Temple Crag - Permits

Heyo!  
My partner and I were thinking about a Temple Crag trip or climbing something in that area.  I was wondering about the permits we needed to obtain to spend some time up there.  I think the appropriate permit would be Big Pine Creek.  I noticed that there haven't been permits available on Recreation.gov for that area for some time.  Is there an easier way to obtain these?  I see you can do a walk up - how quick / popular is this option?  I'm assuming they fill up rather quickly?  Does anyone have any suggestions on another way to approach this area if I can't get a Big Pine Creek permit?  Any other input on the area, permits or suggestions of other options are welcome - thanks in advance!

EDIT - Big Pine Creek is the only trail in. Try for weekdays, not weekends. It's popular with climbers and hikers. If you are pre-acclimitized and fit, you could consider a car2car ascent, depending on which route. 

Cory Bwrote: https://www.mountainproject.com/forum/topic/119173428/walk-up-permits-for-temple-cragmt-sill-big-pine-creek

EDIT - Big Pine Creek is the only trail in. Try for weekdays, not weekends. It's popular with climbers and hikers. If you are pre-acclimitized and fit, you could consider a car2car ascent, depending on which route. 

Thanks for the resource.  We would be going in mid-week.  Do you think a walk-up permit will be available during the week?

Cosmic Charliewrote:

Thanks for the resource.  We would be going in mid-week.  Do you think a walk-up permit will be available during the week?

The referenced thread tells you the best way to score a (formerly known as) "walk-in" permit, be it midweek or weekend.

As mentioned in the other thread, walk in permits don't exist for 2020 (there are old mentions of these still up on the websites which may lead to confusion). Everything is online, and what would have been walk in quotas gets added on Mondays a week out. Ie yesterday they added the permits from June 13-19 to the website. Big creek gets snatched up fast. Get online next Monday if you want a permit for entry June 20-26

Thanks - just read through the thread.  This seems like a similar approach to the Enchantments up in WA.  I guess I'll have to hunker down next Monday.  Thanks for all the input!

Cosmic Charliewrote: Thanks - just read through the thread.  This seems like a similar approach to the Enchantments up in WA.  I guess I'll have to hunker down next Monday.  Thanks for all the input!

Not sure what time they load the permits on Monday, but I've set my alarm before so that I am applying for a permit (different rules for SEKI) at 12:01 AM. Might be worth a try in case the permits are loaded at the stroke of midnight.

FrankPSwrote:

Not sure what time they load the permits on Monday, but I've set my alarm before so that I am applying for a permit (on a different rules for SEKI) at 12:01 AM. Might be worth a try in case the permits are loaded at the stroke of midnight.

Thanks for the suggestion - good thing I'm up early for work ha!

I was going to keep this info to myself to increase my own odds but having sat around refreshing recreation.gov all day this Monday I can say that they upload them around noon +/- a couple hours. They do it trail by trail so if you can see availability for different trailheads start to open up as the afternoon goes on. Big Creek opened up around 1pm yesterday.

Just don't want yall to be sitting around all night for no reason :)

nathanaelwrote: I was going to keep this info to myself to increase my own odds but having sat around refreshing recreation.gov all day this Monday I can say that they upload them around noon +/- a couple hours. They do it trail by trail so if you can see availability for different trailheads start to open up as the afternoon goes on. Big Creek opened up around 1pm yesterday.

Just don't want yall to be sitting around all night for no reason :)

Do you mean Big Pine Creek? I don't think you'll find any permits for Big Creek.

Cosmic, I fear Nate is trying to get you to wait until all the permits are gone. Definitely trying to sandbag you. Check early, check often. :)

FrankPSwrote:

Do you mean Big Pine Creek? I don't think you'll find any permits for Big Creek.

Cosmic, I fear Nate is trying to get you to wait until all the permits are gone. Definitely trying to sandbag you. Check early, check often. :)

Nate is actually right. They upload at noon on Monday and didn’t go too fast. I had checked at midnight and they were not there. I was able to get permits on Monday at noon for a Sunday then checked back about 5-10 min later and they had uploaded some for the date I actually needed so I was able to cancel and reschedule with that date so not sure why the permit situation fluctuated. 

Thanks for all the suggestions - we got a permit!  Now, any suggestions on guide books for the area that would be helpful?

Either Supertopo or Peter Croft's book are great for the area; Supertopo has more specific route beta, although YMMV on how well you manage to stick to that route. Peter Croft's book is way more fun as reading material. 

If you’re going on the SRA - kick steps during the late afternoon and if you can fix a rope. This way the pre-dawn start can be easy. You can find water deep down in the rocks below the snowfield. If you camp down by Lake 3 it’s a hefty hike up.
Good luck 

Hello Cosmic...if you're considering Temple Crag the entry point is the North Fork of Big Pine Creek which is accessed from Big Pine on Hwy 395. As you ask about alternate entry points, it is possible to approach Temple Crag via Bishop Pass from the South Lake trailhead and go over the pass at Mt. Agassiz, to 7th lake, then down to 3rd lake, but that approach is quite long.

Ben - thanks for the suggestion on guides.  I was looking at the both the SuperTaco and Croft book. I'll probably get both for reference.

Guy - Thanks for the beta.  I read somewhere about cutting steps - I'll probably do just that.  We didn't think about fixing a rope and may have to look into it.

BenJamin' - Since we got the permit for Big Pine I think we will stick to that approach.  I was asking just in case we weren't able to snag one.  I'll keep that in mind for future endeavors.

Thanks again for all your helpful input everyone! 

Cosmic Charliewrote: Ben - thanks for the suggestion on guides.  I was looking at the both the SuperTaco and Croft book. I'll probably get both for reference.

Guy - Thanks for the beta.  I read somewhere about cutting steps - I'll probably do just that.  We didn't think about fixing a rope and may have to look into it.

BenJamin' - Since we got the permit for Big Pine I think we will stick to that approach.  I was asking just in case we weren't able to snag one.  I'll keep that in mind for future endeavors.

Thanks again for all your helpful input everyone! 

You got the permit for the North Fork of Big Pine Creek, right?

Because there's a different (and wrong for Temple Crag) permit for the South Fork.

FrankPSwrote:

You got the permit for the North Fork of Big Pine Creek, right?

Because there's a different (and wrong for Temple Crag) permit for the South Fork.

Yes, we got the North Fork of Big Pine Creek permit! Thanks Frank!

It is conceivable to do the approach from South Fork via Contact Pass, but 100% not recommended. 

Thanks to everyone for all the beta and suggestions.  We just got back from our trip and what a beautiful area!  We were only able to get VB.  We tried for Sun Ribbon but on the approach, but as we were about to walk up the snow finger to scramble up to the route, about 15 microwave sized blocks came crashing down the gully right where we were suppose to be.  It freaked us out a bit and after some debate on the moraine, we decided to bail and go check out the scramble on Mt Gayley and the Palisade Glacier.  Although, it was disappointing that we weren't able to get SR it was a great trip in a beautiful area.