High Sierra Topix

July 8-14 near Rutherford, Lillian and Vandeburg lakes - 2

Not too bad in the morning, but the evening was pretty bad requiring either headnets or Deet. The flies were bad during the day, and they were the biting variety. At Vandeburg, the bats came out to assist as they circled above our campfire.

Emigrant Wilderness, 7/11 thru 7/15, from Gianelli Trailhead to Toejam lake, Leopold Lake, Pingree Lake, Leighton Lake, Wood lake, Deer Lake, Starvation Lake, Pinto Lakes
Generally 2-3: meadows 3-4
Between lunch and dinner, any breeze at all and they were gone. After dinner, you want to be in a tent. We managed almost entirely without DEET, but we had headnets.

7/8 @ Buck Creek - 1
7/9 @ Hamilton Lakes - 1
7/10 @ Moraine Lake - 1
7/11 @ Kern Hot Springs - 1
7/12 @ Wallace Creek Junction -2
7/13 @ Guitar Lake - 1
7/14 @ Outpost Camp - 1

Get out there and start enjoying yourselves, I didn't even use one bit of my deet!!

I will post a trip report soon.

Just the 'squiter facts, ma'am (using the scale for this topic):

July 8th - Cedar Grove (at lodge) - 1
July 9th - Bubbs at Charlotte Creek - 3
July 10th - East Lake - 1
July 11th - Lake Reflection - 2
July 12th - Lake Reflection - 2
July 13th - East Lake - 1
July 14th - Bubbs camp about 1.5 miles west on trail towards Road's End (half-way between Charlotte Creek and Sphynx Creek along the Bubbs) - 1
July 15th - Cedar Grove (at lodge) - 1

Embellishments:

July 9th - Bubbs at Charlotte Creek - We did get to watch an adolescent, cinnamon colored black bear at dusk and again the next morning, so the 'squiters almost seemed a fair price to pay... The "3" could have even been a "4" around this zone as far as we know, since we were only there late and early. On the way back at the end of the trip, we sure kept right on moving thru this area!

July 10th and 13th - East Lake - We were camped along the east side just before the trail goes into the rocky, "uncampable" area on its way to the south end, so the camp areas with bear boxes right at the north outlet and the south inlet areas may have had more 'squiters, possibly approaching a "2" (based on some comments from others and our own meanderings).

July 11th and 12th - Lake Reflection - We were camped in the rocky zone on the east side with good breeze opportunity, so this helped.

July 14th - Bubbs camp about 1.5 miles west on trail towards Road's End (half-way between Charlotte Creek and Sphynx Creek along Bubbs?) - The Bubbs is simply moving through here with no creeks and no pooling, so that probably helped.

July 8th and 15th - Cedar Grove (at lodge) - saw a couple, but not a problem.

All that said, having a "5" level Mosquitoes trip experience (Emigrant Wilderness/Granite Dome area years ago for us) does help one accept the "3" and perhaps "4" levels sometimes. This trip was lighter than expected for the evil beasts, given the whole July thing, but even still, I ended up fairly well bit, as I usually do. They tend to like me, even though I take vitamin B1 and we use some non-DEET repellants. "Herbal Armor" worked okay for this trip for me, but it's a bummer Repel quit making their "Lemon Eucalyptus" in a cream...

July 13-16 visting Holcomb, Ashley and Beck Lakes.

Mosquitos were a 1.5 throughout the trip. They were non-exsitant in the drier areas and very moderate in the wetter sections. As expected with the low snow year, it seems that the mosquito season is at least a month ahead of schedule, if not more. It seemed more like late August than mid July.

July 12 -15 Car camping and day hiking in Bishop Creek Canyon:

4 Jeffreys campground - 0
South Lake - 0
North Lake - 0
Lake Sabrina - 0
Willow campground - horrible(3-4)
Bishop Creek above 4 Jeffreys CG and below South Lake - (2-3)

Based on what I saw the skeets are restricted to 8500' - 9500' in the Bishop Creek canyon and are staying very close to water.

Any recent visitors to Desolation, especially from the West? The last report I can find is July 8 and it looks terrible enough for me to change plans, but I'm not sure if conditions have improved over the last two weeks.

great trip with my wife-her first visit out and around Tuolumne Meadows area.

mosquitos were non issue for the most part.

May Lake-0. not a one.
Glen Aulin-0.5. a few biting in early AM.(biting flys by the riverside however.)
back out to Tuolumne - 0.

only area of note/trouble is the notorious section of trail between Ten Lakes junction to Murphy Creek junction. biting for sure if you stopped. most annoying were biting flys! seems mosquitoes have been replaced by biting flys this year?

North Lk South lake Loop + X Country in Evolution
July 11- 19.

Worst was the first 2 days at Lk Muriel in Humphries. Close to the water they were a 3 or 4 in the morning and late afternoon.

They really tailed off after that and we weren't really bothered by them again until the lake below Bishop Pass--again in the late afternoon. There were A LOT of flies through Evo. Valley. Ranger said it's the typical pattern. Flies didn't bite, but were a total buzzing and landing-on drag.

Dusy Basin is really drying out fast and it will be a hot and dry August there by the looks of it.

John Muir Wilderness Inyo & Sierra National Forests
Piute Pass trailhead to Pine Creek trailhead 7/13-7/18

Great weather, tolerable mosquitoes!

7/13- trailhead to Loch Leven (1-2)
7/14-Loch Leven over Piute Pass to Muriel Lake (daytime, 1) and Lower Desolation Lake (3)
7/15- Lower Desolation Lake to Honeymoon Lake via Humphrey's Basin, French Canyon and Pine Creek Pass (mostly 1, but 2-3 for Honeymoon Lake at dusk)
7/16- day trips to Royce Lakes, Golden Lake and Granite Park area (1)
7/17- Upper Pine Lake (3 at dusk 1-2 in daytime)
7/18- Upper Pine Lake to Pine Lake trailhead (1)

my two hiking companions used bug spray at points though I never felt I needed it. I'm always grateful for a trip that doesn't require using our bug nets...!!