I just emailed Ed about these numbers. He gave Salty much more dramatic numbers, which were posted here and on other forums.
PREVIOUSLY: For JMT permits, we are 242% of last year, 608% of 2013 and 1216% of 2012. (523 people in 2015, 233 in 2014, 86 in 2013 and 43 in 2012)
NOW: A 100% increase (doubling) over 4 years.
100% increase (2x) over 4 yrs is a lot different than 1216% increase (13x) over 3 yrs.
Ed told me there were as many as 80 people going over Donohue in one day. That's a pair of hikers every 12 minutes on average over an 8-hr day. I'm not convinced that's really a problem because so many of those thru-hikers do not camp in Lyell Canyon anyway.
I'm sure the demand has increased significantly, but they have not done a good job quantifying the problem. Let's see how it works out, and get involved in the Yosemite Wilderness Management Plan Update if you think they can do better.
