I am currently shopping for a large, red Patagonia down sweater and the REI nearest to me has precisely one in stock. I can order it online and choose between having it sent to me or held at customer service for me to pick up in person. I could also call REI to place the order by phone or even just head to the store and take my chances that no one will beat me to it. If someone were to buy it before me, I could backorder it. And there is even a chance that by the time I get around to buying it, someone will have returned one and increased the number of items available. None of this is impacted by my residential zip code, either.
I land squarely with you, Bob--deliberately setting aside any number of permits for walk-ups is the wrong way to go. During the last five years I lived both in Northern California and in Brooklyn and have purchased permits in each of those years. The walk-in system gave locals a home court advantage of which I myself took advantage. But we are talking about National parks, forests, and wilderness areas supported by all of our tax dollars. You are right, Maverick--it shouldn't be an exclusionary system. But planning six months ahead is not a luxury, it is a necessity for most of us that are not locals, and one that comes with significant financial risk. In order to spend a week in the Sierras during the summer--on Whitney or elsewhere--I need to purchase a permit between late December and late February, purchase plane tickets, reserve a car, and then hope that nothing like a pandemic, fires, or rockfall at Whitney Portal disrupts or cancels my plans for the year.
Personally, I am hopeful that the powers that be will continue to make adjustments that work for all of us. The pandemic forced the airlines to figure out how to fix very similar issues (and some absurd ones, like selling more tickets for a flight than a plane has seats). Recreation.gov just needs to further evolve and become the Expedia of the four agencies managing public lands.
