High Sierra Topix

Kings Canyon has very mild mosquitoes

Paradise Valley has enough to be annoying but if your a full body dresser like me you don't need a head net or bug spray yet.

Due to the snow conditions, the mosquito situation is in its infancy in the high country. This will be a late mosquito year, apparently, but I have the feeling that as things heat up in the next 4 to 5 weeks (though this recent predicted rain may delay it), there will be a lot of discomfort at times.

Last year, on Aug 14, the mosquitoes were terrible at Woods Lake (elevation just about 8,350' without looking at the map).

But what's one going to do? They're part of the ecosystem...

We were up Green Lake and East Lake this past weekend, 24th-26th. No skeeters at either lake, but on the way down along Green Creek Trail, they are ferocious, following us most of the way down. With Green Lake completely melted and East still a week or two behind, I suspect the little buggers will be comin' out soon.

Just back from Green Lake, East Lake, Summit Lake, West Lake. A few skeets at Green Lake, but a steady wind really kept them down. None at the higher lakes, but the wind was always blowing, so hard to tell. Flies and other little bugs (I think gnats) were thick at Green Lake as were ants. From previous reports of mosquitoes in this area, I came prepared, but was pleasently surprised.

Cottonwood Pass to Lower Soldier Lake to Miter Basin June 30 - July 3

Chicken Spring Lake (6/30): Density was a 3, but they weren't biting yet
Lower Soldier Lake (7/1 & 7/2): 2, just starting to bite the second day
Miter Basin (7/2 day hike): none at all while we were there (too snowy still)

Leavitt Meadow area, 7/3-4

2-3 at Roosevelt/Lane lakes, pretty heavy during the evening and morning, but very light during the day.

Big Pine Lakes is a 4
Hiked the loop on Saturday visiting all lakes and was eaten alive.
Was fully clothed and they were even biting through my shirt.
I will be wearing a looser fitting shirt next time.
Temps. were in the 70's at 10,500.
Hiked White Mtn. on Sunday and saw no Skeeters.

Cloud canyon July 3rd, 3 out of 5. Lots biting, but not constant swarming.

Lassen Park, just outside the Park in the Butte Creek/Pole Springs area.

No mosqitoes, but thick with biting gnats. We camped there before and no problems. Previous years had a healthy population of Golden Mantled and Gray squirrels, but they seemed to have moved on. Best guess is the gnats chased them away.

On the plus side -- Butte Lake is as full as I recall ever seeing, with the water crystal clear all the way down.

2011-07-02:
Area between Kibbie Lake and Inferno Lakes: no mosquitos during daytime, but they come out at dusk moderately and bite. Close to 8000 ft there are some biting flies.
Kibbie Ridge: between Shingle Spring TH and Sachse Spring mosquitos bite at daytime, especially when one stops not far from meadows, the lower the worse.