Okay, you really want the scoop on the fallacious argument? The first fallacy is called "straw-man". You no doubt have heard of that. You are arguing against a proposition neither Karen nor I have made: namely that there would not be a violation if you camp in a canister zone without a canister. Clearly there would have been. But he didn't and there wasn't. Which brings us to the second fallacy, known as "hypothesis contrary to fact". You suppose circumstances that did not occur.
You can't ticket somebody for what might happen, only for what they actually do.
And you are still making the straw argument when you say "Based on your reading of this, I do not need a canister to do Mt. Whitney via the MMWT based your reading of the rules all I need to do is not follow my itinerary then make up a story."
That is not what I am saying and it does not follow from what I am saying. SO far, you have not cited a single rule, reg or forest order to support your interpretation: only what you have been told over the years.
I have pointed you to both the NPS regs and the USFS regs. Look, a lot of rangers will tell you a lot of things for a lot of reasons: most very well intentioned, others not so much. For example, based on your apparent Whitney experience, I'll bet you have been told you must carry a wagbag in the WHitneyZone and you must pack out your waste. But there is no such rule, regulation or forest order. Its a policy that Garry Oye introduced into some published material years ago with no authority whatsoever, after he (illegally in my opinion) burned down the toilets at Trail Camp and Outpost. Another example is the supposed "no backtrack" rule from trailheads in Yosemite. You ask two Rangers about that one and you will get three different answers.
I know what you have heard, but I also know what I have read, and guess what, under our system its what the rules say and what the courts say that matters, not what, with all due respect, the rangers or even the agency brochures say, that matters.
So yeah, If I am irresponsible enough to camp in WZ or at Rae Lakes or Rock Creek without a canister, fine my ass and I will pay it. But ticket me while I am moving through Mclure Meadow, or over Mather Pass because I MIGHT have camped at Rae Lakes without a canister, or have been in the WZ without a WagBag, I'll see you in court, where you can explain to a US Magistrate what you have heard as opposed to what the regs and forest orders actually say.
