BWCA Trouble reserving permits? Boundary Waters Trip Planning Forum
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n8roar
member (44)member
  
02/05/2021 12:59PM  
I talked to my outfitter on January 27 to reserve a permit for EP16 Nina Moose for May 22nd. He reported that he had been trying for five days and thought there was a problem with the system. Unfortunately, now he is reporting there are no permits available at EP16 until June 15. Anybody else experience any reservation issues?

I am hoping the border will open by May and we can take the boat tow to Bottle through Lac La Croix.

Let me know.
 
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RatherbeDuffing
senior member (56)senior membersenior member
  
02/05/2021 01:11PM  
I believe permits didn't go on sale until 9:00AM on the 27th so that would explain why he couldn't get one. Guessing those permits went fast and were booked up as soon as they went on sale.
02/05/2021 02:04PM  
Agreed.

I got on first thing Jan 27 at 9 AM as one of my entry dates wasn't flexible and I wanted to make sure I got my permit. The quotas typically fill fast between opener and Memorial Day. And this year probably more so than most. I just looked it up and there are permits available May 16-18 but then the next isn't until June 15. You may want to check the permit website ( BWCA reservations ) daily to see if anything opens up and grab it.

When someone cancels, it shows up pretty quickly. Often times, people familiar with this site will post when they are going to cancel so someone on this messageboard can take advantage of it.
straighthairedcurly
distinguished member(1921)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
02/05/2021 02:07PM  
System worked very smoothly this year. It was not scheduled to open until 9am on Jan. 27th. Once it opened certain permits such as Pine, Nina Moose, and Mudro went extremely fast.
02/05/2021 02:09PM  
Permits did not go on sale until 1/27.

I would not be surprised if there is some secret way for well-connected outfitters to reserve before plebs like us, but who knows...
n8roar
member (44)member
  
02/05/2021 03:08PM  
I am from Ohio, have been up every year since 2000. I though you had to reserve through an outfitter?
02/05/2021 03:14PM  
n8roar: "I am from Ohio, have been up every year since 2000. I though you had to reserve through an outfitter?"


Nope. And now that it isn't a lottery for EP permits and the fact that you can do it online makes it quick and easy. Personally, I have found it much easier to make my own permit reservations for the BWCA and Quetico and then contact the outfitter, if I'm using one, with my dates to make arrangements with them...and they don't seem to mind in the least. For the BWCA you can choose where you pick up the permit (ranger station or cooperator, that would be an outfitter) but once you do I don't believe you can change that, nor can you change the entry date. You can, however, add or subtract people, except for yourself.
WIMike
distinguished member (248)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
02/05/2021 03:41PM  
I had no trouble securing my solo permit for Sawbill and my outfitter had no trouble for our group Lizz/Swamp but both are mid Sept trips.
Does anyone know if outfitters can submit permit requests in one big block or do they have to submit each permit individually?
cyclones30
distinguished member(4163)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberpower member
  
02/05/2021 03:56PM  
n8roar: "I am from Ohio, have been up every year since 2000. I though you had to reserve through an outfitter?"


No, you can reserve online. Or even call? But who uses that ancient tech anymore.

Someone sitting online in Oklahoma at 9am in theory had equal chance at that permit as your outfitter. Granted most outfitters have more than one person at more than one computer on D day so it's not quite apples to apples but...you get the idea. Maybe time for a new outfitter?
THEGrandRapids
distinguished member (377)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
02/06/2021 09:20AM  
plander: " For the BWCA you can choose where you pick up the permit (ranger station or cooperator, that would be an outfitter) but once you do I don't believe you can change that, "


You can update the permit pick up location at any time.

02/06/2021 09:22AM  
plander: "
n8roar: "I am from Ohio, have been up every year since 2000. I though you had to reserve through an outfitter?"



For the BWCA you can choose where you pick up the permit (ranger station or cooperator, that would be an outfitter) but once you do I don't believe you can change that, nor can you change the entry date. You can, however, add or subtract people, except for yourself."


I do believe you can change where you pick up your permit - I did it last year, as we were going to pick it up at the duluth pack store, but changed to printing it off instead. Last year was wierd.
WIMike
distinguished member (248)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
02/06/2021 09:53AM  
plander: "For the BWCA you can choose where you pick up the permit (ranger station or cooperator, that would be an outfitter) but once you do I don't believe you can change that, nor can you change the entry date. You can, however, add or subtract people, except for yourself."


As others have mentioned, you can change the pick up location online.

Also I believe you can subtract yourself but you have to have designated an alternate group leader first and then make the alternate the primary. Not 100% sure on that though.

02/06/2021 10:27AM  
WIMike: "
plander: "For the BWCA you can choose where you pick up the permit (ranger station or cooperator, that would be an outfitter) but once you do I don't believe you can change that, nor can you change the entry date. You can, however, add or subtract people, except for yourself."



As others have mentioned, you can change the pick up location online.


Also I believe you can subtract yourself but you have to have designated an alternate group leader first and then make the alternate the primary. Not 100% sure on that though.


"


Yes, I stand corrected...it does appear you can change your permit issuing location online. If you choose the ranger station as the pick up location, they will issue virtually this year by email once you complete the LNT training.

There doesn't, however, appear to be a way to change the permit holder, at least based on what I could see when checking one of my permits. It appears that I can change my address and phone number but not my name or email. Yes, you can list alternates and they can pick up the permit but I wasn't able to find a way to change the original permit holder, on line anyway.

Also, concerning alternates, note the following is the guidance from the recreation.gov website:

"Alternate Group Leaders are group members that you designate to pick up the permit if you are unavailable. You can only designate alternates at the time of purchase. You can designate up to 3. After purchase, you cannot change any information for an alternate. You may delete the alternate after purchase and before getting the permit issued, but you will not be able to designate any other alternates."


