Going camping for the first time, Yosemite & the Grand Canyon! Any tips-food, bears?

[Red Squirrel]

Oh, and don't forget to bring peanuts. It's always fun to feed chipmunks and squirrels from your hands. That's one thing I miss from a campground I used to camp out to a lot. They were super tamed, it was awesome.

As for cooking, a BBQ is always nice to have, but if this is just a temp thing then it might be much to bring that. So the small portable grill may work ok.

 

[BoomerD]

Oh, and don't forget to bring peanuts. It's always fun to feed chipmunks and squirrels from your hands. That's one thing I miss from a campground I used to camp out to a lot. They were super tamed, it was awesome.

As for cooking, a BBQ is always nice to have, but if this is just a temp thing then it might be much to bring that. So the small portable grill may work ok.

Yeah, it can be fun...but it can get you busted too...

Keep Wildlife Wild
Respect animals at a distance: never feed or approach them.

Keep your distance from animals, even if they approach you
Dispose of trash in animal-proof trash cans or dumpsters
Keep your food and trash from wildlife by storing it properly, day and night. More information about proper food storage is available.
Failure to obey regulations may result in a fine of up to $5,000 and/or impoundment of your property.

 

[jcwagers]

Perhaps also bring a wool blanket and a headlamp? The blanket will give you a few degrees on your sleeping bag and the headlamp will help if it's dark on the way to the bathroom. I definitely agree on the first aid kit and with having a decent knife as well. You might also look into a swiss army knife. They have quite a few uses and while you might not use it....it's not heavy and it's there if you need it. How often do you use your tent? If you haven't used it in a long while, you might find some waterproof sealant at walmart or some other store and make sure that your tent is sealed well. It would suck to wake up in the middle of the night drenched if it should happen to rain on your trip. The stuff I've used is called Atsko Silicon Water Guard. The can should have a bright orange cap and should run around $5 a can. As others have mentioned, if you're car camping, you have a lot more options so don't be afraid to bring extra gear if you have room and think you might use it. Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. Just my .02....

jc

 

[Red Squirrel]

Yeah, it can be fun...but it can get you busted too...

Seriously, not even allowed to feed them? Wow, is this specific to these parks or is it anywhere? Guess here it's much more lenient. It's specifically not allowed to feed bears in town though because they are a huge issue but pretty much any animal, at least smaller non dangerous ones, can be fed. We feed chipmunks, rabbits and even certain birds that fly and swoop bread out of hand. Fun times.

 

[BoomerD]

Seriously, not even allowed to feed them? Wow, is this specific to these parks or is it anywhere? Guess here it's much more lenient. It's specifically not allowed to feed bears in town though because they are a huge issue but pretty much any animal, at least smaller non dangerous ones, can be fed. We feed chipmunks, rabbits and even certain birds that fly and swoop bread out of hand. Fun times.

You're not supposed to feed the animals in the national parks or national forests. It makes them less afraid of humans...makes them dependent on humans, and can affect their ability to forage for themselves as well as putting them AND humans in dangerous situations.

 

[EagleKeeper]

Get some practice in for using the equipment properly. Learn how to set up and breakdown the tent. Properly secure the sleeping bags and cooking gear. Break in the boots. Overpack first aid kits. Test any cooking gear.
You do NOT want to camp on a cold meal for more than one day. Figure out how to survive with a towel shower. No hot water and you may not want to skinny dip.

 

[Bignate603]

Watch out for double rainbows.

Another great thing to bring is a buck saw, hatchet and full size axe. A chainsaw can replace the buck saw, but I'm a fan of manual basic tools for the true camping feel. A single tree should give you quite a lot of firewood. Try to find a dead one, I don't like cutting a live one if I don't have to, that and a dead one will split better.

The hatchet will go well to make kindling while the big axe for splitting.

Oh, and don't forget to bring peanuts. It's always fun to feed chipmunks and squirrels from your hands. That's one thing I miss from a campground I used to camp out to a lot. They were super tamed, it was awesome.

As for cooking, a BBQ is always nice to have, but if this is just a temp thing then it might be much to bring that. So the small portable grill may work ok.

