Central Cascades permit changes

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retired jerry
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Re: Central Cascades permit changes

Post by retired jerry » June 7th, 2022, 5:54 am

last year, August 13, there was one car parked overnight at Lava Lake trailhead at McKenzie Pass just off the PCT.

Normally, that trailhead is overflowing with cars. Maybe 30 or 50 cars parked overnight.

But, when I was backpacking on the PCT, it was very crowded with thru hikers.

I parked at Scott trailhead because I couldn't get a permit for Lava Lake. A couple people parked when I left, but it was empty when I got back. Then I spent one more night at Lava Lake campground before going home.

Aimless
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Re: Central Cascades permit changes

Post by Aimless » June 7th, 2022, 7:40 am

I have an overnight permit this coming August, but I haven't been through the whole process, yet. As I understand it, you are expected to print out a copy of your permit. I don't know if it has one section for your vehicle and another to take with you into the wilderness, but I'm guessing that's true. The permit is not available to print until about a week ahead of your reservation, which is intended to make it easier to cancel and free up your spot for someone else.

As for enforcement, if I were the FS I think I'd find it easier to check trailheads often for vehicles displaying a permit and issuing fines as tickets/fines there, while backcountry checks would be less frequent. But I'm not the FS and can't speak from personal experience. ;)

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retired jerry
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Re: Central Cascades permit changes

Post by retired jerry » June 7th, 2022, 2:07 pm

that makes sense

I think that last summer I took the permit with me so there's no way they would have known whether my vehicle was legal.

I think it would be fine to park your vehicle at the trailhead as long as you didn't walk into the Wilderness.

seeing as it would make sense to require a permit posted in vehicle, they wouldn't do that. (Just an attempt at humor)

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Water
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Re: Central Cascades permit changes

Post by Water » June 7th, 2022, 9:47 pm

Aimless wrote:
June 7th, 2022, 7:40 am
As for enforcement, if I were the FS I think I'd find it easier to check trailheads often for vehicles displaying a permit and issuing fines as tickets/fines there, while backcountry checks would be less frequent. But I'm not the FS and can't speak from personal experience. ;)
this was half the point of the system, they wanted to be the Parking lot Service, not Forest Service. Apparently in all their hat in hand we don't have enough money for recreation spiels, they deemed it a best use of personnel resources was to have USFS Rangers permit checking the same people who in prior years would be at the same trailheads. It's not like there were any options to actually cite bad actors at the highly congregated spots in the wilderness on the 4-6 peak summer weekends.
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AlpenGlowHiker
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Re: Central Cascades permit changes

Post by AlpenGlowHiker » June 8th, 2022, 8:41 am

So then, it's really a parking permit...

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drm
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Re: Central Cascades permit changes

Post by drm » June 8th, 2022, 10:57 am

Note that the FS has different front country staff who check parking lots - usually not the wilderness rangers, who are a separate team. Some of the seasonal wilderness rangers aren't even authorized to write tickets.

greenjello85
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Re: Central Cascades permit changes

Post by greenjello85 » June 8th, 2022, 3:40 pm

I didn't even know wilderness forest rangers existed. I've literally never seen a forest service employee while hiking nearly weekly for the last 20 years.

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retired jerry
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Re: Central Cascades permit changes

Post by retired jerry » June 8th, 2022, 4:57 pm

I've been out there a lot

One time a wilderness ranger asked to see my self issue at the trailhead permit. He had an authoritarian tone. I said "it's in my pack, do you want me to get it out?". "Yes" he said.

A couple times I've seen FS people that said hi

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jdemott
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Re: Central Cascades permit changes

Post by jdemott » June 9th, 2022, 7:43 am

I've encountered back country rangers from time to time in Central Oregon, in Indian Heaven, and on Mount Hood. Always friendly and happy to chat. One asked somewhat apologetically if I had a permit. Parking lot rangers are more likely to be officious, but like most people it also depends on how you approach them.

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drm
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Re: Central Cascades permit changes

Post by drm » June 9th, 2022, 4:55 pm

I think that some national forests don't have wilderness rangers. It depends on their funding sources and spending priorities. I have only seen them a few times.

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