2015 Mosquito Reports

Questions and reports related to Sierra Nevada current and forecast conditions, as well as general precautions and safety information. Trail conditions, fire/smoke reports, mosquito reports, weather and snow conditions, stream crossing information, and more.
Post Reply
User avatar
awhite4777
Topix Novice
Posts: 15
Joined: Fri Jan 23, 2015 5:35 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer

Re: 2015 Mosquito Reports

Post by awhite4777 »

To supplement robertseeburger's post (did we cross paths?!?)...

Courtright to Hell For Sure Pass to Goddard Canyon to Evolution Basin and back, 6/19 - 6/21

Courtright to Hell For Sure Pass, 3-4.5 everywhere, except the pass itself (0 due to breeze)
Goddard Canyon: 3-4
Evolution Valley/Basin: 3-4

DEET kept them off of bare skin during the day. Lakes to the west of the LeConte divide were unbearable around dusk--I was trapped in my bivy between 8:00pm and 9:30pm while The Horde frenzied outside...
User avatar
Wandering Daisy
Topix Docent
Posts: 6640
Joined: Sun Jan 24, 2010 8:19 pm
Experience: N/A
Location: Fair Oaks CA (Sacramento area)
Contact:

Re: 2015 Mosquito Reports

Post by Wandering Daisy »

6/18 North Lake to Muriel Lake- afternoon heat, light breeze- 1, evening dusk - 2
6/19 Down Piute Canyon to PCT trail junction - breezy, hot, 1-2 down to about 9000 feet, then 0. None at campsite near SJ river
6/20 through Evolution Valley up McGee Creek to McGee lakes - gradually worse upward. OK as long as walking. Breezy. 1-2 (would have been 3 if no wind). Forested McGee Creek 3 when wind died down.
6/21 day hike McGee lakes - 0-1 move camp to upper McGee Lake - 2 at dusk. breezy
6/22 Sapphire Lake, day hike Lk 11634 - 1-0, very hot, dry, breezy. move and camp at Darwin Bench Lake 11540 - 0
6/23 Day hike upper lakes - 0 breezy, hot, an occasional mosquito in shady calm spots under large rocks - move to Darwin Bench Lake 11592- breezy 0-1
6/24 out via Lamarck Col. light breeze, 0 until Upper Lamarck Lake. 2-3 at Grassy Lake.

Saved by the grace of the wind gods! Only pesky a few times at dusk and dawn.

11,000+ elevations are very dry in spite of June snows. Grasses already dried out. 8,000 - elevations very hot and dry. Only a problem near water. Seemed worst at 9,000-10,000 elevations.
User avatar
rrrice
Topix Novice
Posts: 12
Joined: Thu Feb 28, 2013 10:46 am
Experience: N/A

Sabrina Basin - 06/18-06/20

Post by rrrice »

06/18, TH to Blue Lake - 0 on trail to Blue Lake, 4 at camp adjacent to outlet stream.
06/19, Blue Lake to Hungry Packer via Midnight Lake and cross-country over ridge - 4 along trail to Midnight Lake, 0 going over ridge, 4 at Hungry Packer Lake.
06/20, 4 from Hungry Packer to Blue Lake, 0 on descent back down to Sabrina.
User avatar
richapple
Topix Acquainted
Posts: 50
Joined: Wed Aug 04, 2010 12:30 pm
Experience: N/A
Location: Santa Cruz, CA

Tioga/Parker Pass/Donohue/Lyell 6/16 thru 6/23

Post by richapple »

Semi loop trip from Tioga Pass Road over Parker Pass and out Lyell Canyon. June 16 thru 23, 2015.

Tuesday, June 16 - Mono Pass/Parker Pass Trailhead at Tioga - hike in day. Mosquitoes rating = 1.

Tuesday, Wednesday, June 16, 17 - Lakelets at about 11,200 ft east of Parker Pass (just outside of Yosemite). Mosquitoes rating = 1, perhaps would have been a "2" if not for a nice breeze at all times. This includes a day-hike to Parker Pass Lake and Helen Lake Wednesday, June 17.

Thursday, June 18 - over Koip Pass and camped at Alger Lakes. Mosquitoes rating = 1 hiking and camping.

Friday, June 19 - hike from Alger Lakes to camp just west of Waugh Lake (dry camp not close to Rush Creek). Approaching and over Gem Pass, Mosquitoes rating = up to 3 when breeze not helping, turning into a 4 the closer to Gem Lake and then up to beyond Waugh Lake. Solid 4.

