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Whitney Permit Lottery 2015
#41241 12/26/14 02:11 PM
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It sounds like the permit rules have changed.

When does the lottery start? Is it on January 1st?

Last time I went up was in 2013 but I cannot remember when the lottery started.

Thanks for your help.

Re: Permit lottery start date
ChrisInLongBeach #41242 12/26/14 02:22 PM
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Never mind. I answered my question here

    Whitney Permit Lottery 2014

Lottery starts on February 1st.

Whitney Permit Lottery 2015
ChrisInLongBeach #41243 12/26/14 05:24 PM
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Glad you asked, Chris. We'll make this the 2015 Whitney Permit Lottery thread.

I have been told there are no changes occurring to the lottery process this year. It will be the same as 2014.

Lottery entries can be made between Feb 1 and March 15. There is no advantage to entering early, as all entries are processed in one batch, in random order, after the entry period closes.
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Edit 4-29-15:
For another Lottery/Permit thread, see this one:
Mount Whitney Lottery

On May 1, any permit slots won but not paid for will be returned to the system. They will be returned at random times, so checking throughout the day is required.

Links to Recreation.gov:     DAY USE, Mt. Whitney Zone     Mt. Whitney Trail Overnight Permit

Last edited by Steve C; 04/29/15 03:26 PM.
Re: Permit lottery start date
ChrisInLongBeach #41244 12/26/14 08:58 PM
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When and how do I apply for an overnight permit for the Mountaineers Route up Mt Whitney?

Re: Whitney Permit Lottery 2015
RenoFrank #41245 12/27/14 04:14 AM
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Overnight on the (non-trail) Mountaineers Route (MR) of Mt Whitney is outside the lottery. (Day hikes on that route require the same day hike permit as the Main Trail, so IS in the lottery.)

The Overnight MR permit can be reserved starting 6 months before the date of entry (day you start your hike), like all other trails in Inyo National Forest's trails, via Recreation.gov. It is identified as "North Fork of Lone Pine Creek JM34" Six permits are reservable for each day, and 4 more are held back for walk-in requests, available the day before date-of-entry at 11 AM in the Visitor Center s of Lone Pine.

On Recreation.gov, the route is found by selecting Inyo National Forest, Permits and Wilderness, Cross Country visiting Mt Whitney, North Fork of Lone Pine Creek JM34.


Re: Whitney Permit Lottery 2015
Steve C #41540 01/22/15 02:09 PM
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Bumping this to the top:

Lottery application period opens Feb 1.

Re: Whitney Permit Lottery 2015
Steve C #41676 01/31/15 07:59 PM
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Just wanted to confirm after reading the posts from last year: it's safe for everyone in 1 group to enter multiple times. I guess I was confused about the people who were upset when theirs was cancelled (was it because they entered too many times or just luck they didn't get it?)

Re: Whitney Permit Lottery 2015
Suze308 #41677 01/31/15 11:09 PM
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To the best of my knowledge:
One person can enter multiple applications, specifying up to 15 entry dates on each application. Each application costs $6. During the lottery processing, as soon as the first processed application successfully awards any one of the 15 entry dates for the number of hikers specified, ALL other applications for that individual are automatically cancelled.

If a second person in the same group signs up and submit entries for a trip, and if one of their entries is successful, then the second trip is awarded. However, Inyo staff will try to identify these situations and cancel one of the awarded trips. They do this so that more groups have a chance of scheduling a trip. (I am not sure how two people are tied together to the same group and trip.) It would be especially kind of the people in the multiply-awarded setups (who are not identified and canceled), to immediately decline one of the trips online so others can get a permit.

I think two people submitting separate entries for the same trip gives you no better chances of winning than if one person submits all the entries. The odds of winning a trip are just the same.

Re: Whitney Permit Lottery 2015
Suze308 #41706 02/06/15 10:30 AM
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Originally Posted By: Suze308
Just wanted to confirm after reading the posts from last year: it's safe for everyone in 1 group to enter multiple times. I guess I was confused about the people who were upset when theirs was cancelled (was it because they entered too many times or just luck they didn't get it?)


Based on my experience last year, apparently if you win permits one application, any other applications that you are listed as an alternate leader for are revoked/cancelled.

My wife submitted an application with mid-week dates in early June. This was a trip for my father-in-law and I, and possibly my wife. I was listed as an alternate and we 'won' on that application.

On another application, I was the leader and the dates were weekends in late June - early September. This was a trip for my buddies and I. We 'won' but it was later revoked when they realized I was an alternate leader for the early June trip.

Re: Whitney Permit Lottery 2015
63ChevyII.com #41710 02/07/15 12:39 AM
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Inyo staff asked me to post this:

"Groups should not ask for the same date on multiple applications. They may submit multiple applications if they have more than 15 choices to be considered."

