Catalyst, I see your response regarding permits on the other forum:
Getting a walk in permit would be ideal, but we have some people driving down from Washington, so we want to make sure we can get a permit, hence the reservation. Maybe we could plan the trip to be flexible and hold off a day or two if the weather is looking bad though. A walk in permit a few days later is better than not going at all earlier due to foul weather.
I have heard, generally, that permits are plentiful out of Horseshoe Meadows. (I think wbtravis can verify this.) And you are talking about late September. The demand for permits drops off dramatically toward the end of September. And looking at the
permit quotas page, between Cottonwood Pass and Cottonwood Lakes, there are 100 permits per DAY available, and 40% of those are held back for walk-in requests. Those walk-in requests are available first-come first-serve at 11 AM at the visitor center the day before, and no-shows are available 11 AM same day. You DON'T NEED to worry about permits.
You will also need a Trail Crest Exit permit do do the Whitney loop, but again, that late in the season should not be a problem. (Those exit permits are 40% walk-in, too.)
