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mjl
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mjl
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PostMon Jan 28, 2019 8:26 pm 
This is my first attempt at the lottery and I’m hoping to go with my teen daughter. Due to some pending health issues, this might be my only chance to get there After looking at the rules -“permits are not transferable”. So friends/family can’t enter to help the odds? Sorry if I’m pushing any boundaries on a sensitive topic I respect rules...just curious about strategies

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Backpacker Joe
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PostMon Jan 28, 2019 9:41 pm 
Ive been in Eight times! Four times permits and Four times at the front office.

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JonnyQuest
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PostTue Jan 29, 2019 8:37 am 
Since implementation of the permit process, I've only gone via BPJ's "front office" route - show up at the ranger station for the "day-of" drawing. Odds improve if you can go shoulder season and / or midweek. And have a plan-B at the ready just in case.

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Kim Brown
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PostTue Jan 29, 2019 12:10 pm 
Anyone know the answer to the question? Here are the regs: Is my take on it correct: Looks like the group leader cannot be changed, so if you have multiple people entering the lottery, whoever wins has to go (as the leader). The participants can change, however.

"..living on the east side of the Sierra world be ideal - except for harsher winters and the chance of apocalyptic fires burning the whole area." Bosterson, NWHiker's marketing expert
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Randito
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PostTue Jan 29, 2019 12:18 pm 
IMO: The tight rules about the trip leader not being changeable is there to prevent "poaching" and reselling permits. If one could change the trip leader, tech nerds would use bots to submit many applications and then resell permits at a profit.

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Kim Brown
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PostTue Jan 29, 2019 12:30 pm 
Yes. But what about the people who are not leaders - they aren't named, so who they are doesn't matter, or does it?

"..living on the east side of the Sierra world be ideal - except for harsher winters and the chance of apocalyptic fires burning the whole area." Bosterson, NWHiker's marketing expert
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Schroder
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PostTue Jan 29, 2019 12:53 pm 
Kim Brown wrote:
Yes. But what about the people who are not leaders - they aren't named, so who they are doesn't matter, or does it?
Doesn't matter. The leader just can't hold 2 permits the same year.

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monorail
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PostTue Jan 29, 2019 1:22 pm 
I've only entered the lottery once, in 2017, and I won my first choice: six days in the Core zone in early October. I may have been outrageously lucky, but I suspect two factors improved my chances: 1) my trip started on a thursday (as opposed to fri/sat), and 2) October as opposed to September. September was just a week earlier, but I think it would've been way more competitive because people think "September is the time to go." It was rather wintry in early October. All the ponds were frozen solid, and the wind howled day and night, and there was a bit of snow (but not deep or slippery enough to impede travel). But it was incredibly beautiful in that state, and I cannot imagine having gone at a better time. And as it turns out, if I had gone any earlier I couldn't have gone in via Colchuck/Aasgard because of a fire closure. Is your daughter in school in the fall? Can you arrange for her to miss a day or two? (She'll definitely learn more in the Enchantments than in a classroom). If so, I would apply for a permit starting on a thursday. You could pick her up from school with your packs all loaded and ready, and go straight to the trailhead, and hike up to Lake Colchuck as the sun is going down.

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hbb
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PostTue Jan 29, 2019 4:59 pm 
mjl wrote:
After looking at the rules -“permits are not transferable”. So friends/family can’t enter to help the odds?
Transferrability of a permit is a completely separate issue from submitting an application in the lottery. You are conflating different concepts. The lottery is currently limited to one application per person. There's no restriction whatsoever on additional persons who might be in your party entering the lottery as well. Having your daughter apply as well doubles your odds. Successful lottery applicants can designate an alternate trip leader. As far as I can tell, there's no reason why you couldn't encourage additional friends and family to enter the lottery to further increase your odds: if they are successful, they can name you as an alternate trip leader when confirming acceptance of the permit, and then you can use the permit in their place. Of course, zones and entry dates play a big part in the odds. You are more likely to be successful in the lottery if you don't try for, say, a Core permit entering the second Saturday in August.

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Joseph
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PostWed Jan 30, 2019 11:01 am 
Would love to hear some thoughts / ideas on how to score a decent WT trail permit. I realize its probably a lot more complicated (such as how many days hiking it, entry TH, etc.) but there are still probably good strategies to help get a permit.

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Cyclopath
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PostFri Feb 01, 2019 11:01 pm 
Backpacker Joe wrote:
Ive been in Eight times! Four times permits and Four times at the front office.
That was helpful advice.

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schifferj
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PostSat Feb 02, 2019 11:05 am 
Cyclopath wrote:
That was helpful advice.
Agreed! Kinda bragadocchious given the number of persons who didn't get to go while he went seven extra times.

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Snuffy
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PostSat Feb 02, 2019 11:18 am 
Joseph wrote:
Would love to hear some thoughts / ideas on how to score a decent WT trail permit.
I scored two permits in 2015, mid July and mid August (gave August back). 6 day, counterclockwise and starting on a Sunday. I didn't care so much for what my campsite was, just how many miles in between. North Fork Puyallup, for example, I feel is underrated as a stop and I had it to myself. I was able to enjoy the popular sites for lunch or breakfast. The person I took with me wanted to add Summerland at the end (not in my original plan) and we were able to add it easily as a walk up (didn't end up using due to weather, just hiked out from Indian Bar). It's all about flexibility. I think you can only submit one application but several itineraries now, so have each person in your group submit I suppose. Yes, you won't recoup your cost but your odds are better and the money goes to a good cause.

You don't find yourself standing at the top of a mountain without having started out in the valley.
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joker
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PostSat Feb 02, 2019 10:33 pm 
schifferj wrote:
Cyclopath wrote:
That was helpful advice.
Agreed! Kinda bragadocchious given the number of persons who didn't get to go while he went seven extra times.
I suppose it could be more succinctly wordef but there actually is some very good advice there that I haven't seen elsewhere in the thread. .

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Joseph
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Joseph
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PostMon Feb 04, 2019 9:30 pm 
Snuffy wrote:
I scored two permits in 2015, mid July and mid August (gave August back). 6 day, counterclockwise and starting on a Sunday. I didn't care so much for what my campsite was, just how many miles in between. North Fork Puyallup, for example, I feel is underrated as a stop and I had it to myself. I was able to enjoy the popular sites for lunch or breakfast. The person I took with me wanted to add Summerland at the end (not in my original plan) and we were able to add it easily as a walk up (didn't end up using due to weather, just hiked out from Indian Bar). It's all about flexibility. I think you can only submit one application but several itineraries now, so have each person in your group submit I suppose. Yes, you won't recoup your cost but your odds are better and the money goes to a good cause.
That is excellent advice - thanks. It seems that the shorter the itinerary the easier to score a permit (?) because fewer stops and fewer camps. Maybe not. We will try for 8 day/7 night itinerary. Agree on North Puyallup camp - we stayed there on our 4th night (starting at Sunrise going counter). Group camp is the old parking lot from when you could drive up. Even though we were individual group, we camped there with 2 other individual groups and you still could have fit a boy scout troupe there had one showed up. Its closer o the water and outhouse. and no bugs ! (individual site was hella buggy).

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