Mt Whitney Zone Forums General Discussion Permit question

We have a group of two doing Onion Valley to Mt Whitney. We are a few days from starting our attempt to get the permits for the time frame we need. Just curious if I understand everything correctly.

We need an Exit Whitney Permit. And entering Kearsage Pass. The permit needs picked up by 10am on the day we enter? So if we get a permit to enter on 8/31 - we plan to fly in on 8/30, and drive to Onion Valley where we will camp for the night, and start the hike on 8/31. Can we pickup our permit from the office on 8/30 for 8/31 entry or does it need picked up on 8/31?

Anything else I’m missing? Thanks for any insight!

What you are missing is this:

https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/inyo/recreation/hiking/recarea/?recid=20806&actid=51

Call them and ask. You might not get up-to-date information at this website.

You can pick up a reserved permit 2 days before the date you start the hike. I think when you get your online reservation, it will have details about the no-show deadline, which I believe is 10 AM of the hike start date. I couldn't find it anywhere on the link Bob provided above.

It may also be possible to pick up the permit in the night-drop box at the Lone Pine visitor center, but you should call the Wilderness Permit number a day in advance for that.

Get your Kearsarge Pass permit along with the Trail Crest Exit at the earliest possible minute, since the exit permits go fast. Try going through the steps on the website before the actual date you need, so you know what to look for.

Depending on where you are flying to and from which direction you may be driving from you may be able to pick up your permit from somewhere other than Lone Pine (Lee Vining or Bishop).

You can also pick them up in Mammoth. You specify where you want to pick up your permit when you reserve it.

Never really had the need, but just curious. Is it possible to change the location to pick up your permit after the reservation has been made and paid for?

Except for permits where you are entering the Whitney Zone (Whitney Main Trail or the Mountaineers Route/North Fork), you can pick up the permit at any of the four Inyo N.F. locations: Lee Vining, Mammoth, Bishop, or the Visitor Center south of Lone Pine. All Whitney Zone permits need to be picked up at the Visitor Center -- due to Wag bag rules, I think.

Yes just changed my Onion Valley to Whitney Portal permit from Mammoth to Lone Pine pickup.