Eugene, I am not 100% sure how the night permit pickup will be handled. It was a telephone conversation, and I didn't record it. But next time I make contact, I'll raise the issue of the night pickup.
Nei, the National Forest budgets have been cut repeatedly year after year. Believe me, they are working on this as fast as they can with limited staff, and everything is not spelled out yet. During the conversation, I was impressed with all the bases and rules that they must address with this system before it goes public. All those things are still being adjusted.
And as for clear definition, I pointed out the lotteries run by ReserveAmerica for other locales. The Whitney lottery will be fit into the existing system, with minimal changes to the nationwide setup.
As for a time line, I wouldn't expect much on the lottery before Feb 1. Asking lots of questions before that will just slow down their progress.
