Enchantments Lottery Now Open

Ian — For awhile, the websites for both the Forest Service Office for the Okanogan-Wenatchee Region and Recreation.gov were displaying that paragraph saying that they were in the process of "evaluating the issue and working toward a resolution."

As of right now, the Recreation.gov website still has that paragraph posted, ending with: "Please check back here for updates."

See —
http://www.recreation.gov/permits/Enchantment_Permit_Area/r/wildernessAreaDetails.do?page=details&contractCode=NRSO&parkId=72280

However, now the Forest Service website no longer has the "evaluating the issue and working toward a resolution" paragraph, but instead has posted this statement:

"Please note the lottery application period has closed.

"Unfortunately there was an error with the communication of the end date/time for the conclusion of the lottery application period. We apologize for any confusion this has caused. The lottery application period started on February 15, 2015 and ended on March 2, 2015 11:59 p.m. PST. In order to avoid compromising existing lottery data submissions and the execution of the lottery, it will not be reopened."

http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/okawen/passes-permits/recreation/?cid=fsbdev3_053607

There was no "error with communication" or "confusion" by anyone seeking a permit. The published ending date & time were crystal clear. The problem (and wrong info) was entirely produced by folks who had responsibility for running the lottery.

"I'm from the government and I'm here to help"

has evolved to

"I'm from the government and I'm here to make excuses for our contractor's screw up because I'm hoping to transition from this job to a job with them post retirement and I don't want to screw up that opportunity for me."

Sorry. A bit tired and snarky.

Not really.

Yes tired but not sorry.

As I've aged, I've noticed that frequency of unexpected incompetence is declining as "it's-to-be-expected" incompetence becomes more common.

I trace the origins of rising frequency of incompetence to increasing numbers of folks who went to the school of "fast food drive-up window service" where they're taught that whatever they put in the sack doesn't have to have any relationship with what's ordered thru the speaker box 'cuz they ain't payin' for it and they ain't gonna be eatin' it anyway.

If the person filling the sack was also the person paying the bill and choosing what they wanna eat, might be a little more care for getting it right.

In other words, skin in the game sharpens the wit.

Paying a penalty, or suffering the consequences, for poor performance and getting things wrong is more and more absent — especially in the public sector with its expanding complexity burying personal accountability in layers of bureaucracy that doesn't have to eat its own cooking.

Just idle musings in light of this latest example of incompetence without consequences, 'cept for those innocent folks adversely and unfairly affected by the incompetence of others.

Pretty lame lottery as lotteries go. Concerns that remain unanswered for now, if ever: Who knows, if it's ever known, what else goes wrong?

That's the real lottery.

As mentioned already, it beats the heck out of faxing in a permit daily.

Michael — Which location requires daily faxing for a permit?

The Olympics NP website describes a fax procedure that calls for a single fax and then wait for the result. Not familiar with a "daily" faxing requirement.

Thanks.

JMT….

Just saying, as big as a cluster as this was with ending a day early (I got mine in!), it still beats trying to fax a permit each day at the same time as 600 other people!

Yes, for those who got their application in before the deadline changed without warning to them, the Enchantment lottery is better than daily faxing. But not for folks who relied on the incorrectly advertised end date, and missed out.

I got my application submitted in time, too. Luckily.

For Enchantments, there's still the other options:

(1) checking the advance reservation system at Recreation.gov starting April 2 (at 12:01 am PST? or at 8 am PST which is when Recreation.gov says unclaimed lottery permits are added to the advance reservation system?), or

(2) a last-minute walk-up at the ranger station.

As others mentioned, Glacier Peak Wilderness is great, too. No permit needed either (might better check to be sure). Long ago, we greatly enjoyed the hike to Image Lake up on Miner's Ridge via Suiattle River Valley. Only disappointment was finding Image Lake still frozen over, so no reflection of Glacier Peak to be seen. Now that the road to the TH has opened up again, would like to go again.

Thanks for the permit info about JMT.

Swing and a miss. Just received my "sorry about your luck" email.

Missed out too. Oh well. I got my JMT permit this year instead.

I too am disenchanted.

Oh well, didn't have my heart set on it, and there's plenty of other good stuff I haven't done yet.

Yes.

Sawtooths
Eagle Cap
Goat Rocks
Blue Mountains
Etc.

It would have been nice to get a permit but I won't be suffering this summer either.

One thing bad about Enchantments is it's not that big. Maybe 5 miles from Colchuck Lake to Snow Lake. Or 3 miles from end of Enchantments basin to the other. Maybe you can make a 10 mile loop to Little Annapurna/Dragontail/Shield Lake.

I'de sort of prefer a little bit bigger area.

"Sawtooths
Eagle Cap
Goat Rocks
Blue Mountains
Etc."

in Oregon/Washington, are there any 50 mile loops of granite plateau like the Sierras?

If it's five miles between those two lakes th(damn fat thumbs)en those are some butt kicking five miles.

There are 50 mile loops but not sure about the granite.

There are lots of great 50 mile loops in the Pacific Northwest, but not the granite.

Wallowas is good, but not long stretches of granite. Like you can hike from Mirror Lake past Glacier Lake to Frazier Lake, but that's maybe 9 miles. But then you get down to Lake Basin or Lostine River or Wallowa River where it's lower elevation and those obnoxious trees that block the view : )

Of the 18ish miles between the trailheads in the Enchantments, less than half of it is above the trees. Most of our trails in Washington are just too low

That is because most of our mountains are too low… :)

You can get some good longer hikes on the PCT but it isn't a loop.

so, what's a longer hike on a granite plateau on the PCT in Washington? I sort of prefer out and back – you get a different view going the opposite direction, if you do a long loop there's a risk on an obstacle towards the end that forces you to retrace or do a risky detour

I think there are places near the Enchantments that might fit that…

Cispus Pass is glorious.

I don't know my minerals, but the part of the PCT that goes through Goat Rocks has a lot above treeline. At least between Old Snowy Mtn. and Cispus.

I agree, Old Snowy to Cispus is glorious, but it's not a granite plateau, like the Enchantments or Sierras

Now that you got me thinking about Goat Rocks, maybe Berry Patch, to Goat Lake, up to Old Snowy, over to Cispus, then back to Snowgrass Flat trailhead?

"Maybe you can make a 10 mile loop to Little Annapurna/Dragontail/Shield Lake."

Or, if you've got an obsession with the Enchantments, self register at the TH, and do the route as a day hike. It's long and strenuous, but eminently doable. Starting from the Stuart Lake TH will save you a thousand feet of elevation gain, and going up over Aasgard Pass is thought by some to be easier than coming down it, but if you have got more than a couple of hairs on your chest, try it from the Snow Lake TH, for a real sense of accomplishment. ;0))

alright, I'll say it: Am I the only one who finds the name "Aasgard Pass" hilarious?

watch your language young lady : )

About 3/4 the way up Aasgard Pass, I was praying to Odin that someone would mercifully end my life with a sword so I could take the rainbow bridge to the top.

No sword or rainbow bridge but the goat in my avatar was waiting for me at the top.