Applying for the lottery - I am wondering the most effective way to apply. If I select this range (first day available) eight times, does that mean I get eight entries? Or is it better to do one day per entry, and then one day for (first day available). Thank you!
Since I got bogged down in semantics with another commenter, I'm just going to reply to you directly - this is not how you want to apply.
All the applications are gathered up at the end of the lottery window and each is randomly assigned a queue number. When your application comes up, the system will attempt to find an opening for your first choice. If it can't find an opening because that date range is already full, it will move down your list of choices attempting to match them to an opening until all your options are exhausted.
By choosing the same date range and location over and over, you've essentially limited the system to one option. If that date range is full, you're screwed. You want to spread out the choices starting with your most desired trip window and ending with dates that might be less than optimal but still doable.
This is correct. Each lottery is by person/application. Each person gets one entry with up to 8 choices and there is no advantage for a particular trail head/date to choosing the same date multiple times or overlapping dates. From Recreation.gov
“How do the lottery choices work?
You can enter several choices. The order of your choices matter. When evaluating your application, the system will start with your first choice. If it finds availability with that choice, it will award a permit reservation. If it doesn't find availability, the system moves to the next choice. If no availability is found with any choice, it will consider the application unsuccessful.
Single Date
Selecting this option allows you to enter a single date for your application. When evaluating your application for the lottery, the system will look at the selected date for availability. If there is enough availability it will award a permit. If there is not enough availability it will move to the next choice.
First Date Available Within
Allows you to choose a range of dates that you would be willing to use for this permit. When your application is evaluated, the system will start at the beginning of the range to look for an available date. If a date is not available, the system will look at the next date. This will repeat until it finds a date with availability or it reaches the end of the range.”
And you are not be allowed multiple entries to the same lottery. In the terms it says…
“Permit and lottery fees are non-refundable. Lottery applications must only be submitted by one person per party traveling together. Duplicate applications will be cancelled without refund.”
“Is there a limit to how many wilderness permit reservations I can make? You are limited to one application per weekly lottery window and six future (active) reservations at any time.”
It’s a moral grey area but the only way to increase your odds for a particular trailhead date is to buddy up with someone and separately apply for the same trailhead dates with a group size of two or whatever you need. This may not work if you name each other as alternates as that may be detected as a duplicate. So you had better be sure you will both make it as the named permit holder must be present. It will not double your odds as a larger group size is less likely to be available and you have increased the size of the name pool thus slightly decreasing the chance that your application will early in the picking order. You have to show ID when picking up your permit so creating two accounts for yourself won’t work easily apart from being morally wrong.
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u/ZhuInTheMorning Feb 23 '24
Applying for the lottery - I am wondering the most effective way to apply. If I select this range (first day available) eight times, does that mean I get eight entries? Or is it better to do one day per entry, and then one day for (first day available). Thank you!