Yeah, pretty much everything you've said is not allowed inside national parks. The parks are supposed to be places where we're preserving nature. If people just walked in and started cutting up trees or grabbing dead wood to burn they'd end up altering the park, making it less natural. Some of these parks are heavily used so if everyone cut down a single tree they'd have done serious damage to the area in a very short period of time. People go camping to see nature, not see how people have screwed it up.

As for feeding small animals, you're screwing with how the animal normally lives its life. They become less afraid of humans and more dependent on their food. This can cause them to starve during winter months or even become unhealthy because human food may not contain everything that they need. Animals that develop a taste for human food will start becoming more aggressive to get at it. They might chew through tents and backpacks, bite people, or even eat garbage that smells like food. A few years ago the park service had to put down a group of mule deer in the Grand Canyon that looked like they were extremely sick, basically starving in an area that had plenty of food for them to eat. When they did an autopsy they found the deers' stomachs were full of plastic bags. The deer had gotten used to eating human food because people kept on feeding them. When they found a bag that smelled like our food they'd eat it. People feeding the animals can literally kill them.

On top of that, feeding the animals can be dangerous for you as well. Rodents can be carriers of nasty diseases, including the bubonic plague. Rodents in the southwest are known to carry the plague and a researcher at the canyon died a few years ago from it. You do not want those chipmunks and squirrels near you.

 

[Zedtom]

Garbage bags. Put some in your back pocket every time you go for a hike. If it starts raining you can make a poncho to keep yourself dry, and you can even tie one around your head to keep your hair dry. If it doesn't rain you can pick up litter on the way back to your campsite.

Getting wet outdoors is no fun if it's cold. Stay dry.

 

[Fern]

I think you need quite a few other items.

Protection from rain. In the past when I've camped there it was mostly dry. IIRC, it did rain a little the last time I was the Grand Canyon. But not having some sort of rain gear isn't a good idea. You can get a plastic poncho for a buck or two. They're small and weigh next to nothing.

Bath towel to dry off if necessary. (Put in garbage bag. It'll keep it dry, or if you've used it and it's a bit wet the garbage bag will keep your others items in the pack dry.)

Plastic garbage bags. I line the inside of my backpack with one to ensure things stay dry. And of course you'll need them for garbage.

Knife, rope/cord and duct tape. Knife should be self explanatory. The others for emergency repairs etc.

Portable propane stove. Don't rely on being able to have a campfire unless you've really checked out the rules. Even if generally allowed they are sometimes temporarily forbidden because of drought or high winds. You may not be able to find sufficient dead wood laying around, not close anyway. Hot food never tastes better than when you're camping. Don't forget utensils. Can opener? Corkscrew? etc.

Water? Where will you get sufficient potable water and where will you store it at the campsite? A canteen is for a hike, not a camping trip. They make collapsible water containers for camping. When it's empty it won't take up much space etc.

Paper towels. toilet paper. Soap.

Chair? What are you going to sit on? IMO, standing or sitting on the ground or a big rock all the time sucks. Inexpensive lightweight portable camping seats/chairs are available.

Flashlight? OK. A lantern is better. Also useful are those little flashlights on a headband. Let's you use both hands when doing a task at night in the dark or even just walking around. They're cheap. Might carry a few extra batteries too. Murphy's Law never fails to disappoint.

Compass? Do you know how to use one?

Put your lighter, if that's what you're using to start fires, in a zip lock baggy so it won't get wet.

Maps? Ziplock baggy too.

First aid kit. I include one of those 'space blankets'. Looks a little like alum foil, weighs nothing, is smaller than a cigarette pack and costs $1. It's suppose to keep 100% of your body in and is waterproof. Carry them if you go hiking away from the campsite in case you get lost.

If you're going to take day hikes away from camp I suggest you make up a list of items to carry in case you get lost. The space blanket, lighter etc, a whistle, map, water, knife, flashlight, power bars etc are things to consider. Nobody ever plans on getting lost, but shiz happens.

Enjoy your trip.

Edit: It's always better to get these things ahead of time at a Walmart etc. Buying stuff at touristy places get expensive.