Saturday, Sunday, June 20, 21 - Marie Lakes (just south of Donohue, not Seldon Pass area's Marie Lakes) - big lake with islands at 10,856 ft. Mosquitoes rating = 1 at the lake and around there. The hike up to the lakes Saturday had Mosquitoes at 3 up Rush Creek and along the JMT, and then up to 4 hiking past and up from the first lower Marie Lakes. Perhaps a 2 right when we got to that upper lake, but then we had plenty of breeze for the two days/nights, including some day-hiking. "Wind" would be a better term, but so much better than skeeters!

Monday, June 22 - camped at first plateau south of Donohue Pass, before dropping down to cross the lakelet at 10,200 ft with awesome view of (what's left of) the Lyell Glacier and those peaks of the Cathedral Range. The hike from Marie Lakes and up/over Donohue maybe getting up to a "3" for Mosquitoes when the breeze wasn't helping. And the same "3" for where we camped, with some breeze helping sometimes.

Tuesday, June 23 - hike out via Lyell Canyon, surprisingly down to a "2". We expected worse, and down in Tuolumne the little devils hadn't even really arrived. Yet.
richapple
User avatar
ERIC
Your Humble Host & Forums Administrator
Your Humble Host & Forums Administrator
Posts: 3254
Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2005 9:13 am
Experience: Level 4 Explorer
Location: between the 916 and 661

Re: 2015 Mosquito Reports

Post by ERIC »

Hey, @richapple ! Welcome back - been a while! Looking forward to the trip report (w/ photos?). :)
New members, please consider giving us an intro!
Follow us on Twitter @HighSierraTopix. Use hashtags #SIERRAPHILE #GotSierra? #GotMountains?
Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HighSierraTopix
User avatar
dkramalc
Topix Newbie
Posts: 4
Joined: Wed Jul 17, 2013 9:45 am
Experience: N/A

Saddlebag Lakes June 24 - 27

Post by dkramalc »

Mosquitoes were 3 to 4 most places, though the breeze kept them from being worse.
User avatar
HikingGeek.com
Topix Acquainted
Posts: 93
Joined: Mon Jun 29, 2015 12:41 pm
Experience: N/A

Re: 2015 Mosquito Reports

Post by HikingGeek.com »

High Sierra Trail, Crescent Meadows to Whitney Creek. Cross Country to PCT. JMT & Mount Whitney Main Trail to Whitney Portal - June 17-22 2015

I had treated my hat and hiking shorts with premethrin prior to our trip. The only place I pulled out the deet and head net was just after we crossed over Kawaeh Gap dropped down towards Big Arroyo. There was a 45 min time period, around 7 am that was unbearable. Just as quickly as they appeared, they were gone.

___________________________________
Photos and details are available here:
HST - http://www.hikinggeek.com/2015/06/25/hi ... 7-22-2015/
MWMT - http://www.hikinggeek.com/2015/06/24/mt ... e-22-2015/
User avatar
paul
Topix Expert
Posts: 787
Joined: Thu Mar 15, 2007 3:35 pm
Experience: N/A

Re: 2015 Mosquito Reports

Post by paul »

Ansel Adams/Yosemite - Isberg trail to McGee Lake, X-C to Blue Lake/Bench canyon to Long creek and back to Clover via long creek and Stephenson trail.
3-4 everywhere unless a strong breeze.
User avatar
ToothlessMountaineer
Topix Novice
Posts: 8
Joined: Sat Aug 09, 2014 10:03 am
Experience: Level 4 Explorer
Location: Mammoth Lakes

Re: 2015 Mosquito Reports

Post by ToothlessMountaineer »

Garnet Lake - Thousand Island Lake 6/20 - 6/22
River Trail, Shadow Lake, JMT to Garnet:1-2
Garnet, Thousand Island: 3-4 when no breeze and within 200 feet of water
River Trail from Garnet outlet to Agnew: 2 when near water
User avatar
jonster
Topix Newbie
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun Jun 07, 2015 11:08 am
Experience: N/A

Mosquito Report: Bear Lakes Basin / Granite Park

Post by jonster »

Pine Creek Pass -> Bear Lakes Basin -> Granite Park

6/24 Pine Creek Pass: 2
6/25-26 Bear Lakes Basin: 3
6/27 Granite Park: 3
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 52 guests