Permit Questions

[robow8]

A couple of questions: If the day I'm requesting is a Monday, can I fax my paperwork on Saturday?

And if I am going with my wife, is it beneficial to send in a request in her name as well, or will the duplicate last names be harmful?

[balzaccom]

You can send in your permit request as soon as the season opens...and frankly, unless it's for Half Dome, you'll have very little trouble getting teh permit you want, particularly if it is for a Monday. Fridays and Saturdays usually fill up first.

And don't file two requests. It just confuses them, and they have enough stuff to deal with. Just send in your request on time...you should be fine.

[robow8]

You can send in your permit request as soon as the season opens...and frankly, unless it's for Half Dome, you'll have very little trouble getting teh permit you want, particularly if it is for a Monday. Fridays and Saturdays usually fill up first.

But it can only be 168 days before your departure date, correct? So if I want to leave on Sept. 1, the earliest I can send it in would be March 17, a Monday. Can I fax it to them starting after 5pm on Friday, or do I have to wait until after 5pm Sunday?

We're planning on doing the Ottoway lake loop, based largely on your trip report!

[balzaccom]

I think the wilderness office is open on the weekends, so it's not as if you send it in Friday night and they don't see it until Monday. If they see it on Saturday, and it's for a time span that isn't yet open, they will just toss it, I think.

But you can call the wilderness office and ask them this question, just to make sure: 209/372-0740

[RickM]

My understanding was that all faxes received between 5:00 PM on Friday and 7:30 AM on Monday for the permits that open up on Sat., Sun. or Mon. will be used in the initial "lottery". I don't know that this is true, but I believe it is how the Yosemite permits are handled.

[robow8]

I just called the permit station and they said that you can fax in your request as early as Friday evening, and that the girl who works weekends would put it in the Monday (or Sunday) pile.