Hobbes, thanks for all the input!
You asked: "you mentioned night-drop will be available for the parks?"
That is only for people getting a permit from Inyo N.F. to start their hike on an Inyo trailhead, but their trip extends across the crest into SeKi. Up until this year, SeKi required Inyo to enforce the trip leader to walk-in to receive their hard-copy permit, because they wanted everyone to get the face-to-face instructions that SeKi requires. Inyo pointed out this requires more staff time of them, so either drop the face-to-face, or help pay for Visitor Center staffing.
This is a really big change. Two years ago, it forced me to waste gas coming back down to Lone Pine from Horseshoe Meadows, and delaying the start of my hike for hours (getting to my overnight spot in the cold after sundown). I've always said SeKi could very easily put all their regs on a PDF document that hikers could download, sign, and carry as part of their permit.
Let's all hope that SeKi sees the efficiency in Inyo's process, and eventually changes their rules to add online last minute reservations, Will Call, and Night Box pickup. I have many times spent overnights hiding out somewhere in my car, or driving to the park at Oh-Dark-Thirty to get first place in those lines. It would sure be a game-change.
