"A parking permit is required for hiker parking."   How does that work?
Parking permit issued with the trail permit, I assume.


Soo what exactly is the issue?

I think many long-term hikers would park along the roadway when the parking lots were full. So that won't be available. And I think in the peak hiking months, there are just more cars for multi-night backpackers than there will be spots in the parking lots. It wouldn't be that difficult to hitch a ride down to their car, but for a group starting a hike and no spots available... what to do... drop everyone and gear at the trail head, drive the car back down, and hitch back up to the Portal? That might delay the start time for a bunch of people.

This would be a good summer to try running a regular shuttle: One or two trips in the morning, one or two mid-day, and one in the afternoon. It works at Mammoth/Devils Postpile. I'd bet it would at the Portal.