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Unused Whitney Permits 2017
#52698 03/06/18 09:54 AM
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Unused Whitney Permits for 2017            

This table shows the number of permits remaining for both overnight hikes and day hikes on the Main Mount Whitney Trail.  (Day hike permits include the non-trail Mountaineers Route.)  During the summer hiking season, you can see what is currently available at the online permit website, Recreation.gov.

Check Recreation.gov for remaining permits (A=Available, R=all reserved).  If someone cancels a permit more than two days before, it will show up there as Available (within 24 hours of the cancellation).  Here are the links for the available slots. Click "Update Availability" to see the 2-week display of available permits:
        Mt Whitney Trail Day Use availability         Mt Whitney Trail Overnight availability

If someone with a reserved permit becomes a no-show (they don't show up and don't phone in before the deadline, which is noon the day before for day hikes, and 10 AM on the entry date for overnight permits), then their permit becomes available to people walking into the Visitor Center and asking.  The no-shows become available at 2 PM, the day before for day hikes, and 11 AM current day for overnighters).

The Unused columns below show the number of permits left over after all permit activity has completed for that date.  It is the difference between the permit quota and the count of permits issued for the day, and includes the cancelled and no-show permits that were not re-issued to walk-in people.

The prior unused permits page is here:  Unused Whitney Permits for 2016



Overnight Day Hike
Quotas: 60 100

Overnight Day Hike
May Unused Unused
==== ---- ----
1 M 49 100
2 T 55 99
3 W 57 97
4 T 52 99
5 F 44 93
6 S 54 84

7 S 48 92
8 M 52 99
9 T 48 93
10 W 50 87
11 T 58 90
12 F 39 85
13 S 10 77

14 S 41 76
15 M 49 95
16 T 57 94
17 W 39 95
18 T 59 93
19 F 34 94
20 S 31 67

21 S 46 45
22 M 45 87
23 T 42 89
24 W 39 93
25 T 50 96
26 F 38 81
27 S 12 76

28 S 13 35
29 M 35 70 <-- Memorial Day
30 T 43 97
31 W 46 100

Overnight Day Hike
June Unused Unused
==== ---- ----
1 T 18 92
2 F 26 78
3 S 34 59

4 S 20 38
5 M 26 93
6 T 21 88
7 W 34 98
8 T 16 77
9 F 25 74
10 S 29 36

11 S 26 44
12 M 29 70
13 T 23 57
14 W 21 62
15 T 32 68
16 F 8 31
17 S 5 38

18 S 28 55
19 M 15 52
20 T 12 44
21 W 13 61
22 T 20 57
23 F 23 68
24 S 10 16

25 S 30 21
26 M 14 30
27 T 15 21
28 W 21 33
29 T 13 46
30 F 9 44

Overnight Day Hike
July Unused Unused
==== ---- ----
1 S 04 7

2 S 13 1
3 M 1 8
4 T 9 25 <-- Independence Day.
5 W 8 36
6 T 13 46
7 F 10 30
8 S 7 35

9 S 19 47
10 M 12 34
11 T 22 40
12 W 10 16
13 T 12 12
14 F 1 21
15 S 23 17

16 S 1 29
17 M 6 19
18 T 12 33
19 W 7 27
20 T 11 18
21 F 11 44
22 S 6 5

23 S 7 0
24 M 21 24
25 T 4 20
26 W 0 18
27 T 2 30
28 F 0 30
29 S 0 12

30 S 3 45
31 M 1 0

Overnight Day Hike
August Unused Unused
==== ---- ----
1 T 15 21
2 W 12 2
3 T 0 20
4 F 4 33
5 S 1 14

