Mt Whitney Zone Forums General Discussion camping at lone pine lake - whitney permit?

We were thinking of starting our trek the day prior to our permitted entry date. We were going to camp at lone pine lake though I've heard that although day hiking is permitted to LPL, camping there without a valid permit is not? How much of a risk are we taking camping the night before our permit entry date @ LPL. I've heard you have to appear in court in Lone Pine if you get caught.
Thanks.

you do need a permit.

And it is safe to assume that there are people who would be checking to see if you have your permit, who read this message board.

I'd say that you'd be taking a pretty big risk.

Great place to camp though.

understood...what do you think the likelihood of going to the ranger station saturday morning jun 25 and getting an early entry so we can camp @ LPL?
Seems that would be much better than camping @ portal....

I'm no expert on Inyo forest permits, so please correct me if I'm wrong, but LPL is not in the Whitney Zone. So in theory you could get a general overnight wilderness permit and camp near LPL and then enter WZ on the following day. However, just make sure you camp at least 100 feet from the lake and trail. Does this make sense?

Even though LPL is not in the Whitney Zone, you do need a Whitney main trail permit to camp there overnight. Depending on volume, the rangers sometimes are willing to rewrite your permit to enter a day early, but you cannot count on that.

Akichow is correct. You need a main trail overnight permit.

Be sure to ask if any are available. With so many no-shows due to the late snow conditions, you are likely to get one.

That would be Independence, which is north of Lone Pine.

You won't immediately go to court. You will get a court date to appear and it is a long, long drive dependent upon where you reside.

Be safe and especially be law abiding. $100.00 fine can buy a lot of gas or dang near 4 nights at the Whitney Portal Hostel.

The last two times I've been up there I had a ranger check my permits within 1/4 of Lone Pine Lake. Just sayin