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Re: 2011 Skeeter Reports

Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2011 10:04 pm
by tim
Anyone know about the current/recent skeeter conditions in Desolation Wilderness? We're headed there (Lake Aloha) this coming weekend. Thanks.

Re: 2011 Skeeter Reports

Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2011 1:43 pm
by kevcon123
Hi,

We were in desolation from 8/26 - 8/28. We entered through Rockbound Pass and did our own version of the McConnell Lakes Loop. We had a decent breeze most of the trip so the skeeters were not bad...probably about a 2 most of the trip. You had to deet up for the evenings, especially if the breeze died down (turned into a 3) but it was pretty manageable. Past horsehoe near the 4Q lakes when we lost the trail for a bit, we wandered into some lower lying areas that were pretty rough (4 or so) but these areas could be avoided.

I was with two buddies from Seattle who were not acclimated to the Sierra skeeters but they were not all that bothered by them. Never did break out the headnet. Have a great trip!

Re: 2011 Skeeter Reports

Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2011 5:12 pm
by Wandering Daisy
Aug 26-Sept 3. Duck Lake (1-2), Fish Creek (4), Olive Lake (2), Anna Lake (1), Peter Pande (1-2), Wilbur May Lk (2-3), Lake of Lone Indian (1), Lake Virgina (0-1), Ram Lake via Glenette Lakes (0-1), upper basin Ram Lakes (0), Duck Lake (0-1). Day 1 and 2 afternon storms, muggy. Rest of trip was mostly windy. Fish Creek was really bad all the way to the outlet of Olive Lake, where finally a wind kept them down. Going in from Duck Pass TH - moderate but after 9 days, none coming out.

Re: 2011 Skeeter Reports

Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 8:54 am
by PamW
We were at Thousand Island 8/25, Garnet 8/26, down the Shadow lake trail the 27th (up River plus over night the 24th). Skeeters were mostly absent or a 1, except for the evening of the 27th at Agnew Meadow where it was more like a 2. Lots of non-biting mayflies at the lakes though. Very pleasant! :)

Re: 2011 Skeeter Reports

Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2011 1:43 pm
by Heyworth
So it looks like the little bloodsuckers are all but gone in recent reports, but I'm seeing 30% chance of rain coming up this weekend. Is rain going to revive them for one last hurrah? Or is gone for the season gone for the season?

Re: 2011 Skeeter Reports

Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2011 9:24 pm
by paula53
I just returned from a trip to Craig Lake in Desolation Wilderness. The mosquotes Saturday night were biting hard. On a scale of 1-5 it was a 4. Sunday night I went into my tent early,7p, it was pretty bad. The temps were in the mid 70's, night time in the mid 50's. 9/3 thru 9/5. No sign of it cooling down. The water was very warm for swimming.

Re: 2011 Skeeter Reports

Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2011 6:15 pm
by catrina.hayes
I was gonna take my boyfriend hiking this weekend (saturday to be exact) 9/10/11 up on the Stebbins Cold Canyon Trail at Berryessa. Does anyone know if there is likely to be mosquitoes around then? He is pretty allergic to their bites.

Re: 2011 Skeeter Reports

Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2011 10:40 am
by tim
At Lake Aloha and Waca Lake (Desolation Wilderness) it was a 2 on Saturday 9/3 and about 1.5 on Sunday 9/4. A few more in the woods at Haypress Meadows but pretty manageable. We did need to get out the deet, unlike previous trips there at this time of year (in less wet years - 2008 & 2009).

Re: 2011 Skeeter Reports

Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2011 9:56 pm
by stevet
8/29 - Treasure Lakes 2/3
8/30 - Below Lamarck Col 0
8/31 - Wanda Lake 1
9/1 - South Fork San Joaquin bridge on JMT (below Goddard Canyon Jct) 1
9/2 - Marie Lake 1
9/3 - VVR 0
9/4 - Upper Mills Creek Lake 1
9/5 - Bearpaw Lake 1
9/6 - Paris Lake 1

Re: 2011 Skeeter Reports

Posted: Sat Sep 10, 2011 9:32 pm
by KathyW
Last weekend there were swarms of gnats at Wanda Lake (near Muir Pass) - they were terrible and stuck to packs for miles after the lake - I was thinking of camping there, but after the gnats attacked I moved on to Helen Lake on the other side of Muir Pass. There were swarms of gnats next to Evolution Lake too, but they weren't as think as at Wanda Lake and as soon as you got a little away from the lake they weren't bad at all.