[pct-l] permit paperwork in No. Cal. and Oregon

[jerrygoller at backpackgeartest.org (Jerry Goller)]

I've found the best plan for dealing with the government is to lie. Tell
them what ever they want to hear then do what you planned on doing
anyway. It makes both them and you happy.....    =o)
Jerry

http://www.BackpackGearTest.org : the most comprehensive interactive
gear reviews and tests on the planet.



-----Original Message-----
From: pct-l-bounces@mailman.backcountry.net
[mailto:pct-l-bounces@mailman.backcountry.net] On Behalf Of Plotnikoff,
David
Sent: Monday, January 19, 2004 6:13 PM
To: 'pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net'
Subject: [pct-l] permit paperwork in No. Cal. and Oregon


Greetings from a longtime list lurker and section hiker.

 This season I'm doing Peavine Creek ("infamous" section O which was in
great shape when I stopped there last year) north to Willamette Pass.
That's 477 miles, just under the line when it comes to getting a blanket
permit from PCTA. 

Over the last week, I've been calling various National Forest offices
trying to ascertain whether I need any wilderness permits at all. After
being shuttled from ranger district office to ranger district office
(the PCT of course, skirts the edge of many different jurisdictions)
I've come to the conclusion that the answer is NO.

 Although Shasta-Trinity and Klamath NF offices seemed to be the most
confused (with contradictory information about areas such as Castle
Crags Wilderness and Trinity Alps wilderness being dispensed on their
Web sites and by their occasionally clueless headquarters administrative
staff) I explained as clearly as I could that I would be passing
*through* both of those without stopping to camp in either. That seemed
to clear that up. They seemed much firmer in declaring I wouldn't need
permits to camp in either the Russian or Marble wilderness. 

The situation got clearer past the Oregon border. No ranger district
office I called on the Winema, Willamette or Deschutes NFs needed any
permit paperwork at all for Sky Lakes, Diamond Lake/Mt. Thiesen
wilderness, etc. 

Does my information square with the experience of those who have done
this section recently? I can't see any mention in any journal of permit
hassles through here. (Yogi? The Hiker formerly known as Cupcake? Your
thoughts?) It's just as a Bay Area person whose early experiences were
shaped by many summers in Yosemite and Inyo NF, I'm just programmed to
figure I have to fill out six forms in triplicate every time I grab my
trowel and ... 

Thank you. 


David Plotnikoff
San Jose Mercury News
(408) 920-5867
dplotnikoff@mercurynews.com

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