Boston Basin Permits

[Zenolith]

What happens if you don't get one? I'm planning to spend 1-2 nights up there and don't think I can get one on short notice. Are there any tricks to avoiding being caught?

[Figger_Eight]

Get one of these:

 

[weekend_warrior_wannabe]

I don't think they issue permits ahead of time. I believe you can get them 24 hrs. in advance -- only at Marblemount.

 

So, depending on your date, you should still have as good a chance as anyone to get one. I've heard the rangers are pretty vigilant on weekends.

[gapertimmy]

I think NPS backcountry rangers can issue you a ticket, forgot how much it is, but it is pretty spendy.

 

Most de-Forest service ranger dudes have no law enforcemnet prowess, and can't give you anything but a "warning" if you don't have a permit.

 

so since you're going to NPS land, I'd try to stay away from all populated areas/trail corridors.

[dberdinka]

Of the four times I went up there last summer I always managed to get a permit. If your going for the weekend, head up Friday afternoon and get a permit before the ranger station closes at 7 (??) PM. Midweek probably won't be a problem.

 

Also if you call before leaving they'll tell you how many permits they have left.

 

And if you choose to sneak in, nice hidden camp sites can be found above the high camp or towards the Quien Sabe

[David_Parker]

This question comes up all the time. I'm pretty sure they don't ask for ID up there! So if they bust you, tell them your Joe Schmoe, 165 Glissade Road, Denver, Colorado.

 

Any stories of people actually being escorted down at gun point???

[gapertimmy]

they call in your information, name, address, etc and run it against the law enforcment databases to see if you've got some mad criminal not trail pass payin record.

 

i've heard some crazy shit get relayed over the waves when rangers run peoples info. so if you give them bogus info, you might get fahqed

 

i find that if you get caught, the best thing to do is play quasi-dumb, but be cooperative. rangers get pissed if they find out your lying to them, and then they fine you for everything possible

[CleeshterFeeshter]

Last Labor Day weekend I traveled from Boise to Boston Basin for W Ridge. It was raining and shitty and we thought we would have no trouble at Marblemount getting a permit- Wrong!. We said "fuhk it" and went up to the Cascade Rd trailhead and lo and behold- people were scurrying out because of the weather. We scored a permit from another party and went up to the high camp- female ranger nazi stopped us and we explained our sorry and hurtin plight. She ticketed one person because she felt so bad for us- $50 was a non issue compared to the 10 hour drive. They seriously need to fix that permit system. We honestly did not think anything about it since we got the permit from another party that bailed off

[tread_tramp]

A few years back a couple friends and I went up there and did the west ridge. My buddy Tom had stopped in marblemount on wed. to see if he could score a permit. When told that he hd to be within 24hrs to get the permit he said we were going to be up ther thurs-sun. I never heard Tom talk such bull-shit as when the rangers interrogated us at our Boston Basin camp. after several calls back to HQ, they finally told us that everything appearted to be in order. After summitting Tom found a blue rope bag in the couloir with some initials on it. What does NPS-NOCA mean? I store my tent in that handy bag.

 

ralph

[robertm]

National Park Service (NPS) - North Cascades office (NOCA)

[tread_tramp]

Huh, oh; is that what it means?

[Mike]

We were up there last weekend. They are still doing self-registration at Marblemount. And it's a good thing that we registered. Ranger Bob was waiting for us right as we entered the basin (e.g. as we exited the trees) with his Glock on one hip and a handful of blue bags. He checked our permit, lectured us on the evils of "smearing" and handed us some blue bags.

 

He was a nice enough guy - but it didn't look like he would cut any slack. We met some BC skiers doing a five day traverse and told them about the ranger; they moved on quickly since they probably didn't want to carry five days worth of blue bags!

[joekania]

TT, you dawg!

[chucK]

Zeno,

When I went up there a few years ago ('99?), if you came by the RS after hours you could self-permit if you were going to camp in the less popular areas, like not in Boston Basin, like over in Boston Glacier area. The next night you could sleep anywhere you pleased (i.e. Boston Basin). So we just made it a point to come by the Ranger Station after hours.

[geordie]

It's been a while since BB has filled up. Seems to me you guys should be up here climbin' not schemin'. (Cavey was here in the rain... and even got a permit.)

 

"Can't we all just get along?" R. King

[wayne]

THE latest on Boston Basin.....

The approach trail is wiped out by massive avvies.

Probably wont be crowded

The approach is now a 5-7 hour ordeal!!

[geordie]

After 7 hours from the second gate we were on top of Forbidden. Didn't seem like that much of an ordeal, though wouldn't like to try it at night..

[Mike]

We left the cars at 6:20am and were at our camp at 6300' by about 10:20 - so about 4 hours cars to camp. Overnight packs, moderate pace - the approach is still very doable.

 

I've heard that the NPS is not planning to repair the damage to the trail. There's a swath about 150' wide between the first and second of the major creek crossings that is probably the worst section; everything else isn't too bad - not if you're used to bushwacking.

[Scott_J]

 

 

[ 07-03-2002, 07:36 PM: Message edited by: sisu suomi ]

[geordie]

The Cascade River Road is slated to open July 20 or so. The road crew is making decent progress. As far as the route up Boston Basin - it's a route not a trail and doesn't receive regular maintenance. The road is open to mp 21, the second gate.

 

"Ranger Bob"

[na]

How many miles do you have to go on the road if the avalanche prevents cars from going past mile marker 21?