by dan » Tue May 12, 2009 3:19 pm
Call the Bike Shop in Curry Village for Merced rafting conditions. The water is always cold, but it's shallow and you can usually walk to the shore. Nobody falls out of a raft unless you're really careless (or drunk).
There's a RV sanitary station in the Valley, which I think has drinking water too. Hodgdon C.G. also has piped water.
The Day Use parking lot just south of Yosemite Village has bear boxes.
Yes, there's mosquitoes this time of year. If you don't want to use DEET, here's some effective alternatives: wear long sleeves and long pants, and bring a head net (mosquito net covering the head). Also effective is clothing sprayed with pyrethrin. You can buy clothing pre-sprayed with the stuff or buy a bottle and spray it on yourself. Works for several washings and safer than DEET. The "natural" mosquito repellents don't work (in my experience).
Firewood is available at the Village Supermarket in Yosemite Valley and usually at the small market at the Curry Village gas station. You could buy some in advance to be safe.
The shower doesn't take quarters--you just walk in and shower. During daylight hours there's an attendant who takes your money and gives you soap and a towel for your money. This is at Curry Village. During evening hours, nobody is there usually and you just walk in the Men's or Women's shower house.
The El Cap Crossover is the road that connects the south side drive with the north side drive in Yosemite Valley. Don't worry about it--it's just an obscure shortcut.