Adventure Pass

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JeffH
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Post by JeffH »

Mine expired a few months ago but I wanted to be legal - so I stopped at my local Big5 on Friday evening, and they said they didn't have any 2014 annual passes, only the day-use version. I tried explaining that it's not a new pass every year, they just punch the correct month for expiration date but still no luck.
So I stopped at the Baldy Visitor Center on Sunday morning and asked the same question - surprisingly I got the same answer, they don't have any of the 2014 passes. Apparently the Forest Service hasn't sent any out yet... I asked if the format has changed and they said yes (which made me feel a little bad about my 'discussion' with the girl at Big5). I mentioned that I could just park at the ski lift and walk down to the trailhead, but they told me that the lifts are charging five bucks for parking too.
So I went without.

Does anyone have one of the new passes?
"Argue for your limitations and sure enough they're yours".
Donald Shimoda
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yobtaf
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Post by yobtaf »

JeffH wrote: Mine expired a few months ago but I wanted to be legal - so I stopped at my local Big5 on Friday evening, and they said they didn't have any 2014 annual passes, only the day-use version. I tried explaining that it's not a new pass every year, they just punch the correct month for expiration date but still no luck.
So I stopped at the Baldy Visitor Center on Sunday morning and asked the same question - surprisingly I got the same answer, they don't have any of the 2014 passes. Apparently the Forest Service hasn't sent any out yet... I asked if the format has changed and they said yes (which made me feel a little bad about my 'discussion' with the girl at Big5). I mentioned that I could just park at the ski lift and walk down to the trailhead, but they told me that the lifts are charging five bucks for parking too.
So I went without.

Does anyone have one of the new passes?
yes I have one. I went to sports authority in fontucky and asked for the second car 1 year permit, 5 bucks for one year, I think my taxes will cover the rest thank you. so ask the 18 year old kid who knows nothing for a second car permit, and get a year. well I dont have one, my friend Jake has it 8)
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fortified
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Post by fortified »

I have never bought an adventure pass. I am still getting used to the idea. It's only been a little over twenty years
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Taco
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Post by Taco »

I don't believe in it, so I don't participate. 8)
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Breabonnie
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Post by Breabonnie »

I would likely call up some local ranger stations in the area close to where you want to go and ask if they have them to save yourself a trip out of the way. Another idea is purchasing online, but they don't offer the second car discount option here (usually been just $5 more for adding a second car to your first annual purchase.)

Here is a link where you can purchase an annual pass online. Click "annual pass" on the left of the screen if it doesn't automatically link you to that choice. http://ssl.kinsail.com/results.asp?p=so ... ass%202014


Adventure pass free days:

"The WO has announced the national fee waiver days for 2014. Recreation fees for standard amenity fee sites will be waived at all Forest Service operated sites on the following dates:

Martin Luther King Jr. Day: January 21, 2014
National Get Outdoors Day: June 8, 2014
National Public Lands Day: September 28, 2014
Veterans Day Weekend: November 9-11, 2014

Concession operated sites may be included in the waiver if the permit holder wishes to participate. Waiving of expanded amenity fees (campgrounds, rental cabins, etc.) operated by the Forest Service will be at the discretion of the line officer. Sites listed on the National Recreation Reservation Service will not be included in the fee waiver due to the difficulties of refunding reservation payments.

Please take advantage of these fee waiver days to reach out to your communities and encourage people to get outside and enjoy their public lands. Enclosed is the WO letter with further information. If you have any questions, please contact Tamara Wilton, R5 Fee Program Manager at (530) 283-7778."
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BrownMtnBob
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Post by BrownMtnBob »

Adventure Passes are ILlegal in nearly all cases. The courts have ruled.
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sesshin
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Post by sesshin »

I stopped by two REIs trying to get a 2014 annual pass and they didn't have any. Ended up getting one at Sports Chalet in Burbank. There seemed to be a few.
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Pat
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Post by Pat »

Depending on your usage, the Interagency annual pass @ $80 may be a better deal than the Adventure Pass.

For us, one pass beats having an Adventure Pass, a Death Valley Annual Pass, entry to Yosemite, and other day various day use fees. Some places offered a small discount to pass holders for camping, etc, I don't know if that is still the case. Last year @ Manker Flats it was a few bucks off per night.

