Questions and Answers about the Mt. Whitney Zone

Where is the Mt. Whitney Zone?

This is the roughly a 3 square mile area from just west of Whitney Portal to the summit of Mt. Whitney and west to Timberline Lake near Crabtree. This area is managed as wilderness to the east by the Inyo National Forest and to the west by Sequoia National Park

What will this plan do?

This plan will cap use at current levels.

When will this plan be implemented?

Summer, 1996

Who will be required to have a special permit to hike to the summit of Mount Whitney?

Everyone entering this area between May 22 and October 15. Backpackers must still obtain a wilderness permit. Entry into this zone will require a visa type stamp added to that permit. The big change is that day hikers enroute to the summit of Mt. Whitney will be required to have a permit. Day use around Whitney Portal and up to Lone Pine Lake, 2.5 mile (4 km) beyond the Whitney Portal trailhead, will not require a permit.

Where can we obtain a permit?

Wilderness permits for backpackers entering trails on the west side of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks will be issued at all of the existing stations. Permits for day users and backpackers entering from the east will be issued from a USFS contractor beginning April 1, 1996.

What about backpackers on the Pacific Crest Trail who are unsure of what specific date they will arrive to climb Mt. Whitney?

Pacific Crest, John Muir, and High Sierra Trail hikers will be able to secure a stamp from the issuing station when they obtain their backcountry permit that allows entry into the Whitney Zone. This stamp permits flexibility for these hikers in their entry date.

Is this meant to decrease use?

No. It is meant to determine current use levels and maintain this level of use. Statistics over the past years indicate a substantial increase in the number of day users. Today, an estimated 40,000 users enter this area annually. There is already a ceiling on overnight backpacking permits. For the first time this will place a ceiling on day use at current levels.

How will quotas be established?

Existing use will be counted and quotas will be based on past and current use.

Will there be extra fees?

There will be a charge for permits issued from the Inyo National Forest. There will be no charge for the stamp issued with the permit from trailheads on the west side of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.

Will day permits be reservable?

Yes, through the Inyo National Forest contractor.

What happens if someone enters the special use zone without a permit?

They would be cited for a violation of regulations the same as a backpacker without a permit.

What about foreign travelers and those unfamiliar with the system?

Not everyone who wants to spontaneously include Mt. Whitney as a side trip will be able to.

Will use be reduced in the future?

We really do not know. We will continue to monitor impacts to resources and social conditions, our ability to manage and administer use, impacts to local communities and effects on other wilderness areas before making any decisions on decreasing or increasing use.

I don't like this. How can I influence this decision?

This is an administrative decision made by the Superintendent of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks and the Forest Supervisor for Inyo National Forest. Since the landscape is not being altered, nor are we making changes that will increase or decrease use, this action is not subject to NEPA regulations or appeal. However the Park Superintendent and the Forest Supervisor do want to know how the public feels about our management of the wilderness. It is our charge to be good stewards of these resources and serve the public.

How can I help?

Practice a strong wilderness ethic: Leave No Trace. Camp on sites already impacted. Pack out all waste. Be respectful of others. Try to plan your visit to Mt. Whitney in the shoulder seasons. Some days in July through September have been extremely busy, with 400 to 600 visitors on the trail daily.
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