Get the permit from Mono to Horseshoe Meadow. Yes you can get to Lone Pine from Horseshoe (easy hitch). You are allowed to summit Whitney on this permit. If for some reason you were to have a genuine emergency, for example your partner sent you an Inreach message saying the dog house was on fire or some such thing, the Rangers would permit an early exit via Whitney.
Not that I'm suggesting bending any rules here.
Also, rec gov takes forever to enter all the dates, but you can book a shorter trip and then after go back and change the itenerary and exit date (but not entry date or location).
Personally I'd exit at Horseshoe. It's a nice spot and you can also climb Langley on the way!!
"When you see a new trail, or a footprint you do not know, follow it to the point of knowing."? - Uncheedah
On Wed, Jan 22, 2025 at 2:20?PM Sam Molinari via <sammolinari=
[email protected]> wrote:
? ??I have recently been checking the Rec.gov web site for availability of permits to exit at Whitney.? Repeatedly all such permits are gone at exactly 7:00 am Pacific time.? This has occurred over a period
of 2 weeks.? Interestingly, even permits to exit at Whitney for a trail head with no direct route to Whitney (such as Fern/Yost Parker Lake) are listed as zero exactly at 7:00.? When I called Rec.gov, they told me that Inyo handles wilderness permits (which
is not true) and directed me to the Wilderness office where a recording directed to the Mammoth Visitor Center where I spoke with Ollie (sic).? He was not able to offer me much information but did say he thought that the Rush Creek trail head should have 15
daily permits exiting Whitney.? He also said I was the second person he had spoken to today about this issue.
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A few years ago, there was talk that permits for the NPs and NFs were being snapped up via some form of computer program.? Not certain if that is actually a concern or if the Rec.gov site is the issue (that
is what the ranger thought it might be) or there are simply to many people trying for too few permits. ?
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"?Finally, if that fails, I guess I'll have to add three days onto my journey, and, after summiting Whitney, hike south to Horseshoe Meadows, where, I was told, I can exit to Lone Pine (true?) “
This part is true. You can exit through Horseshoe Meadows.?
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I've made 8 phone calls (following up on one email to Inyo NF) about this and been bounced from FS to eastern sierra regional office to (3 different places) back to Inyo FS HQ and then to Lone Pine FS.? I STILL do not have
an answer.? Maybe the wise people on this listserv can help.?
I want a permit to enter Mono Pass trail at Mosquito Flat and exit Whitney.? I'm playing around on Recreation.gov now to get ready for the actual dates I want so I can do it within a nanosecond of 7 AM Pacific time. ? I've found that most
days the entire quota (12) for that trailhead is for just backpacking and NOT for exiting at Whitney.? Not sure how many should be set aside for Whitney exit but it looks like none most days.? Oddly enough, there are some NRs (not released) and some zeroes
in that row going back in time.? Clearly operator error.?
I've tried to verify that
???? a) one is allowed to enter at Mono Pass and exit at Whitney (answer today:? yes that is allowed if you have the permit)
???? b) there should be permits on to do this.?
There appears to be a major disconnect between FS and .? None of the responsible government agencies appears to be able to get , a contractor, to correct the website.? No one who answers the phone at
has any idea what I'm talking about or can help and they pass me on to the next clueless person (or in one case a dead line).? The FS guys know very well that the website is failing but they can't do anything about it.?
So I asked a FS ranger in Lone Pine today what to do. Based on his advise, here's my plan of action.?
???? First I'm going to call early tomorrow morning to talk to another ranger in Lone Pine who today's ranger told me might know more.?
???? Second, I will continue trying to get a Whitney exit permit on .?
???? Third, when I'm hitting the end of my starting window, if I can't get a Mono/Whitney pass, I'm going to get the regular Mono backpacking pass .
???? Fourth,? if I fail to get a Mono/Whitney permit 6 months out, I'll try for a last minute (nee "walk up") permit two weeks before .?
???? Fifth, if I still can't get a Mono/Whitney pass, I'll bring my Mono Pass backpacking permit to the FS office in Mammoth Lakes and grovel, tell them my sad story and hope they give me a Whitney exit permit;
???? Finally, if that fails, I guess I'll have to add three days onto my journey, and, after summiting Whitney, hike south to Horseshoe Meadows, where, I was told, I can exit to Lone Pine (true?)? . ? OR I could risk getting a $1000 fine
by exiting Whitney without a permit but doing so at night because the rangers leave at 6 PM.?
Any other solutions out there?? Does anyone have any insight as to how to get to correct its website?? I do NOT want to exit on the Western side because it's too hard to get back to civilization.?
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