 4 nights roundtrip from the North Fork Lone Pine Creek Trail enough for acclimatizing and including one bonus day in case of bad weather ?

I spent 2 days acclimatizing in Death Valley... at 6K feet or so. Then the night before at teh campground at Whitney Portal. It worked.

However, an other time, I spent 2 days at 7K feet, and got hit by the altitude real bad at only 12K feet.

What I learned, is that there is no nice rule. Because of he lack of planning when I climbed Whitney, I had no real expatations of comleating it. I told myself that I'd keep climbing until I had to stop. It turned out that I went all the way without problems.