2021 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
maverick
Forums Moderator
Forums Moderator
Posts: 11821
Joined: Thu Apr 06, 2006 5:54 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer

2021 Mosquito Reports

Post by maverick »

Use the following scale to report severity of the mozzies you experience:

1 - No mosquitoes or if there are some, but not biting yet

2 - Very light during the day, moderate at dawn and dusk

3 - Moderate during the day, heavy at dawn and dusk

4 - Heavy during the day, heavy at dawn and dusk

5 - Unbearable all day, no breaks, cannot eat outside of tent. If you stop, hundreds will descend on you; when looking thru a camera viewfinder, you see more skeeters than lake. If you slapped your arm, you'd smear blood from all the dead gorged bodies

Please do not post questions or ask about a particular area in this thread. Also, include where you went, with dates included, in the "Subject" box. Thanks
Last edited by copeg on Fri Apr 01, 2022 1:32 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Reason: Unsticky
Professional Sierra Landscape Photographer

I don't give out specific route information, my belief is that it takes away from the whole adventure spirit of a trip, if you need every inch planned out, you'll have to get that from someone else.

Have a safer backcountry experience by using the HST ReConn Form 2.0, named after Larry Conn, a HST member: http://reconn.org
User avatar
Pearl
Topix Novice
Posts: 18
Joined: Tue Jun 17, 2014 6:27 pm
Experience: N/A

April 30th - May 1st Horseshoe Meadow

Post by Pearl »

April 30th - May 1st Horseshoe Meadow - 1
The meadow is very dry and the creeks are very low.
User avatar
kdemtchouk
Topix Acquainted
Posts: 43
Joined: Thu Apr 09, 2020 9:07 am
Experience: Level 3 Backpacker

Deadman Canyon / Tamarack Lake 5/14 -5/16

Post by kdemtchouk »

May 14 - May 16

A partner and I did the Deadman Canyon loop, sleeping at Tamarack Lake and Comanche Meadow. 0 in most spots along the trail, 1 at Comanche Meadow and in lower Deadman Canyon.
User avatar
Love the Sierra
Topix Expert
Posts: 424
Joined: Sat Jun 11, 2016 6:32 pm
Experience: Level 3 Backpacker

Golden Lake / Mono Creek Trail 5/25

Post by Love the Sierra »

Golden Lake and Golden Creek and Ruby Lake and Mono Creek Trail as of 5/25- NO SKEETERS!!!
User avatar
kpeter
Topix Fanatic
Posts: 1449
Joined: Mon Jan 04, 2010 1:11 pm
Experience: Level 3 Backpacker

Shingle Springs / Boundary & Kibbie Lake 5/24 - 5/28

Post by kpeter »

May 24-May 28. Shingle Springs Trailhead, Sachse Springs, Boundary and Little Bear Lakes, Kibbie Lake.

Mosquitoes--0 to 1. I saw several but only at Kibbie late in the week, but they were rare and not aggressive.

The mullen is beginning to unfurl which is a sure sign that mosquitoes are on the way, though. Should be good for about a week.
User avatar
maverick
Forums Moderator
Forums Moderator
Posts: 11821
Joined: Thu Apr 06, 2006 5:54 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer

Re: 2021 Mosquito Reports

Post by maverick »

Please change "subject" tab to the location and date of your trip. Thank you. :)
Professional Sierra Landscape Photographer

I don't give out specific route information, my belief is that it takes away from the whole adventure spirit of a trip, if you need every inch planned out, you'll have to get that from someone else.

Have a safer backcountry experience by using the HST ReConn Form 2.0, named after Larry Conn, a HST member: http://reconn.org
User avatar
ChuckSten
Topix Novice
Posts: 8
Joined: Thu Oct 04, 2018 10:41 am
Experience: Level 3 Backpacker
Location: San Diego

Horseshoe Meadow/ Chicken Spring L/ Miter Basin/ S Fork Lakes/ 5/23 - 5/29

Post by ChuckSten »

Zero mosquitos anywhere, anytime. Extremely dry.
User avatar
SNOOOOW
Topix Regular
Posts: 223
Joined: Wed Mar 25, 2015 6:45 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer
Location: Gville

May 28-29 Big Meadow to Showers Lake

Post by SNOOOOW »

Did a quick overnight trip from big meadow trailhead on Hwy 89 to showers lake along the TRT and back. Mosquitos would be mostly 0 but maybe 1 in this 1 area by round lake.
Without a People's army, the people have nothing.
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: Vernon, Jack Main, Frog Creek, Laurel 6/26-6/30

Post by Wandering Daisy »

Mosquito conditions made little sense to me.
6/26 Vernon Lake via Beehive. Nice breeze, none hiking, a few dusk and dawn (0-1)
6/27- Hike Moraine Ridge to Jack Main at Meadow at trail junction/creek crossing. Few hiking, nice breeze, moderate dusk. Frost in Meadow next AM. (0-2)
6/28- dh Jack Main to PCT jct. move camp bench just before dropping to Jack Main. Mix of mosquitoes and black flies(gnats), bad when calm, dusk. (1-3)
6/29- x-c to Bearup Lake, camp unnamed lakes on Frog Creek. Very few in spite of lots of wet swampy conditions. 1hr big lightning storm. (0-1)
6/30- x-c down Frog Creek, intersect Moraine Ridge tail, Camp west shore Laurel Lake. Not bad day (breeze), horrible at dusk at Laurel Lake (0-3)
6/31- very warm night, already bad at 5:30 AM, skipped breakfast, total head net morning. OK hiking. Very hot and dry down switchbacks to Hetch-Hetchy. (3-0)

Not sure what the not-mosquito things were- small, black round. Squished one inside my tent- it was full of blood (mine). Similar gnats in the Wind Rivers - bite, active in day, not at dusk and dawn. They do not buzz like mosquitoes. A mix of both. Mosquitoes were very annoying and swarmed my face, but not a lot of biting. A nice breeze during days but died down like clockwork at 5:30-6:00PM, then mosquitoes. I suspect the mosquitoes would have been worse during day without the breeze. The last 2 days were VERY hot, even at night.

Met two PCT hikers and they said mosquitoes are out even up high. Northern Yosemite is known for bad mosquitoes.

Caveat: I am very bad with mosquitoes. They swarm me even when no one else. Many others at Laurel Lake were running around in shorts and t-shirts and seemingly not bothered at all.
User avatar
purplebromeliads
Topix Newbie
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon May 31, 2021 11:26 pm
Experience: Level 2 Backpacker

Sierraville + Gold Lake Reports 6/29-6/31

Post by purplebromeliads »

May 29-31: Sierraville / Tahoe Forest / Gold Lake: 5

Yes. A five. I am looking at my legs after just getting home tonight. There are approximately 20 giant red mosquito bites per calf. It looks like the night sky. It feels like I have chickenpox. There are a few that are bleeding. My arms may have more bites but less of a reaction.

I have never, ever experienced anything this bad, after battling mosquitos on 4 other continents, this is the worst to date.

The mosquitos were gigantic, aggressive, and ubiquitous. I couldn't put on sunglasses without interrupting a mosquito's blood mission.

It was the worst in Sierraville and the Tahoe forest near Lake Independence.

It was better near Gold Lake/Frazier Falls.

Wear. Your. DEET. Like. It's. Your. Religion.
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 50 guests