Hobbes,

I get what you're saying, but people like me have to plan this kind of trip months in advance, take time off of work, prepare and repackage food, rent a bear can, get a flight, rent a car, arrange shuttle ride, etc etc... I LOVE the SEKI area and this whole ordeal is much more manageable when we can say we have our permit figured out 100% before flying to California.

Most of the options I find here, because of the limited quota system, is to go in person and pray to your God that you can get your desired entry/exit or get a less-than-perfect permit modified in person. It's literally not possible to get what I want by waiting until Whitney Exit is open because by then, South Lake permits are already reserved.

It's very disconcerting, to say the least, knowing that I need to spend a lot of time and money preparing for a vacation when it could be completely wrecked by insufficient permits remaining, a missed flight that causes me to miss getting to the ranger station at open, etc.

I'm doing my best to get a game plan so that I don't get my whole world turned upside down at the ranger station.

Anyway... super excited to get out there again and I'm hoping it all works out!