2013 Mosquito Reports

Questions and reports related to Sierra Nevada current and forecast conditions, as well as general precautions and safety information. Trail conditions, fire/smoke reports, mosquito reports, weather and snow conditions, stream crossing information, and more.
Post Reply
User avatar
julie
Topix Novice
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed Apr 24, 2013 6:12 pm
Experience: N/A

Eliz.Lk-Nelson-Reymann-Townsley-Ireland-Lyell Cyn 7/18-7/25

Post by julie »

July 18 - 19 Nelson Lake (9605' el.) : Very few during the day, but heavy at dawn and dusk (3)
July 20 - 21 Reymann Lake (10,050' el.) : Less than at Nelson, but still annoying except when it was raining and hailing (2-3)
July 22 Townsley Lake (10,353' el.) : Not too bad (2)
July 23 Townsley Lake (10,353' el.) : Temperature dropped, yay, no mosquitoes, or none to speak of really (1)
July 24-25 Ireland Lake (10,735' el.) : For privacy, we camped at the closest lakelet along the outlet creek. Mosquitoes not too bad (2). Hiked out via Lyell Cyn...raining, and we were on the move, so didn't notice mosquitoes unless we and the rain were simultaneously pausing.

We never had to don our net hats at any point. My hiking partner (Rich Apple) and I used only herbal-based repellants (mostly Herbal Armor). We took vitiamin B-1 pills twice a day (200 mg total per diem) starting a couple days before the trip and throughout the hike. The current thinking about vitiamin B-1, is that it doesn't really repel mosquitoes, but it reduces the bites' allergic reaction limiting the itch factor, and I find that bites heal a lot more quickly.
User avatar
maverick
Forums Moderator
Forums Moderator
Posts: 11835
Joined: Thu Apr 06, 2006 5:54 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer

Re: 2013 Mosquito Reports

Post by maverick »

Thanks for the update and welcome to HST Julie! :thumbsup:
Hope to see a great TR if you have the time. :)
Professional Sierra Landscape Photographer

I don't give out specific route information, my belief is that it takes away from the whole adventure spirit of a trip, if you need every inch planned out, you'll have to get that from someone else.

Have a safer backcountry experience by using the HST ReConn Form 2.0, named after Larry Conn, a HST member: http://reconn.org
User avatar
austex
Topix Expert
Posts: 552
Joined: Mon May 21, 2012 11:51 am
Experience: N/A
Location: Austin, Texas

Re: 2013 Mosquito Reports

Post by austex »

Gardisky Lake last Sunday a 1. They were swarming but not biting sunrise especially.
Barney Lake Monday and Tuesday a 0. was too windy/rainy
Rock Creek Lake Wednesday no skeets; but a few flies were bothersome at times, no bites
User avatar
gary c.
Topix Fanatic
Posts: 1479
Joined: Tue Jan 24, 2006 4:56 pm
Experience: N/A
Location: Lancaster, CA

Cottonwood Lake 7/20-7/23

Post by gary c. »

Cottonwood Lakes: 1, Four days and three nights without a single bloodsucker and no one in our group had to use DEET even once. One of the guys did get bit a couple of times while wading and fishing the swampy part of a lake at dusk.
"On this proud and beautiful mountain we have lived hours of fraternal, warm and exalting nobility. Here for a few days we have ceased to be slaves and have really been men. It is hard to return to servitude."
-- Lionel Terray
User avatar
gary c.
Topix Fanatic
Posts: 1479
Joined: Tue Jan 24, 2006 4:56 pm
Experience: N/A
Location: Lancaster, CA

Sabrina Basin 7/24-7-27

Post by gary c. »

Sabrina Basin: 2
There were few to be seen during the day and light to moderate during the evening. A once a day coating of DEET kept them off of me but some in our group needed a second application to keep the mosquitos at bay.
"On this proud and beautiful mountain we have lived hours of fraternal, warm and exalting nobility. Here for a few days we have ceased to be slaves and have really been men. It is hard to return to servitude."
-- Lionel Terray
User avatar
no2haven
Topix Acquainted
Posts: 76
Joined: Wed Jul 06, 2011 2:41 pm
Experience: N/A
Location: Berkeley, CA

Tuolumne Meadows-Vogelsang-Bernice Lake 7/27-7/28

Post by no2haven »

July 27-28: Tuolumne meadows - Vogelsang pass - Bernice Lake.