Downside, if you misplace stuff like I do, then you've lost your pass for everything.
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curt
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Post by curt »

OK-confused-I plan on going up to Ice house canyon later this week-do I need a pass? or?
Thanks-dont mind spending the money-but if its not needed-why bother?
Thanks
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yobtaf
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Post by yobtaf »

here is a little write up on the law suit http://www.sgvtribune.com/general-news/ ... nture-pass

The thing that got me mad about the pass was when I was in my 4x4 going across 3n34 from the 173 down to Lake Arrowhead area I had my transfer case linkage come loose, so I stopped to fix it with my friend who was in his own 4x4. When we were stopped a ranger came by and gave us a ticket for not having a pass. We told him we were stopped to fix something and it would take 5 more minutes he said we needed one to be parked on the side of the road. by the time he was done with his paper work and his speech we were done with my truck. I know it sounds weird and one might think there is more to the story, but thats all it was. From that moment on I was pissed about the pass you "have" to have.

And 3n34 is a dirt road :roll: So now I do the $5 dollar deal just to avoid the $100 fine. I think the mob had the same set up for protecion back in the day. Pay us and we wont kill you. hows that lotto money working for the schools, we have more fund raisers now then we had when we were kids and less programs in school.
/Rant off :shock:
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tracker
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Post by tracker »

If everyone knew exactly how their money was being spent, blood would boil and heads would roll.
Like many government debacles, creative interpretation of program guidelines can leave a lot of room for abuses of funds.
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Tim
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Post by Tim »

I hate the Adventure Pass with a passion. I've been against it since back in the day when it was called Fee Demo. I used to talk to other hikers about it and to my surprise some were actually okay with it. Their rationale was: "If it will help the local forest, I'm okay with paying a little."

The problem is you already pay if you pay federal income taxes. Paying more just allows the government to not spend wisely what they already have.
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tekewin
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Post by tekewin »

I bought a 2014 pass online through Kinsail. I have mixed feelings about it, but I'd rather pay the small fee than fight with a ranger or pay a larger fine.

I understand that the USFS is and should be funded through regular income taxes. As taxpayers, we get gouged a million ways beyond that. FICA, Medicare, and now Obamacare is considered a tax by the Supreme Court.

How did the Beatles put it?
If you drive a car, I'll tax the street,
If you try to sit, I'll tax your seat.
If you get too cold I'll tax the heat,
If you take a walk, I'll tax your feet. <----!!!
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Mike P
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Post by Mike P »

Tim wrote: I hate the Adventure Pass with a passion. I've been against it since back in the day when it was called Fee Demo. I used to talk to other hikers about it and to my surprise some were actually okay with it. Their rationale was: "If it will help the local forest, I'm okay with paying a little."

The problem is you already pay if you pay federal income taxes. Paying more just allows the government to not spend wisely what they already have.
First of all, I am not a big fan of the Adventure Pass, but I pay it. Not worth the trouble of dealing with whatever happens without it...

My question to Tim, or whoever, what's the difference between paying an entry fee to a national park versus paying for a yearly pass of the California's southernmost four national forests?
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JeffH
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Post by JeffH »

curt wrote: OK-confused-I plan on going up to Ice house canyon later this week-do I need a pass? or?
Thanks-dont mind spending the money-but if its not needed-why bother?
Thanks
Technically yes. If you park on the road rather than the parking lot, just past the curve is a sign saying that you are leaving the fee area.
"Argue for your limitations and sure enough they're yours".
Donald Shimoda
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HikeUp
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Post by HikeUp »

If you get a ticket, there are a few common ways to deal with it...

1) Throw it away.

2) Buy a pass and send evidence in with your ticket.

3) Pay the fine.
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tracker
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Post by tracker »

HikeUp wrote: If you get a ticket, there are a few common ways to deal with it...

1) Throw it away.

2) Buy a pass and send evidence in with your ticket.

3) Pay the fine.
Those who have chosen option number 1 have learned a secret. There is no federal warrant system for parking tickets. A FS officer once said to me, "I can't believe how many people actually pay these".
:shock:
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Tim
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Post by Tim »

Even though I hate the Adventure Pass, it currently is law so I follow the law and pay for a pass.

Back in the day of Fee Demo, they were testing people's "willingness" to pay by issuing a Notice of Non-Compliance (NON) to anyone not displaying a pass. This was not a real ticket, but it sort of looked like one. This scared a lot of people into sending in their $5 by mail. Many people ignored these NONs as a way of protest. But many others well meaning people just paid anyway. The number of people that "complied" helped get Fee Demo into law. Man, that was pretty shady.

