High Sierra Topix

I spoke to the receptionist at the Prather Ranger Station and she said one of the backcountry patrols wrote on his/her report that there were a lot of bees. Tehipite Tom and anyone else who just came out of the backcountry, were bees a major problem?

I wouldn't call it a major problem, but when I was at Bolsillo Campground there was a yellowjacket trying to get at my dinner. Saw another one, same thing, at One Halfth Recess. That's about it, though.

We were coming back from Lower Geraldine a couple of weeks ago and we hit a ground nest of yellow jackets between Spanish Lake and one of the meadows. Got a few stings, but other than that, didn't see any or have any problems.

As I recall, there are 3 insect seasons every year in our Sierra...all lasting and dependant on the amount of moisture present. First, come the mosquitoes, then later the flies, and lastly the yellow jackets…(God, I detest those yellow varmints the most.)

If I had my druthers, I honestly would wish for the mosquitoes...better fishing. The flies, especially the horseflies...bite – draw blood, and those little yellow demons sting repeatedly.
Such is life in our Sierra.

Just came out Thursday from the Devils Bathtub/Graveyard Lakes area. No bugs at all up to about 10,800'...nothing, no flies, YJ's, or skeeters. It was one of my best times in the mountains. Three generations of us...my 75 year old dad and my 15 year old son were with me.

It seems that yellow jackets are particularly bad in dry years. I remember some pretty bad yellow jacket trips in the late 80's early 90's and have had little trouble since 93--the majority of the winters have been normal to wetter than normal since then.

In addition to being stung occasionally, one of the more bizarre memories I have of yellow jackets was when I was at Saucer Lake in Desolation Wilderness catching an enormous number of brookies. At one point I felt an odd tugging on the thumb of my reel hand. I looked and it was a yellow jacket chewing on a hang nail I had--they do have strong jaws. That particular year (1989) I remember as being the worst. It was routine that year for yellow jackets to swarm all over us while we were eating lunch and while I was cleaning fish.