6 S 6 14
7 M 2 12
8 T 8 20
9 W 10 6
10 T 1 23
11 F 0 8
12 S 0 12

13 S 0 0
14 M 5 0
15 T 0 15
16 W 15 6
17 T 22 26
18 F 0 1
19 S 0 2

20 S 0 3
21 M 17 0
22 T 19 21
23 W 18 13
24 T 29 13
25 F 1 3
26 S 4 10

27 S 11 13
28 M 18 0
29 T 17 31
30 W 2 40
31 T 5 42

Overnight Day Hike
Sept Unused Unused
==== ---- ----
1 F 01 6
2 S 00 1

3 S 1 0
4 M 2 0 <-- Labor Day holiday
5 T 8 18
6 W 2 24
7 T 7 12
8 F 1 14
9 S 3 1

10 S 10 11
11 M 6 9
12 T 17 32
13 W 2 22
14 T 5 21
15 F 0 18
16 S 5 0

17 S 1 11
18 M 8 18
19 T 11 19
20 W 10 15
21 T 15 29
22 F 16 30
23 S 0 1

24 S 11 17
25 M 5 16
26 T 16 13
27 W 25 28
28 T 1 23
29 F 1 27
30 S 2 0

Overnight Day Hike
October Unused Unused
==== ---- ----
1 S 0 11
2 M 14 41
3 T 13 51
4 W 21 54
5 T 12 28
6 F 0 12
7 S 11 5

8 S 6 11
9 M 28 6
10 T 20 54
11 W 34 36
12 T 18 48
13 F 2 16
14 S 19 7

15 S 33 7
16 M 44 28
17 T 25 34
18 W 45 69
19 T 38 46
20 F 21 42
21 S 25 21

22 S 40 59
23 M 52 10
24 T 35 91
25 W 37 81
26 T 36 82
27 F 26 53
28 S 17 53

29 S 25 32
30 M 49 83
31 T 54 98
Nov 1 W 36 93

Re: Unused Whitney Permits 2017
Steve C #52706 03/07/18 11:17 AM
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Thanks for sharing!

Re: Unused Whitney Permits 2017
ER10 #52753 03/23/18 11:57 PM
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For the record, below are the open slots remaining AFTER the lottery process was completed March 23, 2018. They will be immediately available for anyone to reserve on April 1, 2018, at 7 AM Pacific time. Popular dates will disappear in seconds.

The lottery process filled all Overnight slots between 6/1 and 10/8, and Day Use between 6/21 and 9/27.  The dates that show slots available between those dates are those where the lottery applicant called and requested that their application be cancelled, and the cancellation was done by staff after the actual lottery process ran. The applicants who canceled are not aware that they had won a slot.

        Overnight   Day Hike
Quotas: 60 100

May Overnight Day Hike
==== ---- ----
1 T 1 90
2 W 24 94
3 T 1 85
4 F 5 84
5 S 0 5

6 S 1 80
7 M 12 89
8 T 10 85
9 W 21 80
10 T 0 67
11 F 0 42
12 S 0 0

13 S 8 53
14 M 4 32
15 T 0 52
16 W 0 43
17 T 0 62
18 F 0 46
19 S 0 0

20 S 1 46
21 M 2 72
22 T 28 82
23 W 1 34
24 T 0 95
25 F 0 26
26 S 0 0

27 S 0 0
28 M 1 5 <-- Memorial Day
29 T 0 43
30 W 10 64
31 T 1 68

June Overnight Day Hike
==== ---- ----
1 F 0 0
2 S 0 0

3 S 0 43
4 M 0 72
5 T 1 79
6 W 0 82
7 T 1 62
8 F 0 49
9 S 0 0

10 S 0 0
11 M 4 38
12 T 5 61
13 W 0 81
14 T 0 50
15 F 0 8
16 S 0 0

17 S 0 1
18 M 0 0
19 T 2 12
20 W 0 16
21 T 0 0
22 F 0 6
23 S 0 0

24 S 0 0
25 M 0 0
26 T 0 2
27 W 0 8
28 T 0 7
29 F 0 0
30 S 0 4

July Overnight Day Hike
==== ---- ----
1 S 0 2
2 M 0 0
3 T 0 0
4 W 0 0 <-- Independence Day.
5 T 2 0
6 F 0 6
7 S 0 0

