Mt Whitney Zone Forums General Discussion Wilderness Permit - Bishop Pass - July 25th

Shucks! I was hoping that my buddy and I could spend a few days backpacking up the Bishop Pass Trail this Friday, leave Sunday, and not have any problems. Looks like all permits have been claimed. I should have known! Does anyone have extra Wilderness permits? What are my chances of getting one the morning of my hike if I choose to make the drive?

Help me!

40% or wilderness permits are held back for walk-ins, the MMWT is the only exception to this rule. You should not have a problem getting a permit...it's a parking spot near the trailhead you should be worrying about.

Thanks, wb! On your note, I will press my luck. I stop at the same ranger station I did for my Mt Whitney permit, right? Off the top of your head, do you know what time they open?

VC opens at 8 AM.

The 40% walk-in permits for entry on other trails become available at 11 AM the day BEFORE the entry date. For most trail heads, this is only 4 permits.

I believe no-shows of the 60% reserved permits become available at 11 AM on the entry date.

You can call the Wilderness Permit office to confirm all of this: 760-873-2483

Thanks, Steve. That info was very helpful. I called the number you provided and got a little bit more info, so thought I'd share it here...

Each day at 8AM (14) Walk-In Overnight Wilderness Permits are up for grabs on a first come first served basis for entry THE FOLLOWING day.

If Walk-In permits are not claimed for that day, they carry over to the next day. For example, this means you can get a Thursday permit on Friday, and start your hike on that day.

At 11AM each day all unclaimed reserved permits are up for grabs on a first come first served basis and allow for entry that day.

What does this mean for me? Well, I'm heading up on Thursday in hopes of getting a leftover Wednesday permit so I can start. If not, I'll be first in line for the Walk-In permits for Thursday. Win-Win.

Thanks for the help guys!

Hiking is a game you can't win. Enjoy the ride.

Bobness, thanks for writing. You got it right except for one thing:

The walk-in permits for next day entry become available at 11 AM, not 8 AM. If it were 8 AM, people like me coming from long distances would have to leave at 3 AM in order to be first in line to get one.

Those walk-in permits can be issued from any of the four Inyo permit offices: Lee Vining, Mammoth, Bishop, and Lone Pine. (Except for Whitney Zone permits, which are only available from the Visitor Center just south of Lone Pine.)

Here is the procedure at White Mountain Ranger Station in Bishop:

If you can, get there when they open a 8 AM, the day before your departure day.

Put your name and approximate destination on a slip of paper they provide. This puts you at the head of the line for the 11 AM 40% permit issuing.

Then, be there a 11 AM and wait for them to call your name, at which time the permit will be issued to you. This is strictly first come first served.

I've used their procedure for years, and have never been denied a permit.

Another tip: the Bishop Pass trailhead parking is limited. A mid-week departure will help to ensure that you get to park at the trailhead; otherwise, you'll have to leave your car along the road below Parcher's Resort at the overflow parking area, one mile down the road from the trailhead.

Recent beta on bear activity on the South Fork of Bishop Creek: Not many reports of bear activity up the trails above the parking lot, but a very large male, about 600 pounds, has been hanging near the campgrounds, Parcher's, Rainbow Pack Station, and Bishop Creek Lodge. It raided Parcher's Resort last night. There is also second large specimen on the South Fork of Bishop Creek. DO NOT LEAVE FOOD IN YOUR VEHICLES AT THE TRAILHEAD.