[pct-l] Permits for the rest of us

[AsABat]

Here's another secret - you do not need a wilderness permit everywhere
on the trail. It is not required for the section you propose - Campo to
Big Bear. The only wilderness you pass through is the San Gorgonio, but
it's the BLM part and I have never seen a sign saying wilderness permits
required on the PCT there (they are required for the more popular,
higher elevation area several miles west of the trail). 

Many wilderness areas in Northern California just have you sign in at
the trailhead, others do require permits. This is all explained in the
first few pages of each section in the Guidebook. 

When I've done shorter section hikes where permits are needed, I usually
just call the forest at the start of my section and have them mail me
one a couple weeks before I go. Once they said I had to pick it up in
person, but when I explained I was starting many miles from their office
they mailed it anyway.

The PCTA will issue a thruhiker permit if you intend to hike more than
500 miles in one trip. I have used this just once IIRC and had to cut my
trip short because of fires - no worries. However, I would not suggest
everyone start getting one every year when they really only plan on
doing a few hundred miles. It is a nice exception to the federal
bureaucratic system that the PCTA can do this, and abuse might lead to
everyone needing to go through the fed system.

AsABat