I have never camped in a PMA before. This last week I called the ranger station to reserve our dates. They asked for my name, permit number, dates we wanted and a cell phone number. That was it. The lady was very nice and friendly. I then asked if it was OK to pick our permit up at the outfitter like I usually and not stop by the ranger station regarding the PMA. She said yes.

Do you think that is correct? Is there any paperwork involved? Do I need to carry any paperwork showing that I have authorization to camp in a PMA?

Can an outfitter issue the regular permit and any additional PMA paperwork? This process seems pretty informal. I just want to avoid any trouble and play by the rules.

While this is our first PMA trip, I can tell you that we are using that exact same process. In fact, the outfitter actually called to reserve the PMA authorization for us. Ours was particularly tricky given that our EP and the PMA are handled by different ranger stations. The outfitter called to confirm that was OK while we were still in our planning stages.

I have no reason to doubt that this will be just fine. I think the only thing you miss by not stopping by the ranger station yourself is that brochure that Beavers has scanned & I reference in the PMA threads.

Interesting. We've been told on both our PMA trips that we had to stop by the Ranger Station in order to pick up our PMA permits. We stopped by an outfitter last year to pick up something (I forget what) & asked if we could get out PMA permit too, & he said nope, have to go to the Ranger Station. But maybe that's because we didn't call ahead...

You'll find a lot of confusion about PMAs. When I called to reserve a permit last year the lady I spoke with insisted there was no "Fungus Lake PMA", so I had to call back the next day to secure a permit.

When you get within a week or so of your trip, I'd call the station just to make sure.

I have always been told that the only person who can put the PMA designation, comments and reservation on a permit is a ranger at the specific USFS ranger station.

The PMA process is manual in a three ring binder at each specific ranger station responsible for the various PMA's. It is not online and accessible by outfitters. Maybe it has changed but as of 2010 it was still necessary to go see a ranger at a USFS ranger station to get the PMA designation applied to your permit.

I'd question that with your outfitter and the USFS rangers before you get up there to go on your trip and find out different.

I recall you will also be explained the many different rules pertaining to a PMA by the ranger and then be questioned just like the regular permit.

I get the feeling that Tuscarora Outfitters have a good working relationship with the Rangers so I am not too concerned. After all, it used to be you couldn't call ahead to reserve a PMA either it was strickly first come first serve and now that has gone by the wayside.

I hope I am not jinxing things and exposing that our outfitter is really doing us a favor.

Rob

One of the reasons I posted the question was that we use Seagull Outfitters and had planned to pick up the permit there. The ranger station is Grand Marias.

I will firm up the details with the ranger station again before we go. But, if I need the permit in hand to get the PMA authorization, could I change my permit pick up point to the ranger station? Can you do that online?

Seagull is also a good outfitter who must pull a hundred permits a year. I would express my concern to them and trust their response.

Rob, Tom and others.

I think what we know by the responses to this and other posts, in addition to our experiences, is that the PMA process is very "loose". Each ranger station and even rangers within a station seem to have varying degrees of knowledge and understanding of the process. The processes seem to change from station to station and even from ranger to ranger within the same station.

I am not suggesting that this is right, but I would actually trust your outfitter on what they say they can or can not do before I would necessarily trust what the ranger station may say on this particular subject.

Call your outfitter and if they say they can get the designation for you on your permit-then get it in writing and go with it. I am getting the feeling you could call a ranger station twice in one day and potentially get two different answers if you talk to two different people.

Perhaps by calling ahead to the Ranger Station, they "apply" the PMA info onto the regular permit and then forward it all to the outfitter. The outfitters show you the LNT video and quiz, and then also relay the PMA rules. Could this be possible?

I have an e-mail I got from the forest service last fall before we went in explaining what you need to do to get a PMA I'll see if I still have it and I'll post it. Last fall we had to go to the ranger station in Ely, the younger gal that was working had never done one before, but the older lady was really helpful, and it was just a three ring binder that you write your name in.

This message has had HTML content edited out of it.
I just got an e-mail back from the forest service I asked them a question about having to go to the forest service to get your PMA. The answer was yes you have too. I attached her e-mail and her address
Kristin L Horman

Hi Mike!
Yes, you still need to stop by a Forest Service office to pick-up your PMA authorization. Some things are still old school I guess.
Enjoy,
Kris



Kristin Horman
Program Support Assistant - Wilderness
USDA Forest Service - Superior National Forest
8901 Grand Ave Place
Duluth, MN 55808
218-626-4349

The e-mail address didn't show up right here it is,Kristin Horman---
khorman@fs.fed.us