0-1 throughout the trip. Didn't need DEET or anything else really.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2
Last edited by maverick on Thu Aug 01, 2013 10:04 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Changed subject
User avatar
Xosob
Topix Acquainted
Posts: 26
Joined: Wed May 12, 2010 2:28 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer

Mono Pass-Agnew Meadow-Ediza-Iceberg-Reds-Dog Lake 7/28-7/30

Post by Xosob »

Sun 7/28: 0 along Mono Pass trail to pass and back (but fun pea-sized hail mid-day!)
M 7/29: 0 Agnew Meadows->Shadow Lake at sunrise, 1-2 Shadow Lake-Ediza early morning, 0 above Ediza-> Iceberg-> Cecile -> Minaret -> Reds. I used no repellant, barely noticed any bugs, but had a couple of bites.
Tu 7/30: Toulumne -> Ragged Peak via Dog Lake trail & back: 0.
Last edited by maverick on Thu Aug 01, 2013 10:05 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Changed subject
User avatar
Vickster
Topix Novice
Posts: 10
Joined: Thu Jul 19, 2012 8:40 pm
Experience: N/A
Location: Bridgeport, CA
Contact:

Carson Pass-> Luther Pass El Dorado Nat'l Forest 7/26-7/28

Post by Vickster »

Meiss Meadow trailhead to where Tahoe Rim Trail cross hwy 89 (sorry I forgot the name of the trailhead):

7/26- Meiss Meadow TH to Round Lake....nothing to write home about while walking but moderate at Round Lake in the evening

7/27- Round Lake to Dardanelles Lake....not much on this day except at dusk some came out but less than at Round Lake

7/28- Dardanelles Lake to hwy 89...nada
User avatar
Enginerd
Topix Novice
Posts: 9
Joined: Sun Sep 02, 2012 2:30 pm
Experience: N/A

Re: 2013 Mosquito Reports

Post by Enginerd »

Any updates for Rae Lakes, Sixty Lakes and Gardiner Basins? Heading there next week.
Thanks in advance!
User avatar
chandler325i
Topix Novice
Posts: 18
Joined: Thu Apr 04, 2013 11:35 pm
Experience: N/A

Franklin L-Big Arroyo-Nine L-Little 5 L-Pinto L 7/24-7-30

Post by chandler325i »

Not a lot of mosquitoes in our recent Mineral King trek. I took a 3ml dropper bottle of DEET and never used a drop. I was wearing nylon hiking pants, and donned a wind shirt in the couple of spots that they were present. Used a head net a couple of evenings since I had it

7/24 - Franklin Lakes - 0
7/25 - Forester Lake - 1, 2 at dusk. Wore wind shirt and headnet
7/26 - Big Arroyo (between Lost Canyon trail jct and drainage from Big Five Lakes) - 0, 1 in some low-lying spots. Wind shirt w/ hood
7/27 - Big Arroyo (between Big Five drainage and HST trail jct) - 1, 2 in wet areas. Wore wind shirt w/ hood
7/27 - Nine Lakes - 0
7/28 - Little Five Lakes - 0, 1 at dusk
7/29 - Pinto Lake - 2 at dusk. Wind shirt + headnet
7/30 - Timber Gap trail (between Cliff Creek and Timber Gap) - 2 at dusk. Wind shirt + headnet
Last edited by maverick on Tue Sep 03, 2013 7:26 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Changed subject
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 149 guests