>>2447662>hoping there is an open campsite somewhere to sleep for the night.They usually have first come first serve campsites available but definitely check online. If there is a designated fire pit you'd probably be okay but there will be signs telling you for sure. The burn ban is more to make sure backpackers don't start a fire with stray sparks so that's why they have to use propane or butane.
>Do you have any advice for what kind of food to buy?Bring what you like to eat, if you don't like protein bars normally you are gonna hate them if its the only thing you have to eat. I bring my cooler because I like having cold drinks and stuff for sandwiches. If you are coming back to a spot after hiking all day I don't see why you wouldn't want to bring one. If you have a cooler you can put meat in there if that's why you are worried about bringing it.
Probably not gonna need bear spray most of what we got is black bears you can yell to scare them off and yell to let them know you are around, just watch out for cubs. There is a lot more camping opportunities in the gifford-pinchot forest since it isn't a part of rainier national park so you can camp anywhere basically but if there isn't a designated camp spot you might not have things like a level ground or a nice bench still might have a fire pit though. Still need a forest pass though.
pic related is the cooler i used and got from target