Fern

 

[MrsBugi]

It'll be cold in Yosemite, but we've had a dry, mild winter, so snow SHOULDN'T be much of an issue for the touristy parts of the park. Bears, if they're not hibernating ARE a problem in the campgrounds. There are regulations about food storage...and violations carry a hefty fine. Do NOT leave your food in your car overnight.
http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/bears.htm

Currently, roads in MOST of the park are open...but the law requires you to carry chains in certain areas...even if you don't need them.
http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/conditions.htm#CP_JUMP_106631
http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/chains.htm

The weather forecast is calling for a chance of snow next week...so camping will be cold and wet.
http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=37.7400&lon=-119.6000&TextType=0

There are several "open all year" campgrounds, and IIRC, this time of year, they're first-come, first-serve, but you CAN make reservations in advance for some of them. (always a good idea at Yosemite)
http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/campground.htm

Yikes. I didn't realize that you couldn't store food in a car... Will be on the lookout for a "bear locker" for our food. Thank you BoomerD... No midnight snacking in the tent for me!!

I checked a week back and didn't see snow forecasted... Crap. The sleeping bag that I borrowed should keep me from freezing in temperatures to 20 below, so hopefully that will work plus I'm going to wear every piece of clothing I've packed at night...

 

[MrsBugi]

There is a pretty good general store at the Grand Canyon, at least on the south rim where you can get all the food and camping supplies you need. I've only been to the GC one time and they said, " do not try to hike down to the bottom and back in one day" so obviously once you go into the canyon you will probably want everything you would need with you.

Apparently my multiple bags of trail mix aren't going to cut it... Thanks for the tip, we'll definitely stop here before we go into the canyon.

 

[MrsBugi]

I keep up on a lot of the survivalist stuff , here are some key things you are missing:

A good first aid kit and a book that details how to make a splint if someone falls or breaks something.
cast iron pan - better than a portable stove
small handheld mirror - used for signaling or getting the attention of someone in the distance
Solid, good quality hunting knife, not a pocket knife but large bladed
matches - inside a container with screw on lid
rope - at least 25 ft , has so many uses
whistle - bears, wolves, just about every wild animal can't stand the sound of one and also good for getting attention of others .
compass - get a decent quality one
medication - if anyone takes a prescription med make sure you have twice what you will need
Duct tape - can fix things, stop bleeding if needed by wrapping tightly.

This is awesome. Since reading this, I've gotten a good first aid kit. Don't think we'll be cooking anything so no pan... I bought a bunch of fruit and some gummy vitamins to supplement the trail mix and figure that plus chocolate will tide me over for a few days.

Great call on the mirror, just added that. I don't have a knife and don't think (really hope) I'll be hunting/killing anything... interesting suggestion about the rope, it's pretty bulky and I've never used it before so currently debating that?

I'm going to go out and buy a whistle one, was thinking I could use my iPhone as a compass... The battery might die in there though, so a real backup would be a good thing. No meds for me but I'll check with the two girls I'm going with... And thanks for the duct tape recommendation - creative, compact and useful!

That was terrific, thank you again.

 

[Bignate603]

Yikes. I didn't realize that you couldn't store food in a car... Will be on the lookout for a "bear locker" for our food. Thank you BoomerD... No midnight snacking in the tent for me!!

If you're staying at established sites they may have things to put the food in. When I camped on the corridor trails in the Grand Canyon each site had an ammo can bolted to the picnic table. They don't have bears so an ammo can is enough to keep your food safe.

 

[MrsBugi]

Watch out for double rainbows.

Another great thing to bring is a buck saw, hatchet and full size axe. A chainsaw can replace the buck saw, but I'm a fan of manual basic tools for the true camping feel. A single tree should give you quite a lot of firewood. Try to find a dead one, I don't like cutting a live one if I don't have to, that and a dead one will split better.

The hatchet will go well to make kindling while the big axe for splitting.

My eyes will be peeled for them. Getting so excited!

Whoa about the saw, hatchet and axe... Heavy duty!! I think we'll be able to collect enough dead twigs and brush to build a little fire... I have a little knife and just put a bunch of matches into a plastic baggie that I'm adding to my backpack.

Thank you!!

 

[MrsBugi]

Portable stove? Pan? You're going camping. You're going to have a campfire.

Bring some aluminum foil. Wrap whatever you want to have cooked in the foil. It'll cook nice and even in it, and it'll have that nice campfire wood smoked taste to it. Campfire BBQ is one of the best parts of camping! OM NOM NOM.

I'm getting excited about making a fire for the first time outdoors! I vaguely remember the basics from my outdoor survival class in middle school... not sure what we'd cook on the fire, I don't think we'll be bringing raw meat down or killing anything. Maybe... an egg? Or maybe bacon... Mmm bacon.

