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RE: [pct-l] Resupply at Lone Pine/Mt. Whitney
At 12:34 PM -0800 2/26/2000, Reynolds, WT wrote:
>Except possibly on the Mt Whitney Trail u won't have any trouble.
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From
>This makes some sort of sense to me, otherwise one could thwart the
>entire permit system by getting a single PCT thru-hike permit and
>using it all summer long, any time, at any trailhead, just by claiming
>to be "resupplying".
>
>Does anyone know for sure if you will be re-admitted after leaving
>the Whitney area for resupply?
>
<SNIP>
I have been in the area (Whitney, Trail Pass, Trail Crest, Kearsarge Pass)
about 10 times in the last 6 years for a section hike and various climbs.
A Ranger has checked my permit twice over those 6 years- both on the Whitney
access trail (Portal to Trail Crest) and as long as I had a Whitney
stamp they did not care if I was coming or going as long as I was
within the dates. I was told that since I was a thru-hiker entry and
rentries are valid no matter what date; ie, they are "forgiving" as long
as you have a thru-permit. And yes, it is my understanding that
with such a system it can be "abused". Several people get a thru
permit just for that purpose..but if the Ranger checks and you
are back at Donahue after being at Yosemite and you are northbound
than something is clearly fishy. However, that means you have to
had to have been checked at both areas and called in to a central database
at both areas and then correlated. A third check would "nail" you.
This in itself is not likely, but another issue.
Since we are legitmate thru-hikers, I beleive the Rangers' statements
are valid (last year, Ranger name = Deborah). And besides there
are no toll booths/entrance kiosks at each trailhead to
monitor activity-- hopefully we will never get that supercontrolled in
the wilderness.
Next, what is the definition of "exiting"? If I decide to hike out of the
mountains
and get a resupply and return I am not exiting per se. If I take off my
backpack and STOP the hike with no intention of resuming, then I
have exited. It does not mean jsut to leave the trail.
I have debated this point w/a different Ranger and he
agreed that since I had not stopped my trip that I do not need
another permit. He reasoned that I was NOT part of the quota for
that trailhead (Kearsarge Pass, or any other exit point) to begin
with and since I was going thru I would not be counted anyhow
in THAT trails quotoa (except in the tally of thru-hikers and I
never asked if there was a quota for that specifically)..the botttom
line is that the Forest Service cannot force you to a route. If you
want to go to Canada on a circuitous route to LA and all parameters
on your permit are valid they canno dictate that as I learned from
the ranger in the field.
The Rangers I have discussed various permits are cool..as long as you
have the required permit and the Whitney stamp you are 100% valid.
I have gotten a 60-day permit (NOT a thru permit) for one long trip
all summer (several sections) as long as I specified reasonable
overnight points and clear entry and stop points (can be the
same for giant loop). As long as the entry/exit was the same then
I could traverse different National Forests and NP's legally. I have
also written on my permit an overnight stay at LP without a
prorb.
Rich
PS-
The permits are complex...yet they are still relatively IMO cheap even
with the Stamp and fee in some area. A couple of years ago it was
free to climb Shasta, now it costs $15 and will probably go to $25
soon as the rangers need a COLA and where else would they get
that raise except from you and me?
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