I have to call this one for Steve.
The MR and all of North Fork route is indeed in the Whitney Zone, so you are still in the Whitney Zone most of the way down North Fork. But"Exiting" means "Exiting wilderness", and that happens on the North Fork well before you reach the Main Trail, and on the Main Trail just before you reach the North Fork. SO the question becomes whether the so called "Whitney Exit" applies to the Whitney Zone or only to the Main Trail. It has long been referrred to as the "Trail Crest" quota, and genreally referred to as "Exiting Whitney" or Exiting WHitney Portal. But by any definition, "exiting WHitney Portal" doesn'e mean anything, because at Whitney Portal you are not exiting anything. ANyone ending at the Portal has already exited both Wilderness and the Zone by a mile or more.
SO you would have to look at exactly how the quota is described. IF it says exiting through WHitney Zone, then yes, that would apply to the MR and North Fork. IF it says Exiting by MW Main Trail, or trail Crest then no.
So guess what. Here is what the INyo web site actually says:
"Look for a permit type with “Visiting Mt. Whitney” if you will visit the Mt. Whitney Zone, but are not exiting via the Mt Whitney trail to Whitney Portal.
Look for a permit type with “Exit Mt. Whitney” for trips that will finish at Whitney Portal via Mt. Whitney (Trail Crest Exit).* An additional quota will apply for your exit date."
Based on this, I would say that it is crystal clear that the quota does not apply to the MR/North Fork route, becuse it does not exit Wilderness, or anything else, by Trail Crest or the Main Trail. QED.
Note, however, that you still need the "Visiting Mt Whitney" permit, but there is only an extra charge for this, not a quota.
Last edited by saltydog; 02/27/17 04:19 PM.
