High Sierra Topix

Well its that time of the year when one of the most annoying insects make there
presence known.
Please give us your ratings so others can be prepared in dealing with these insects
appropriately when visiting a certain area.
Ratings:
1-no mosquitos
2-few if any 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
An example for level 5 would be the time on a trip to Lakes of Arrowhead Basin
I would slap and smear the skeetrz on my arm leaving my skin almost totally covered
with blood or Tablelands where if you even opened your mouth to talk or breathe you
would end up with several skeetrz in your mouth, oh the fond memories!
Some friend visited the Palisades last week and said it was in the 3-4 range.

3-4 in Mokelumne (Grouse Lake trail) over the weekend.

6/24/08 Devil's Postpile north on JMT to Shadow Lake then back to Agnew meadows.

Strong 4 around all meadows and boggy lakes.
Strong 3 everywhere else.

Little kids have tender flesh and Repel Lemon-Eucalyptus works great... for 15 minutes.

June 26- 28 Onion Valley and Flower lake area was a 2 to 3 locally near lakes and in the shade, not as bad as I had expected. DEET lotion @ 40% worked great, or moderate clothing at night.

June 20-22 Rae Lakes Loop out of Cedar Grove
Few at trailhead at 7am, not much while hiking through most of the day. Hit a couple at the JMT bridge junction around 330p. Started to really pick up about on the trail around 530 pm, I'd say about a 3, while walking not bad though. From Dollar, 630p on strong 5. Camped at Arrowhead and full windgear and headnet were not required but made it quite a bit more comfortable.
Next day in the morning strong 5 again about 8-9am around camp. Again, on trail not bad, an easy 2. While stopped a strong 3 near any of the lakes. At the saddle to Sixty Lakes Basin, around 11,200, no deet necessary, maybe killed one or two the rest of the afternoon and evening on the saddle.
Day three, walking not much of an issue, definitely 0 at Glen Pass, a 2 the entire trail down until the last two miles back to Road's End where they were about a 4 around 630 in the evening.

3-4 near the streams/water sources at North Lake to Upper Lamarck Lake. Used 30% deet, repeatedly kept them off, but they per persistantly hovering around.

Strong three in the Dinkey Lakes Wilderness last week (7/1-7/3). Closer to a four in the swampier areas.

Matt

Went to Chain Lakes, Yosemite, over the 4th of july. The mosquitoes were everywhere, most of the 5 miles to the lake and at the lake it was worse. I'd give it a 4-5 rating. I look like a junkie my arms have so many bumps on them.

Tablelands last weekend was a 4 below 9,000 and a 3 above. It seems like there is a window though at the beginning of the morning and just at dusk when they disappear.

3 along the Evolution Basin this past weekend, 4 on the SUMMIT OF MT. GODDARD for g-d sakes!! I went through quite a bit of deet all four days pretty much everywhere between North Lake, Lamarck Col, Darwin Canyon/Bench, and Evo.

Reports from the deep valley was that there were clouds of them along the river. Yikes!

-L