8 S 0 0
9 M 0 0
10 T 0 4
11 W 0 4
12 T 0 0
13 F 0 0
14 S 0 0

15 S 0 0
16 M 0 0
17 T 0 0
18 W 0 12
19 T 0 0
20 F 0 0
21 S 0 0

22 S 0 0
23 M 0 10
24 T 0 0
25 W 0 0
26 T 0 0
27 F 0 0
28 S 0 0

29 S 0 0
30 M 0 0
31 T 0 2

August Overnight Day Hike
==== ---- ----
1 W 0 10
2 T 0 0
3 F 0 0
4 S 0 0

5 S 0 0
6 M 0 0
7 T 0 0
8 W 0 6
9 T 0 0
10 F 0 0
11 S 4 0

12 S 3 6
13 M 0 3
14 T 0 0
15 W 0 0
16 T 0 4
17 F 0 0
18 S 0 0

19 S 0 0
20 M 0 0
21 T 0 0
22 W 0 0
23 T 0 0
24 F 0 7
25 S 0 0

26 S 0 0
27 M 3 0
28 T 0 3
29 W 6 2
30 T 0 0
31 F 0 4

Sept Overnight Day Hike
==== ---- ----
1 S 0 0

2 S 8 0
3 M 7 0 <-- Labor Day holiday
4 T 0 0
5 W 0 0
6 T 0 0
7 F 0 0
8 S 0 0

9 S 0 0
10 M 0 2
11 T 0 0
12 W 0 6
13 T 0 0
14 F 0 0
15 S 0 0

16 S 0 0
17 M 3 0
18 T 0 0
19 W 0 0
20 T 0 0
21 F 0 0
22 S 2 0

23 S 0 0
24 M 4 9
25 T 2 0
26 W 0 6
27 T 6 0
28 F 0 32
29 S 0 0

30 S 0 0

October Overnight Day Hike
==== ---- ----
1 M 0 14
2 T 0 78
3 W 2 89
4 T 1 81
5 F 0 17
6 S 0 0

7 S 0 6
8 M 0 58
9 T 16 83
10 W 12 93
11 T 0 92
12 F 0 77
13 S 0 1

14 S 1 44
15 M 42 85
16 T 33 100
17 W 51 100
18 T 19 100
19 F 0 94
20 S 1 6

21 S 30 92
22 M 44 100
23 T 53 100
24 W 27 98
25 T 55 98
26 F 0 83
27 S 1 83

28 S 48 96
29 M 52 100
30 T 50 100
31 W 56 100
Nov 1 T 56 100

Re: Unused Whitney Permits 2017
Steve C #52764 03/24/18 04:39 PM
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This would be a question for Steve as he seems to be the wizard of all things Lottery. I am curious as to your "For the Record" post indicating remaining slots open for the completed 2018 Lottery and more specifically the date of August 11 where it appears there are 4 open slots for Overnight that were not used. Having just received my unsuccessful Lottery notice and referring back to the printed out form when I entered, I did indeed list August 11 as one of my alternate dates with 4 people for Overnight. So, just wondering why my request for that date was not filled during the Lottery process. I now will be monitoring the Recreation.gov website for another opportunity. Thank you for all of the information regarding this subject that you have given over time as I read it all.

Re: Unused Whitney Permits 2017
Keith #52768 03/24/18 08:42 PM
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Keith, see this post: #52767

Re: Unused Whitney Permits 2017
Steve C #53247 05/26/18 11:09 PM
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Quote:
... includes the cancelled and no-show permits that were not re-issued to walk-in people.


For the last part of your post, can you clarify what “not-reissued” means. Are the rangers with-holding permits even though there’s space under the quota? My friend needs a permit and was really hopeful after looking at these numbers but now is unsure. frown

He was hoping that the number signifies how many permits were available to a last minute walk in for overnight permits day of at 11am.

Re: Unused Whitney Permits 2017
Jack C #53248 05/27/18 12:03 AM
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Originally Posted By: Jack C
Quote:
... includes the cancelled and no-show permits that were not re-issued to walk-in people.


For the last part of your post, can you clarify what “not-reissued” means. Are the rangers with-holding permits even though there’s space under the quota? My friend needs a permit and was really hopeful after looking at these numbers but now is unsure. frown

He was hoping that the number signifies how many permits were available to a last minute walk in for overnight permits day of at 11am.


The number signifies how many permits were available to a last minute walk-in at the END of the day. The number available at 11 AM would be higher, assuming people like your friend came in at (or after 11 AM) and picked up one of the unused permits.

They are not holding back any permits. ...well, if someone actually goes online and "confirms" their reservations several days before they show up, and then they don't show up, I think those are never released. At least that was the word I got several years ago.