If you get a ticket today, I believe it's a real citation. I think (but not sure) I have heard of at least one person having to go to court for it, so there is some risk in ignoring one.
Mike P wrote: My question to Tim, or whoever, what's the difference between paying an entry fee to a national park versus paying for a yearly pass of the California's southernmost four national forests?
I'm against national park entry fees as well, so to me it's the same issue. But to some people the difference is a national park has a distinct boundary with entry gates whereas the national forest does not.

With the CIA dropping shopping bags full of cash every month for decades to Karzai, it's pretty insulting to me to have to pay a fee to park and hike in our own national forest on public land just because the Forest Service put up a sign or a couple of Porta-Potties at the trailhead (thus now it's been "improved").

The Forest Service has also been mis-charging these fees for years. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has struck down the fees in certain circumstances: http://www.adventure-journal.com/2012/0 ... -by-court/
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Teejate
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Post by Teejate »

Tim wrote: Even though I hate the Adventure Pass, it currently is law so I follow the law and pay for a pass.

Back in the day of Fee Demo, they were testing people's "willingness" to pay by issuing a Notice of Non-Compliance (NON) to anyone not displaying a pass. This was not a real ticket, but it sort of looked like one. This scared a lot of people into sending in their $5 by mail. Many people ignored these NONs as a way of protest. But many others well meaning people just paid anyway. The number of people that "complied" helped get Fee Demo into law. Man, that was pretty shady.

If you get a ticket today, I believe it's a real citation. I think (but not sure) I have heard of at least one person having to go to court for it, so there is some risk in ignoring one.
Mike P wrote: My question to Tim, or whoever, what's the difference between paying an entry fee to a national park versus paying for a yearly pass of the California's southernmost four national forests?
I'm against national park entry fees as well, so to me it's the same issue. But to some people the difference is a national park has a distinct boundary with entry gates whereas the national forest does not.

With the CIA dropping shopping bags full of cash every month for decades to Karzai, it's pretty insulting to me to have to pay a fee to park and hike in our own national forest on public land just because the Forest Service put up a sign or a couple of Porta-Potties at the trailhead (thus now it's been "improved").

The Forest Service has also been mis-charging these fees for years. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has struck down the fees in certain circumstances: http://www.adventure-journal.com/2012/0 ... -by-court/
The 'ticket' you get if you don't have an Adventure Pass is $5.00.

While I agree with you about they way tax dollars are spent, I mean our yearly military budget is that of the next ten countries COMBINED, I'm in total agreement with charging small fees. Every year the budgets get cut more and more. What that means is that the Forest Service will be forced to turn more towards opening up mining, logging and other forms of environmental raping just to be able to provide recreational opportunities.

As you know, the Adventure Pass is being phased out. 160K acres of the ANF will no longer require a pass. A public meeting on the topic is actually taking place today and tomorrow.

Here's some stats I found from 2011. Assuming they're about the same for 2012.

The Forest Service collected $1.2 million in fees in the Angeles forest in 2011. Of that total:
$795,179 was spent on maintenance and repairs
$204,562 on visitor services
$43,066 on collecting the fees

Dropping a million dollars from an already cash-strapped budget will have an impact. Now you, I and probably every one else who visits this forum is respectful while in nature but what about those who view the S.G's as an appropriate place to dump garbage...destroy signs...graffiti rocks? What about ANF efforts to plant trees, do trail repair, ranger patrols, etc.?

Even if the pass is completely eliminated I'll contribute my 30 bucks a year anyway. People drop that on a couple of freaking drinks in a bar. I get 100 days of hiking and backpacking in the forest. I win.

Where the argument should be focused, in my opinion, is on our state and national representatives to FIGHT for increased funding to our forests and parks. But until then....
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sesshin
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Post by sesshin »

Exactly. I'm completely fine with paying a fee every year if we knew the funds were being appropriated well. I feel $30 is miniscule compared to the amount of use I get out of the forest.
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rck
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Post by rck »

OK not to stir anything up but when I quit hiking 30 years ago I never heard of such a thing or even State passes. They might of been there but never really heard of them. Now explain to me if you could. If I purchase one of these Interagency passes does it cover State passes also. By the word Interagency I would think it would. I plan on hitting the Sierras this year and head over to New Mexico and just don't want to get cited or anything like that.

Thanks
Rick
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Pat
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Post by Pat »

rck wrote: If I purchase one of these Interagency passes does it cover State passes also. By the word Interagency I would think it would.
Federal agencies only.
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