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Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2006 4:17 pm
by Buck Forester
I haven't been to Raymond Lake yet although I've spent plenty of time drooling over it on maps. If I remember correctly, it's a golden trout lake, yes?

Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2006 5:08 pm
by giantbrookie
Buck Forester wrote:I haven't been to Raymond Lake yet although I've spent plenty of time drooling over it on maps. If I remember correctly, it's a golden trout lake, yes?
Yes it is. I've never really hit it right. I recall first visiting the lake on the way down from climbing Raymond Peak with my family in the 1978. I recall seeing some nice goldens swim by. In October 1991, my wife and I visited, and the lake threw a shutout with the exception of a 10" golden my wife caught. We did see a good number of goldens swimming about that we figured went to at least 15".

Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2006 7:51 pm
by dreamer
Just got a skeeter report from a friend who came down the mountain today from a trip out of the Buena Vista Lake area (Yosemite National Pk). He said the bugs were AWFUL! Said sitting around the fire was horrible without skeeter shelter or clothing. Said it rained way too much, too. Bummer. Hope it settles down before I take my daughter on her first trip.

Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2006 8:28 pm
by Shawn
Today I made a trip up to Sphinx Creek out of Kings Canyon / Roads End (only to get blasted back down the mountain by thunder, lightening and rain :( ).

Anyway, the skeeters were out in full force along the lower part of the trail and up into the first set of switchbacks. I had my Deet in my pack, foolishly thinking I would not need it. When I stopped on the Bailey Bridge to dig it out I had a massive swarm of the little bastards try to eat me alive. I must've looked like quite the hiker trying to slather on the Deet in double time :retard:

I'm thinking about marketing a new cologne called "The Hiker". It's that special blend of Deet, sunblock and sweat. Anyone wanna buy a bottle? :D

Posted: Fri Jul 28, 2006 12:58 pm
by SSSdave
Well now after my third 5-day road trip of this July I'll offer up my third squeeter report. This time I was in the 6k to 9k areas along highways 88, 89, and 4, ala Carson Pass, Tahoe, and Ebbetts Pass. Down below about 7.5k squeeters were not too bad even late in the day. The only remaining snows are above 8k in shady north facing forests or along the usual lee exposures of the crest areas. However lots of streams and seeps will take a lot longer to drain all the water away thus mosquitoes are well entrenched at the higher areas. Dragonflies and damselflies have been out some time now so during the day, so lots of areas are relatively squeeter free midday even about the crest here in the Central Sierra. During mornings I would spread on the DEET as there were more than a few about at 8k plus areas. Ditto for the evening. About average numbers for this time of year.

Now my first night on the drive up, I slept in my Subaru near a soggy meadow below the crest. In the evening there were lots of aggressive mosquitoes that immediately attacked whenever I opened the door. Quite a nuisance having to track down a dozen blood suckers after opening any door for a few seconds. Glad I had an empty milk bottle to take a leak in during the wee hours. ...David

Posted: Sun Jul 30, 2006 10:45 pm
by DoyleWDonehoo
Just came back from a trip over Virginia Pass to as far as Return Lake in Yosemite. The flying bloodsuckers were bad in some places (wet sheltered areas) but managable: a little deet, proper clothes, good choice of camp spots. I have seen far worse and it was not as bad as expected. Still, I have a good number of bites. I would say there is a goodly amount of slapping and swatting in store for the next few weeks. There is still a lot of snow out there keeping things wet, and the warm weather will keep them around. If you are going somewhere, go high. Wind helps.

South Lake to North Lake via Evolution Valley

Posted: Tue Aug 01, 2006 11:07 am
by tory8411
Mosquitos were everywhere. Fully drenched in 100% deet from the start of the trailhead they were everywhere. Thick as thieves they were. Left us alone while we were moving for the most part, but anytime we stopped, they swarmed us like mad. Bit us through long sleeves. Moderate as we approached 11,200 but still around. May have avoided them on Bishop Pass for a brief minute with a breeze on top, but there was still so much water that they were everywhere. Heading down to Le Conte Canyon they were everywhere. Still moving was better, anytime we stopped they were divebombing us. Down around Big Pete we wore full wind gear and they were moderate to aggressive. We had young bear and full herd of deer in camp. Very cool.
Day 2- Hike up to Muir Pass they were moderate while hiking and aggressive anytime we were stopped. Once above 11,000 fewer mosquitos. From Helen Lake to the pass don't remember any mosquitos. Over the pass don't remember much, but once around 11,500 they returned and were pretty aggressive. Tried to stay at outlet to Evolution Lake on precipice above the valley, next to waterfall, hoping to get any kind of breeze going, but still they were persistent. Although warm out, we had to wear full wind gear to try and keep them at bay. Early morning was somewhat tolerable but by 630am they were back in full force.
Day 3 - Decided to do 20 miles to try and get through valley, and up piute canyon as far as we could to avoid meadows and try for breezes. Couldn't escape them. Voracious through Evolution Valley, only place we noticed a reasonable decline was at bottom of canyone where the two rivers join up. It was pretty dry except for the river and when we stopped to fuel up I think I saw one mosquito the whole half hour. Elevation was around 8,200. They weren't too bad along piute canyon trail up to the pass trail junction and muir ranch trail. We stopped along the Wilderness boundary for lunch and had a relatively nice time without any annoyances. The trial up the canyon was hot and didn't notice any mosquitos, but once we reached the beginning of the low grade climb with the gentle sloping meadows, they returned in full force. We stopped for water just before Hutchinson and were deluged by them. They followed you wherever you went and were constantly looking for the one section of your body that wasn't drenced in deet. Tried to get higher, but bodies couldn't take anymore hiking. We stopped around 5:30 at about 11,200 and still couldn't get out of them. We ate with headnets, some of us didn't even get out of the tent to eat they were so bad.
Day 4 - climbe to Piute Pass we were under constant attack through the basin until we reached the top where there was a nice breeze coming over the pass. That was our only point of refuge. The hike down the valley to North Lake was as bad as the other spots, with any pause in the hike resulting in full defense mode.
All in all, scenery spectacular, water unbelievable, mosquitos almost unbearable. Must rethink future July trips. Especially in wet years like this one.
T

Posted: Tue Aug 01, 2006 11:44 am
by krudler
I'm hoping for a noticeable dropoff in the population at 8-10K' by the end of August.....? :retard:

Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2006 9:02 am
by temp35
Distressing to hear about the mosquito situation -- I am back from the east coast (originally a Californian) and hoping to get in a trip this weekend (8/5, 8/6) and next week. I would love to hear from anyone who has been somewhere in the Sierras where the bugs are *not* horrendous. Any leads?

Thanks.

Posted: Fri Aug 04, 2006 7:39 pm
by giantbrookie
Friday, 8/4/06. Dayhike to Hidden Lake (elev 8320+), Kaiser Wilderness. Still soggy spots around (entire inlet area is one big bog), but absolutely no bugs today (MAR=0). Nice weather, with temps topping out in the mid to low sixties and some breeze but actually not a lot. Perhaps the recent nights dropping to the mid 40's have put them down for a bit.