[pct-l] Whitney permit clarification

[Reinhold Metzger]

ALL  RIGHT,......OK,
I can't take this confusion about the Whitney permits any longer.
First of all, you need a permit to enter the Whitney Zone no matter were 
you are coming from, even for a day hike.
The farthest you can go on a day hike from Whitney Portal without a 
permit is Lone Pine Lake.
Beyond that you need a permit, even for a day hike.
It appears all the confusion seems to revolve around the $15 Whitney 
Zone stamp.
The $15 Whitney Zone stamp is required only for hikes that originate in 
the Inyo National Forest and enter the Whitney Zone.
If the hike originates in the Inyo National Forest but does not enter 
the Whitney Zone the permit is only $5.
For instance, if your JMT hike starts at Horseshoe Mdw. or Whitney 
Portal your permit is $15 because your hike originated in the Inyo 
National Forest and entered the Whitney Zone.
However, if you start at Yosemite your permit is only $5, even though 
you will enter the Whitney Zone and exit via Whitney Portal, because it 
originated outside the Inyo National Forest.

What is causing all the confusion is the PCTA'S  $15 fee to enter the 
Whitney Zone even though the hike originates outside the Inyo National 
Forest and technically does not require the Whitney Zone stamp.
My guess is the PCTA  and  the Inyo National Forest came to some 
arrangement to keep the permits simple because a PCTA hike, although 
almost all ways originates outside the Inyo National Forest, it does not 
have to and a section hike or even a thru-hike, with skipping, could 
originate in the Inyo National Forest.
But hey, $15 is dirt cheap....just pay it and quit griping about 
it.....it's for a good cause.

I hope this clarifies all the confusion and allows me to retread back 
into my customary ''Lurker'' mode.
Please do not disturb me while I am snoozing, peacefully, in my 
''Lurker'' mode.
For further questions  about  Whitney  contact   ''Switchback'',   he is 
hard core, has hiked it many times and is an expert on Whitney.

Well Adios again my friends

JMT Reinhold