I'm a little worried a bear might smell the food and come over.

 

[MrsBugi]

No hiking boots?

Just my running sneakers. I also have a pair of Chakas I could bring and wear with thick wool socks?

 

[MrsBugi]

Sounds like you are more car camping than backpacking so with that in mind dont skimp on anything.

i do highly recommend a stove though. A two burner coleman will do just fine and only cost ~50 bucks plus propane. Way easier in the mornings to fire that up and heat up hot water than having ot deal with getting a fire going and hot enough to eat up your water.

as for food...sounds like you are traveling from place to place so just plan to stop at stores on the way to each new location. Will keep you from having to bear-protect 14 days worth of food every night instead of just 2-3 days. Also lets you get meat and not have to worry about storing it for more than a few hours too.


Since itll be cold i'd bring more than just your sleeping bag. When i go up skiing and stay in the back of my truck I'll bring my pad, sleeping bag (20 degree bag) and usually 2 blankets as well. Lets ya sleep in fewer layers and still keep nice and toasty. When im climbing and in a tent i usually have to sleep in my jacket and ants too which is annoying. A tip as well...anything you plan to wear in the next morning toss into the bottom of your sleeping bag. Putting on a freezing cold jacket sucks vs a somewhat warmer jacket from being next ot your feet all night

Other than that just have fun and follow other peoples ideas as well!

Love the tip about putting my coat into the bottom of my sleeping bag so that it's nice and warm in the morning!! We'll be camping at different places 3-4 days... And I just realized that my little water canteen is not going to cut it.

Is boiling water the only option for more water? Water is so heavy but a must... Any thoughts on how to get enough water down there to last 3-4 days without having to boil any?

 

[db]

"Just my running sneakers. I also have a pair of Chakas I could bring and wear with thick wool socks?"

Any shoes/boots must be well broken in, especially for the Grand Canyon. If the Chakas are new, break them in now.

 

[MrsBugi]

Campfire in the grand canyon? LOL, you guys are funny. There's no way you're cooking over a campfire on a hiking trip in the grand canyon. There's nothing to burn, you'd be insane to try to carry it with you, and campfires aren't allowed below the rim anyways. If they're camping up on the rim then they can have a fire in the established campgrounds.

For backpacking though, either get a camping stove or stick with cold food. Carrying raw food, especially meat is a terrible idea. Be careful about animals trying to get to your food in the canyon, while they don't really have stuff like bear below the rim the others are incredibly aggressive. Squirrels and mice will chew through your backpacks to get to your food. The mule deer at the bottom of the canyon will eat any plastic bag that you leave out, ANY plastic bag, whether it has food in it or not.

You've got that backwards. It's warmer at the bottom, often considerably warmer. You're dropping a ton of altitude, it's like climbing a mountain in reverse.

No campfire in the Grand Canyon... Got it. I'll save the matches/lighter for Yosemite then... Sticking with cold food was my initial plan, I should be able to survive on fruit and trail mix for 3-4 days. Thank you for the warning about squirrels and mice, I'll be sure to be careful keeping food in a safe place and will not be leaving any plastic bags laying out anywhere.

It's a relief to know that it's warmer at the bottom at the Canyon... No hypothermia for us!

 

[MrsBugi]

If you can make a campfire, bringing potatoes, onions, corn, butter, hot sauce, and tin foil can go a long way for decent camp food. (cut up potatoes and onions, add hot sauce, wrap in foil, put in campfire; separately wrap de-haired corn in foil and throw in campfire. In 30min-hour you have a feast).

In the absence of a campfire though, a portable stove is pretty useful; especially if you get a just-add-water pancake mix (done this many times).

Good luck!

That. Sounds. Delicious. OMG.

We'll definitely be trying that at Yosemite!!!! Can't wait, thank you!!

 

[MrsBugi]

Oh, and don't forget to bring peanuts. It's always fun to feed chipmunks and squirrels from your hands. That's one thing I miss from a campground I used to camp out to a lot. They were super tamed, it was awesome.

As for cooking, a BBQ is always nice to have, but if this is just a temp thing then it might be much to bring that. So the small portable grill may work ok.

Your icon makes even more sense now.

