Mt Whitney Zone Forums General Discussion 2013 Whitney Lottery Information

They will try to put up one more update. Maybe Monday, 3/11.

Hey Steve, curious if I can change my alternate leader and where...if successful I may need to change my alt leader. Is it done on-line or when picking up permit?

Additionally, I had a med issue on the trail last year. We had to break our group of four up. I tore my permit in half and gave to the alt while my son and I stayed the night above LP Lake. We were in the Whitney Zone still. I could think of no other option cause coming down with my situation was not an option yet (wrenched knee).

If anyone one else ever encounters a similar problem, what is the best proof that you all had a permit to be there?

Oh yea, about what date did the charges for permits start appearing on charge cards last year? I'm thinking it was the day after the close date.

Thanks, Dan

Someone messed up the software this year so no alternate leader name could be entered. I am thinking you may need to call the wilderness permit office and ask about that if you actually get a permit.

As for a party splitting up, I think it would be wise for each member to carry a copy of the permit, or at least write down the permit number on something to carry.

This year, you won't be charged until you actually accept your permit. Soon after the lottery is run, emails will be sent to all the participants.

Edit: After seeing the post below, I guess things are still ok with alternate leader. I was recalling the testing web site that Inyo was running in January before the actual lottery began.

I was able to add an alternate leader on the application, and I believe it was the same as last year where we could enter up to three alternates.

Lottery Application
• Application #: 6-1459268 • Lottery: Mt Whitney Lottery 2013
• Facility: Mt. WHITNEY
• Status: Entered - Payment Confirmed
Lottery Preferences

Permit Detail
• Permit Issuing Station: Eastern Sierra InterAgency Visitor Center
Customer Information Heather Herrera
Group Leader Information
Name: Heather Herrera

Alternate Leader Information
Carlos Herrera

man, I have some crappy luck.

Gave up on waiting for an update around 2pm.

Filled out the 4 apps I was planning on.

Just went to close the link to the PDF (which has been open on my laptop for weeks), refreshed it without even thinking about it (out of habit I guess)

...an updated document appeared... :\

> ...an updated document appeared... :\

Do you mean the Recreation.gov entry page? That's too bad! But...if you had it open for weeks, it probably expired anyway. Not sure, but I believe you need to enter your application on a fresh page, or the web site would expire your login.

Now remember, if you enter multiple applications, you have a better chance of being processed early. (They may limit multiples in the future, but not this year.)

I have updated the first post in this thread: _link_

One more important note: That updated progress page requires hours of work for Inyo people to compile and create. Please post a note of thanks and support if it is helpful. (In my own opinion, it is very informative!)

I had the pdf showing the submitted applications info open and would periodically hit 'CTRL+F5' to see if it was updated.

I kept holding off on submitting my apps b/c I wanted the most current info. They must've updated the document while I was filling out the apps using the old info.

MANY, MANY THANKS TO THE INYO STAFF FOR THE UPDATED LOTTERY INFORMATION!! I found data to be very helpful and easy to understand. I used it when I submitted our applications, trying for dates that were not as popular as other dates but still worked in our schedule. Their time and effort is really appreciated.

And Thank You Steve for asking for the update and conveying the info back to us!!

Anxiously waiting for the lottery results...

Ok, so the results come out tomorrow...can't wait. In fact since I could not wait, early last week I checked on entering the Zone from the west and exit through portal. I checked dates of entry from cottonwood lakes and the itinerary we would do and sure enough, entry and exit dates for a 7 day, 6 night leisurely tour were available, so we booked it! We are doing one night at cottonwood south fork lake, over new army, overnight at lower rock creek, overnight at crabtree meadow, 2 nights above guitar (a rest day in between), a 3am rise up to trail crest, drop packs and summit, back to the crest, grab packs and overnight at trailcamp and down to portal the next morning where our burgers and fries will be waiting. We are in no hurry and there will be ample days to acclimate on the trail before the summit. If I do get a lottery permit I'll probably just let it go back into the system since we are already set for this x-country tour.

Ok so I got my email congratulation for successfully drawing a permit. That's great except for the fact that its for May 16th?? Which happens to be a date I never submitted! Whats happening here?!?! There's no way I can take this date because I'm planning on taking my daughter this year and she'll still be in school. Is this a glitch in the drawing system? Am I just out of luck?

I got the email this morning! July 14 2 night!

John;

Unfortunately I suspect you are out of luck. I know that there will be a bunch of cancellations and non-acceptance of the permits so look for those to open up.

For 9 years I've been unsuccessful with the lottery. Their previous method of 'drawing' names was always extremely questionable. Now, they need 8 or so days to find the results using the new computerized system. I'm not buying it. You have lotteries with tens of millions of people in it that come up with instant results. Sadly, my opinion of this new system has turned extremely sour. Yes, I feel it's rigged. Good luck to everyone, I hope it works out for you.

Im sure the results are instant... thats why they went to a computer method of drawing the names. That and it is now all tied into the recreation.gov framework.



Why would they rig the lottery? In my opinion rigging something like a lottery is really to benifit the people who run it... what would Inyo National Forest have to gain?



Thanks, I will enjoy my time in July on the Mountian and you can also look for permits that are unused April 1st and as then become availible after that!

I understand your frustration with the lottery system... I recieved by "unsuccessful application" email earlier today. I'm totally bummed. I know people who get a permit and hike every year, I guess I'm just not that lucky. I guess I will just have to wait and see if any days that I could hike go on sale in April.

except for one time, I have been unsuccessful in getting permits through the lottery. However, I have been extremely successful in getting walk-in permits.

I didn't bother with the lottery this year. I have no doubt that I'll end up getting permits when I want them. And if I don't, I will go up Meysan Lake trail, or tuttle creek or one of the other less popular trails.

My group got a permit for Monday, Aug. 5 - woo-hoo! We put in 10 overnight permit applications, 5 in my name, 5 in another person's name. I got four "unsuccessful" notices (not sure what happened to my 5th application), but the other person had a successful application. We had Aug. 5 as our 1st, 2nd and 3rd choices, with the only variation being a different group size for each alternative, and we aren't sure yet how many people are in our permit group -- it wasn't in the notification email, and I don't think it will show up on the recreation.gov website until April 1.

We did everything we could reasonably do to improve our chances, including using all 14 alternatives in each application. All 10 of our applications were identical, and we thought that 10 applications would give us a reasonable shot (and we thought, for a group, that $60 was a tolerable cost for our applications).

For those of you that received successful notifications, have you gone to the rec.gov site to see if your lottery applications now reflect your success as well?

If have no news as yet. In this digital age I would have expected all notifications to be issued within seconds.

I am still hopeful. If this fails I will try for a walk-in permit.

No, permit results aren't on recreation.gov as of yet, and that site says the results will be posted there by April 1.

Both my husband and our friend entered the lottery. Our friend received an email this am telling him he was not successful. We have neither received an email either way. Is that ususual? Will more emails go out? I can find my application on our account. I know it exists, but no notification.Anyone know what might be going on? We would really like to be able to plan our trip and get the appropriate time off work and were waiting for this email.