Wendy, your food storage needs will depend on how many days the two of you will be out. My wife and I can go 5-6 days with one Bear Vault. Bear canisters weight over 2 lbs and they are very bulky. I would not bring a second canister unless you are going more than 5 days, maybe 6. Here are some ideas and numbers for guidelines that work for us, your actual mileage may vary.
Assume 1.0-1.5 lbs per day (per person) based on dry foods averaging about 125 calories per ounce. Choose high calorie-dense foods. Nuts are the highest (170-220 cal/oz), dried fruit on the low side but nutritious, meats pasta and packaged meals in the middle.
A bear vault or similar hard canister carries about 10 lbs of carefully packed typical dried food without too much effort cramming it in there. Repackage or poke a pinhole to get all the air out of bulky stuff. With more effort you can get 12-lbs, but above that, it takes more serious measures that pulverize things.
Remember, you don't need to pack your first lunch and dinner into the canister since they'll be in your stomach when you secure your food at camp for the first night.
The Ursack (ursack.com) that WB mentions is an excellent option, but keep in mind its not yet legal for food storage in SEKI. It's legal for Inyo NF jurisdiction at the begining part of your route, so it may work for the first few days. Its also great for trash. SEKI might start allowing it at any time since it was recently certified by the Grizzy Bear Agency. (
http://sierrawild.gov/bears/food-storage-map)
The PLB or satellite tracking (SPOT or In-Reach) is a matter of your comfort in the wild. While this may be a popular route, things can happen to anyone in the wilderness. For 4-8 oz of weight, you can carry the ability to get help many hours or days earlier than otherwise. A nightly text to your your significant others might save them a few grey hairs as well, but that feature adds a lot of cost as you go from a cheap to PLB to a subscription fee.
Lastly, a light rain jacket is the standard for the high Sierra as it will double for wind use, as WB said. Rain pants are a luxury item. Regular fleece gloves will dry out. A poncho works too, it can keep your pack dry, and double for tarp or groundsheet. But don't go without any rain gear, anything can happen over an extended trip.
Try renting a hard canister and tracking your food needs on a weekend trip somewhere to help you dial in your plan. Have a great trip!