 

[MrsBugi]

Get some practice in for using the equipment properly. Learn how to set up and breakdown the tent. Properly secure the sleeping bags and cooking gear. Break in the boots. Overpack first aid kits. Test any cooking gear.
You do NOT want to camp on a cold meal for more than one day. Figure out how to survive with a towel shower. No hot water and you may not want to skinny dip.

I just practiced putting up and taking down the tent several times in my living room. I'm wondering how to schlep all this stuff down since my backpack wasn't made for a tent+sleeping bag... I imagine the trek down into the canyon potentially very slow and awkward.

Towel shower... So there will be running water/streams at the bottom? Going to go add a towel to my backpack now!

Thanks for the tips, I'll talk to the girls some more about cooking options as we were all planning on surviving on trail mix and fruit.

 

[Bignate603]

I'm getting excited about making a fire for the first time outdoors! I vaguely remember the basics from my outdoor survival class in middle school... not sure what we'd cook on the fire, I don't think we'll be bringing raw meat down or killing anything. Maybe... an egg? Or maybe bacon... Mmm bacon.

I'm a little worried a bear might smell the food and come over.

Check Yosemite's restrictions on fire before you start making plans about a fire. Do a little research, there should be a number you can call to find out if fires are permitted where you will be staying.

 

[MrsBugi]

"Just my running sneakers. I also have a pair of Chakas I could bring and wear with thick wool socks?"

Any shoes/boots must already be well broken in, especially for the Grand Canyon. If the Chakas are new, break them in now.

Sneakers are definitely broken in... Wore the Chakas for a couple weeks hiking around Hawaii and they're pretty comfy. Thanks for the tip

 

[MrsBugi]

I think you need quite a few other items.

Protection from rain. In the past when I've camped there it was mostly dry. IIRC, it did rain a little the last time I was the Grand Canyon. But not having some sort of rain gear isn't a good idea. You can get a plastic poncho for a buck or two. They're small and weigh next to nothing.

Bath towel to dry off if necessary. (Put in garbage bag. It'll keep it dry, or if you've used it and it's a bit wet the garbage bag will keep your others items in the pack dry.)

Plastic garbage bags. I line the inside of my backpack with one to ensure things stay dry. And of course you'll need them for garbage.

Knife, rope/cord and duct tape. Knife should be self explanatory. The others for emergency repairs etc.

Portable propane stove. Don't rely on being able to have a campfire unless you've really checked out the rules. Even if generally allowed they are sometimes temporarily forbidden because of drought or high winds. You may not be able to find sufficient dead wood laying around, not close anyway. Hot food never tastes better than when you're camping. Don't forget utensils. Can opener? Corkscrew? etc.

Water? Where will you get sufficient potable water and where will you store it at the campsite? A canteen is for a hike, not a camping trip. They make collapsible water containers for camping. When it's empty it won't take up much space etc.

Paper towels. toilet paper. Soap.

Chair? What are you going to sit on? IMO, standing or sitting on the ground or a big rock all the time sucks. Inexpensive lightweight portable camping seats/chairs are available.

Flashlight? OK. A lantern is better. Also useful are those little flashlights on a headband. Let's you use both hands when doing a task at night in the dark or even just walking around. They're cheap. Might carry a few extra batteries too. Murphy's Law never fails to disappoint.

Compass? Do you know how to use one?

Put your lighter, if that's what you're using to start fires, in a zip lock baggy so it won't get wet.

Maps? Ziplock baggy too.

First aid kit. I include one of those 'space blankets'. Looks a little like alum foil, weighs nothing, is smaller than a cigarette pack and costs $1. It's suppose to keep 100% of your body in and is waterproof. Carry them if you go hiking away from the campsite in case you get lost.

If you're going to take day hikes away from camp I suggest you make up a list of items to carry in case you get lost. The space blanket, lighter etc, a whistle, map, water, knife, flashlight, power bars etc are things to consider. Nobody ever plans on getting lost, but shiz happens.

Enjoy your trip.

Edit: It's always better to get these things ahead of time at a Walmart etc. Buying stuff at touristy places get expensive.

Fern

Whoa. This is awesome... Thanks Fern!! I'm writing down several furiously and am going to run off to Target/Walmart now. Be back in a few hours, I'll probably end up printing this thread and reading it and re-reading it along the drive. Great stuff.