Mt Whitney Permit Question (Non-quota season)

Sorry if this has been posted elsewhere. I'd like to get a Whitney Lap before the snow sets in. Not planning on climbing just a casual run out and back (shouldn't take me longer than 5-8 h RT, spare me with the horror stories I'm a strong runner). I'd be coming from San Diego (preferably on a Sat or Sun) so my ideal plan would be wake up around 2:30 am drive, get there by 7:30/8 am, run, come home, beach.

A. Is this possible given the permit system

B. COVID stuff...It says I need to reserve a permit from rec.gov but when I go to the site it won't allow me to do so even though it's Non-quota.

Any help is appreciated, am I missing something here that I don't know about.

Thanks MP community

My understanding is that Mt. Whitney is still completely closed. However as mentioned above a call to the ranger station is the better source of information

Inyo NF (John Muir Wilderness) is closed until December 1, unless rescinded. 

As noted above, you can't reserve the permits online because they aren't issuing any. Normally it's pretty straightforward. Keep checking back to see if the closure lifts soon. It was put in place because of the fires and fire danger, not because of COVID, so that could ease quickly with some rain. 

Their site is pretty clear Whitney is closed due to fires.

Oh yep, thanks guys albeit they are a little cryptic....because Whitney lies in the John Muir wilderness it is to remain closed.....F.

Sorry! There are dozens of peaks up here that you could run up in a day that are open.

Mark Frumkin wrote:

Sorry! There are dozens of peaks up here that you could run up in a day that are open.

Isn't the whole Inyo National Forest along there still closed? 

No.

My understanding is that all Inyo “Wilderness” areas are still closed and no permits are being offered at all - at a minimum until dec1.  I predict they will just close it all for the remainder of 2020 - since that’s how they roll. Non wilderness USFS land is open for hiking/ climbing - which still leaves a lot available for day hikes. 

Maidy Vasquez wrote:

My understanding is that all Inyo “Wilderness” areas are still closed and no permits are being offered at all - at a minimum until dec1.  I predict they will just close it all for the remainder of 2020 - since that’s how they roll. Non wilderness USFS land is open for hiking/ climbing - which still leaves a lot available for day hikes. 

this is what I meant. Obviously the whole NF isn't closed. But the peaks along the East side are almost all in wilderness areas. 

Andrew Rice wrote:

this is what I meant. Obviously the whole NF isn't closed. But the peaks along the East side are almost all in wilderness areas. 

Basically all the "good stuff" Eastern Sierra is closed.  The Hoover Wilderness is open.

Here's a map as of today:    fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DO…

EDIT: now open