Hi, I was hoping to hike the JMT southbound in late August this year and have become totally confused by the permit system and a real lack of knowledge of just what permits I need to get and where to get them. Is there anyone who can point me in the right direction to figure this out? Sorry for being so clueless!
Sunshine/Daniel
Sunshine
If you are going to hike the JMT from Yosemite to Whitney, the only permit you need is the Wilderness Permit which you can obtain at Yosemite or via the reservation system http://yosemite.org/wildpermit/default.htm . The permit is free if you get it when you begin at the trailhead or $5.00 if you chose to reserve one. If you get your permit as a walkup, they ask you where you plan to start and where you plan to end your trip and approximately how long you plan to take. The permit includes Whitney but the people who issue it will have to stamp it for the “whitney zone”. They also check before they issue the permit to make sure you are carrying an approved bear canister. Walkup permits are first come, first served and this is how I got mine last year. I had no problem getting one. Half of the permits are set aside for walkups and half for reservations. The office in Yosemite Valley where you get a permit (to begin at Happy Isles) opens at 9am.
Hikerchick
I just turned up when they opened, got the permit and a rented a bear cannister at the same time. You can mail the cannisters back pretty easily. I just put an address label on it and sent as is.
Also, just a helpful hint. There’s a post office right next to the ranger station within the park. I bought my food from the park store (not the greatest but no different from most supermarkets). I then sent my Vermilion mail drop which saved worrying about it pre hike. On a side note though, I believe that Vermilion go to collect post only once a week. It’d be handy to contact them pre hike to find out when that is. It’ll help you time posting the mail drop a bit better. Once again, I got lucky and mine was sitting in the back of the truck waiting for me, some weren’t so lucky and had to wait, or worse, pay the resort to drive to town and collect them. The drive from vermilion to town is no Skyline drive so i can understand this charge.
Good luck! I’m envious, the JMT is AWSOME!!
Cheers
Cheers
Sorry to elbow in on your question but…I am thinking of doing whitney while i am in CA this october. maybe the 14th or 15th…anyone know if the weather will still be good round then? I would hate to get a permit then not beable to use it…
Spirit Coyote
Hey! Thanks everyone for the information. I can’t stop thinking about how great it will feel to be on another trail again!
Sunshine/Daniel
Sunshine
There’s always the chance of early snow, but you should be ok. I believe the rangers remain in the backcountry through October, so the area is usually passable at least til then.
booger