From the Mt Whitney page on Recreation.gov:

Quote:
Attention: The Mount Whitney lottery is open through March 15, 2015, 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time!

This lottery is for permits with entry dates between May 1, 2015 and November 1, 2015. However, the trail may not be clear of snow for early or late season dates.

Please submit only one application per group.

Trips sponsored by organizations or commercial groups must contact the Inyo National Forest wilderness permit office before applying for a Mt. Whitney permit.

Fees: No Refunds

Transaction Fee: One application may list up to 15 trip choices and 3 alternate leaders for one $6.00 fee

Reservation Fee: Lottery winners must pay a $15.00 per person reservation fee by April 30, 2015 to claim any awarded date. Unclaimed dates will be canceled.

Re: Whitney Permit Lottery 2015
Steve C #41938 03/10/15 12:43 PM
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Is there any info regarding what dates people are applying for this year? I found the info helpful when applying last year.

Re: Whitney Permit Lottery 2015
63ChevyII.com #41943 03/10/15 08:44 PM
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Found this on the Mount Whitney Lottery - Permit Reservations page:

2015 Lottery Progress Report (as of March 3, 2015) Scroll down on that document, and you can see every date in the lottery!

Generally, for overnights, the top applications are for Friday and Saturday starts in July and August. For day hikes, most are Saturdays in July and August.

Friday, May 1 is an anomaly: While most days in May are never filled, many people seem to put down May 1 as their first choice since it is the first day of the lottery. Just seems odd they would pick such an early date, since they could just walk in and pick up a free permit.

Re: Whitney Permit Lottery 2015
Steve C #41962 03/15/15 09:47 PM
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The Whitney Lottery registration period closed tonight. The lottery will be run sometime in the next few days. People can check their recreation.gov account beginning March 24 to view the results of their applications in the lottery.

Re: Whitney Permit Lottery 2015
ChrisInLongBeach #41966 03/16/15 09:44 AM
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@jjoshuagregory (Instagram) for mainly landscape and mountain pics
Re: Whitney Permit Lottery 2015
Snacking Bear #41998 03/24/15 09:01 AM
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"kmcboogie" reported on March 24 that they got their second choice date on the lottery.

Here is an amazing tidbit: Friday, Sept 4, there are six overnight permits available. That is the Friday of the Labor Day holiday weekend. I guess people purposely omitted holiday weekend starts, figuring they had no chance. The slots like those will be available to be reserved at 7 AM April 1.

Here's the Rec.gov view.

Re: Whitney Permit Lottery 2015
Steve C #42000 03/24/15 12:35 PM
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I submitted two applications. One was granted for September 22 for an overnight permit. Interestingly, I only know that by looking at the website. I received a message regretting to inform me that my application was unsuccessful. I did not receive one telling me that my other application was successful. This proves, of course, that the Government is more efficient at delivering bad news than good news. (That rule is reversed during campaigns.)

Looking forward to another trip up this beautiful mountain.

Re: Whitney Permit Lottery 2015
Brent N #42005 03/24/15 03:21 PM
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I received a good news email notification. I wasn't expending a notification, as the site claims we have to check ourselves, but there it was.

Re: Whitney Permit Lottery 2015
Steve C #42013 03/24/15 08:50 PM
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Originally Posted By: Steve C
The slots like those will be available to be reserved at 7 AM April 1.


Will some slots open up on May 1st also, like last year?

Re: Whitney Permit Lottery 2015
ChrisInLongBeach #42014 03/24/15 09:33 PM
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I unfortunately wasn't successful with the lottery. After learning my other options to get a permit, why wouldn't recreation.gov lump both the unclaimed reservations with the cancelled reservations and have them all be available on April 30th? It seems like the scenario could come up that on April 1st, I claim a permit for, say, a Tuesday, because I don't think I would get anything else, then someone cancels their reservation at the 11th hour and it doesn't show up until after the April 30th date. They should just put all the available reservations together at one time. Am I understanding this correctly?

Re: Whitney Permit Lottery 2015
skylerdharkins #42018 03/24/15 11:29 PM
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Throughout April, as lottery winners log in and decline slots they can't use, those show up as available at a random time within 24 hours after they cancel their slots.

On May 1, the unclaimed slots -- those won, but not paid for by the winners -- are made available. (I am not sure, but I think those become available at various times through the day.)

skylerd: They don't make them immediately available at a specific time, and not immediately after someone cancels, to prevent scalpers from picking up permits, and then coordinating with someone to grab slots as soon as they are cancelled.

Best thing to do is set up a link that you can "bookmark" that hits recreation.gov for the specific dates you want to see, for the specific type (day use or overnight), and keep checking for anything coming available.

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