Your friend could go in before 11 AM, because there might be some overnight permits available, due to groups picking up their permits, but dropping off a slot or two for members who backed out of the trip. Those permits are available as soon as those groups are done picking up their permits, which can be as early as the morning before starting their hike.

Re: Unused Whitney Permits 2017
Steve C #59909 03/16/23 05:42 PM
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Steve C, as always thank you for the invaluable info you put out. Do you or does anyone else have more updated info on unused permits in more recent years? I struck out AGAIN and want to give myself best odds at a day when I can get 2 overnight permits

Brent N

Re: Unused Whitney Permits 2017
Brent N #59911 03/17/23 10:03 PM
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Brent, Inyo NF has relinquished their hands-on control of the permit system to the electronic process run by recreation.gov.

It seems they have made it far more difficult to obtain permits that were reserved in the lottery, since people no longer need to show up in person at the Visitor Center to obtain their printed permit. They can "confirm" online, that they are going on their trip up to two weeks in advance, and print out and carry their permit. But it is my feeling that it is the last-minute dropouts who make up the largest numbers of no-shows. But there is no way now, and no incentive, for the trip leader to somehow notify Inyo N.F. and then Recreation.gov, that some people in the party, or even the entire party, is not hiking.

It used to be Inyo staff's primary goal to get as many people on the trail as the quota allowed. But there just isn't a feasible way to "take back" electronic permits, without an enforced face-to-face last minute check-in, and then a face-to-face stop by and ask for an unused no-show permit.

It is fully electronic now, so only the most conscientious trip leader would wait until they are sure of their party's number of hikers, and then release their unused slots. And then, if they release those slots, there is the rule that unused slots show up on-line "at a random time in the next 24 hours". That next 24 hours could be past the reasonable time for anyone else to grab the permit and be able to hike with it.

The electronic system has certainly streamlined handling permits, but at the expense of making unused slots available.

As a caveat, I should say that what I have written here may not in fact be exactly how the system works this year. But it is the best info I have at this point.

Re: Unused Whitney Permits 2017
Steve C #59921 03/21/23 05:17 PM
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Steve, your answers are always helpful. Does that mean that there is no longer the option of driving up on a weekday and getting whatever is left? Either I get it electronically or I don't?

Re: Unused Whitney Permits 2017
Brent N #59923 03/23/23 09:36 AM
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Brent your statement is true, the option for driving to the visitors center to get a permit doesn't exist any longer. If you missed the primary lottery there is the option of the secondary lottery where they will release the permits that were not confirmed & paid for. That happens on April 22 at 0700 but you need to be cued up & ready to submit entry because they will be gone in 15 mins. If you miss that then you are subjected to checking online daily for any available permits whenever your travel window is. Also if you do secure a permit the visitor center won't even print it for you. One time last year I wanted to pick up my permit, ended up calling the main permit # & they faxed it right over. Or they can fax or email it to your home for you to print. They are making things ever more difficult. Hope this helps...

Re: Unused Whitney Permits 2017
CatB #59963 04/25/23 03:00 PM
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just reporting on my experience with trying to snag unclaimed permits at 7:00 am on 4-15. I got in precisely at 7:00 am, navigated to my date, saw the ones I wanted, tried to reserve . . . and they were gone already--probably by about 20 seconds in. I tried several others, but they were all gone. I'm guessing that someone's bots were faster than my fingers.

Re: Unused Whitney Permits 2017
Brent N #59964 04/26/23 08:14 AM
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Originally Posted by Brent N
just reporting on my experience with trying to snag unclaimed permits at 7:00 am on 4-15. I got in precisely at 7:00 am, navigated to my date, saw the ones I wanted, tried to reserve . . . and they were gone already--probably by about 20 seconds in. I tried several others, but they were all gone. I'm guessing that someone's bots were faster than my fingers.

Were you looking at one-day permits or over night?

I was able to get an overnight for 4th of July weekend. The permits seemed to go quick, but not "bot like" quick. I think I saw weekend one-day permits available for the middle of summer still available several minutes after 7.

Re: Unused Whitney Permits 2017
Louie #59965 04/27/23 04:23 PM
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Hey, Louie. I was going for overnight permits as well.


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