[pct-l] reds meadow store for resupply?

[msarahm at cox.net (msarahm@cox.net)]

I'll be passing through the Devil's Postpile in a couple of weeks.  I see that Red's Meadow will hold a package for $25 plus a daily fee.  Is their store substantial enough that I can buy food instead of mailing a resupply?  Alternately, how's the trip into Mammoth?  I assume they have grocery stores there?

My scary noises story: In 1999 I did the JMT.  My partner and I camped at either Shadow Lake or Ediza, (coincidentally close to Red's Meadow, but I don't remember their store!). In the late afternoon, a father and two daughters walked in, daughters around ages 14 and 8.  They were very tired and we offered to share our camp site.  Dad hadn't camped in a *long* time.  Around sunset, he tied the smallest girl's backpack across to another tree.  A bear had it about 10 minutes later.  We could hear the bear crunching on food (1/2 lb hard candies) and grunting with pleasure down the hill.  The bear got all their food including a couple dehydrated meals, a bottle of squeeze parkay that was licked clean, everything.  They were spooked and set up their tent VERY close to ours.  

In the middle of the night I heard a noise that woke me up.  My heart was beating as I strained to listen.  Was the bear  patrolling our camp?  The noise was so strange, so sinister.  After a few minutes I realized I was hearing the father snore!


Thanks,

Sarah
msarahm@cox.net