WIMike
distinguished member (248)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
02/06/2021 11:16AM  
plander: "
Also, concerning alternates, note the following is the guidance from the recreation.gov website:

"Alternate Group Leaders are group members that you designate to pick up the permit if you are unavailable. You can only designate alternates at the time of purchase. You can designate up to 3. After purchase, you cannot change any information for an alternate. You may delete the alternate after purchase and before getting the permit issued, but you will not be able to designate any other alternates."
"


My bad, you are correct. I found this also: "Permits are not transferable (group leader, alternate leaders, entry date and entry point cannot be changed once the permit reservation is made)." Sorry if I caused any confusion.

I suppose a person could cancel a permit and then immediately re-apply for it using a different group leader.
schweady
distinguished member(8070)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberpower member
  
02/06/2021 11:25AM  
WIMike: "I suppose a person could cancel a permit and then immediately re-apply for it using a different group leader. "

Theoretically, yes. But permits don't appear immediately after they are cancelled. It would take some online vigilance to be the first to find that permit after it is released.
gvpant
member (31)member
  
02/06/2021 11:38AM  
THEGrandRapids: "
plander: " For the BWCA you can choose where you pick up the permit (ranger station or cooperator, that would be an outfitter) but once you do I don't believe you can change that, "



You can update the permit pick up location at any time.


"

Correct, I have changed the pick up location after reserving the permit, no problem.
mjmkjun
distinguished member(2885)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
02/06/2021 06:01PM  
Cc26: "
plander: "
n8roar: "I am from Ohio, have been up every year since 2000. I though you had to reserve through an outfitter?"




For the BWCA you can choose where you pick up the permit (ranger station or cooperator, that would be an outfitter) but once you do I don't believe you can change that, nor can you change the entry date. You can, however, add or subtract people, except for yourself."



I do believe you can change where you pick up your permit - I did it last year, as we were going to pick it up at the duluth pack store, but changed to printing it off instead. Last year was wierd."

I've done that too. Permit issuer selected was Sawbill Outfitter but on impulse, I stopped at Tofte Ranger Station. (The parking lot was empty.) That was in 2018. Last year was absolutely weird. Maybe this year, as well.

mjmkjun
distinguished member(2885)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
02/06/2021 06:09PM  
Hey, fellow Ohioan. It's odd that your outfitter was trying 5 days BEFORE permits went on sale. Surely he/she would know the time and date permits are available. Next year on the last Wednesday of January at 10am EST/9am CST, make the reservations for your permit online. Easy. Set up an account with recreation(dot)gov. beforehand.
n8roar
member (44)member
  
02/08/2021 01:05PM  
I appreciate the heads up. Bad wording on my part. My outfitter started trying to reserve a permit for my party on 1/27 after 5 days of trying he contacted me and offered up some other options due to the fact all EP16 permits were gone. I reserved one for little indian sioux north. This will be new for my group as we usually head up through Agnes and end up in Iron.

I have a map coming for the little indian sioux north trek. Any thoughts or good spot recommendations from the group? We covered 20 portages and 33 miles of rowing last year, so we are not afraid to move. However, I would like it a little easier this year.

3 canoes, 6 people, 3 adults and 3 teenagers

Thanks Guys
TechnoScout
distinguished member (434)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
02/08/2021 06:23PM  
Reserved my Sep permit for Snowbank online on Feb 1. No problem.
02/08/2021 07:05PM  
n8roar: "I appreciate the heads up. Bad wording on my part. My outfitter started trying to reserve a permit for my party on 1/27 after 5 days of trying he contacted me and offered up some other options due to the fact all EP16 permits were gone. I reserved one for little indian sioux north. This will be new for my group as we usually head up through Agnes and end up in Iron.


I have a map coming for the little indian sioux north trek. Any thoughts or good spot recommendations from the group? We covered 20 portages and 33 miles of rowing last year, so we are not afraid to move. However, I would like it a little easier this year.


3 canoes, 6 people, 3 adults and 3 teenagers


Thanks Guys"


LIS north is fine but if you have your mind set on EP16 and your start date (5/22) isn’t flexible I would suggest you check daily for an opening at EP16 on that date. If you change it costs you $6 I think (at least that’s the cost of a cancel on recreation.gov). Things do open up and you might get lucky. The outfitter will be flexible on the EP drop location...they want you to be happy after all... and it should make no difference to them if they set the reservation or you set the reservation, and it’s in your name anyway.

Also, if the outfitter is dropping you, your gear, or your canoes off at EP14 you can consider having them pick you up at EP16. At worst they take two of you to EP14 at pickup so you can shuttle your vehicles back to EP16. Do an A to B type trip, not a loop. Oyster has Lakers and that time of year you should be able to get some.
cyclones30
distinguished member(4163)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberpower member
  
02/08/2021 07:48PM  
n8roar: "I appreciate the heads up. Bad wording on my part. My outfitter started trying to reserve a permit for my party on 1/27 after 5 days of trying he contacted me and offered up some other options due to the fact all EP16 permits were gone. I reserved one for little indian sioux north. This will be new for my group as we usually head up through Agnes and end up in Iron.


I have a map coming for the little indian sioux north trek. Any thoughts or good spot recommendations from the group? We covered 20 portages and 33 miles of rowing last year, so we are not afraid to move. However, I would like it a little easier this year.


3 canoes, 6 people, 3 adults and 3 teenagers


Thanks Guys"


Between here and the fishing section, there's like 4 different EP 14 questions asking the same thing. Tons of info in there. Glad you've got a place to go
 
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