Mt Margaret Backcountry Permits

[AlpenGlowHiker]

Apparently the permit system changed for the Mt Margaret Backcountry, and you can only get a permit one month in advance now, as they are releasing permits much slower.

I hope this helps limit the number of no-shows; but unless people are reminded about their upcoming trip and an easy to cancel, no-shows will still be an issue, imo. But we'll see.

Mount Margaret Backcountry permits will be available beginning April 1, 2022. We are initiating a phased monthly release of Mt. Margaret Backcountry permits and they will be available on the first of the month, a month prior to your trip. For trips beginning in May, permits will be released at 7:00 am on April 1st. Overnight permits will not available for trips beginning earlier, as the area is generally inaccessible due to snow until sometime in May.

[drm]

I noticed this change too. We will know more about the state of the snowpack when we get around to looking for our summer permits. I don't expect that it will have much impact on unused permits except in those cases of late snowpack scaring away users who got permits early in the past.

[Terry]

I just made reservations for Mount Margaret permits for July. Evidently the one month in advance new system was never implemented. A lot of the available dates have already been gobbled up. I think there’s going to be a lot of disappointed people who are planning on waiting to make reservations for this summer.

[retired jerry]

probably a lot of snow there in July

[drm]

I just looked and there is nothing available after May, as expected. Lots of stuff available in May, and nothing after - on any date for any campsite. Are you sure you reserved for Mt Margaret backcountry? Which campsites?

[Terry]

I just looked and there is nothing available after May, as expected. Lots of stuff available in May, and nothing after - on any date for any campsite. Are you sure you reserved for Mt Margaret backcountry? Which campsites?

Yep, this morning I reserved and paid for 1 night at Bear Camp on July 12.

They must have fixed the recreation.gov website after I complained to the USFS. Unfortunately, it's a bit late. It looked like a lot of the camps were already pretty much booked in July and August. Somebody at the USFS or recreation.gov really dropped the ball on this. People are going to be pretty surprised to log in at 7:00 AM on the first of the month and find that the campsites are already pretty much booked for the following month.

[drm]

Well, they will probably think that they just went real fast at 7am. But it is a shame.

You realize that there is a decent chance that Bear Camp will be completely under snow on July 12?

[Terry]

You realize that there is a decent chance that Bear Camp will be completely under snow on July 12?

Mid July there was perfect last year. Trails mostly clear of snow and lots of water flowing. I guess I'll hope for the same this year. I wanted to reserve later in July just to make sure it was open but it was already booked because of the messed up reservation system

[Aimless]

Last year we had a heat dome in June that pushed temperatures above 110 degrees for multiple days. Let's all pray that doesn't repeat itself!

[drm]

There is a snotel at June Lake a little bit south. It indicates a snow depth of 110 inches, after being down to 81" on 4/4. So the recent late winter added almost 30". And June Lake is on the east side of MSH, so maybe some snowshadow. The MMB ridge probably has more.

We did get that heat dome last year, but even when we don't, a more moderate but much longer-lasting heat wave has been common in the Spring in recent years, leading to early meltoffs no matter the winter snow level. I guess if you are not doing the loop and are just staying on the south side of the ridge, your odds are better for having a light snowpack in July.