I agree with MattP. Regulations should be there to keep damage to a minimum. Trying to regulate solitude is crap; especially in a well known area that is a short hike from the road. I know there’s too much bullshit bureaucracy involved for this to ever happen, but a hut in places like Boston Basin would be a better solution than the present, camp anywhere above timberline policy.
Also teaching rangers to use common sense when enforcing rules is a great idea that needs to be emphasized in training. Unfortunately most rangers act in an officious manor. For example; rangers, after reading a TR on this site, have sent PM’s to folks questioning whether or not they had an overnight permit, in the middle of the winter, when there were no other people anywhere near the area.
Yes the rules say you need a permit but having some common sense is much better public relations.