YNP Rooks

[Patsfans]

My family and I are flying out from the East Coast next summer. We have been altering our plans to spend more time in HH + TM areas and cut back on our time in YV. I dont want to post the whole itenerary yet... i know it will change. Right now we have permits for-
6/29 Rancheria Falls, planning on an overnight to the falls
7/1 Glen Aulin, overnight and hopefully waterwheel, leconte and california falls the next day then out.
7/4 Old Big Oak Flat Rd, here is the big question...Is an overnight near Ribbon Meadow followed the next day by El Cap, Eagle point to an overnight at Yosemite Creek, then out via the falls too much to expect from my 11 year old daughter? I have some water concerns and three meals a day for five seems like quite a load.
This is my first post and appreciate any and all information you can give me. I would not refer to us as pros but we have hiked in Glacier NP, Zion, Bryce, Grand Canyon and Tetons. Thanks

[AlmostThere]

Not sure why you have water concerns, when all those routes have plenty of water along them - don't forget a filter.

You're worried about the weight of the food - most people worry about the weight of the bear cans, not to mention getting all the food, trash and toiletries in them. Repack everything into ziplocs and choose things that can be squished together without compromising texture - like couscous meals, rice meals, granola instead of captain crunch, etc.

[Patsfans]

I had read on a post that you needed to load up on the h2o at ribbon meadow before heading over to yosemite creek. What is the approximate size of the bear can? Are dehydrated meals squishable enough? How many can you cram into a bear can? Is there any limit on dumb questions i can ask? Past experience has led me to believe that checking beats guessing.

[AlmostThere]

I had read on a post that you needed to load up on the h2o at ribbon meadow before heading over to yosemite creek. What is the approximate size of the bear can? Are dehydrated meals squishable enough? How many can you cram into a bear can? Is there any limit on dumb questions i can ask? Past experience has led me to believe that checking beats guessing.

I can fit a lot in a bear can. My needs and my food choices are different tho, as i make my own dehydrated, higher calorie foods and won't touch high sodium, low calorie mountain house meals. It also depends on whether you rent bear cans at the park or rent from the bearikade folks by mail how much you get in the can. Bearikades are lighter and come in three sizes.

[Patsfans]

Thanks for the info, I checked out the bearikade web site. more questions of course. What size do the have in Yosemite? We are starting out in HH, Rancheria Falls, where would i ship it to? Regarding food, we have not graduated to the level of making our own dehydrated food, yet! Is there any brand of it you could recommend? With three kids its not easy to find one brand/meal that they can all agree on. Although we have found them to be much easier to feed after a day on the trail. Another off topic, I have also read that you can not leave food in your car. We are going for 12 days next summer and planned on buying most of our food here, keeping it in the trunk of the car and packing for each hike from the back of the car. Will that work?

[AlmostThere]

They don't have bearikades for rent in Yosemite. They rent the Garcia, a heavier and differently shaped can.

You would have to ship it to a post office in Yosemite valley to pick it up while en route. I would call and explain to the Bearikade people what you are doing and how long you will be traveling - they charge only for trail days and will ship the can to you so it gets to you a few days before you leave. If you have more than a day's travel to get to yosemite they may work with you on it, and ship it to your house well in advance so you can have it with you. But ask them.

Keeping food in the car is a HUGE problem in Yosemite. The bears will break into the trunk if they smell it. And they will. There are bear proof lockers at every parking lot - you need to be able to get all food and lotions, medications, anything that has a smell inside them before you leave the car there for an extended period. DO NOT leave empty ice chests, bags, cans, etc in plain view inside the car. Cover them with a blanket or put them in a trunk -- IF they have no food smell in them. Have a clean car with no ketchup blotches, dead french fries under the seats, etc. Read the food storage website at nps.gov/yose for all the food storage rules.

[SoCalCPA]

"Almost there" is spot on as usual - If you keep food in the car, the car will get wrecked - Bears open them up like can openers - There are pictures all over Yosemite of the damage that is created each year precisely for this reason

Something else you should consider - The time of year you are going is mosquito season - Bring deet - The mosquitoes like the snow melt so they tend to be in the higher elevations.

Finally as someone who moved here from Boston, enjoy yourself - Yosemite is unbelievably beautiful and worth the trip for sure