Long Valley permit question

[Florian]

Something that i've been wondering about. At the LV station there is a little "mailbox" that says to return permits here. Why? I usually use the back side of my permit to take notes during the day and have never returned a permit to the mailbox. Today getting a permit inside the station the ranger was sorting/stacking what appeared to be used permits that i assume came from the mailbox. I should have asked her what she was doing but didn't say anything. So, what was she doing? Do they really check returned permits against issued permits? If so, why? I'm pretty sure they don't send out a search party for every permit that isn't returned. Is there a reason i should return my used permit after a hike? What if i go out via a different trailhead?

-Florian

[bluerail]

you're so funny Florian...glad to see you're back around.

[MP]

I believe they check these against permits issued to track who is on and off the moutain. They ask what type of car you have left in the parking lot so I assume they and see if any car are left in the lot and then check if it belongs to anyone that has not returned their permit. This would help them to determine if someone is lost or in trouble!

[tramtim]

It helps when the Rangers get a call that someone late getting back, they can see if they returned it or not before they start a search. The permits that do not get returned get filed so if in a few days someone calls the Rangers they have an idea where (if they stayed on trail) to start looking.

[Florian]

you're so funny Florian...glad to see you're back around.

I've been here all along!

They ask what type of car you have left in the parking lot so I assume they see if any car are left in the lot and then check if it belongs to anyone that has not returned their permit. This would help them to determine if someone is lost or in trouble!

Makes sense.

It helps when the Rangers get a call that someone late getting back, they can see if they returned it or not before they start a search. The permits that do not get returned get filed so if in a few days someone calls the Rangers they have an idea where (if they stayed on trail) to start looking.

Yes, if they get a call re a missing hiker and they find his permit in the mailbox that would suggest they are no longer on the mtn.


I think i'll continue to keep my permits with notes on the back. Thanks all for the replies.

-Florian

[recordalley]

anyone notice you cant get permits outside anymore. I cant stand waiting in line to fill out permits & fill them out at home instead, but now you have to get them from the rangers & they wont give you more than one! hope they like photocopies.

[Florian]

anyone notice you cant get permits outside anymore?

Yes! Bothered me last week when i was caught by surprise. I used to take an extra permit and fill it out at home before hike and just stuff into the box. But today i was ready and expecting to go into the station to get permit. Not really a big deal. Only takes an extra minute or two and having a ranger see someone face-to-face they might be able to get a better idea about a hiker's ability and suggest a shorter hike. But it still kinda bothers me not to just do my own permit.

-Florian

[Florian]

This is also why i try to avoid the fist tramcar up in the morning. The 8:20a car today was only about 20 people and just a couple of hikers so no crush to get permits.

-Florian

[phydeux]

Another use is to allow the local oversight agency to get an idea if how many people are going into/out of an area, giving them some ability to plan for future trail maintenance, expansion, or abandonment. Go to some remote areas of the country (some parts of Northern Calif & Nevada come to mind) and all you have to do is sign-in/sign-out at the trailhead register. Here in So Calif its gone farther and implemented quotas to try and control the flow so some areas don't get too overwhelmed (or 'loved-to-death') by hikers & campers.

[recordalley]

i don't think overuse is the issue. On devils slide maybe, but the tram board is too powerful to ever see them not issuing permits because of overcrowding. I wonder how much of a tram ticket goes to the state park.