June 11 Trip

[kpeter]

I find myself a little late in getting my June trip in, and I am worried about blossoming mosquito populations in my usual early season destinations in Emigrant or NW Yosemite. I often try to get in right at snow line before the bugs get bad--in a normal year the first week of June is usually safe. But this year I am a week late and the snow melt is a month or more early, and I could wind up in the thick of insect season. The latest reports from Emigrant show a change for the worse is coming.

And so I wonder if I would be better off doing something at higher elevation. I liked Emigrant because it did not demand reservations and was only a four hour drive from me here in the Bay Area. I still might brave it. However, are there alternatives I should consider that might be higher and less mosquito driven in mid June? How about the Little Lakes Valley? How would Mono Pass be in June?

[RoguePhotonic]

It's really hard to say. I'm heading to Hungry Packer Lake next weekend out of Sabrina and I'm just going to plan on being swarmed by mosquitoes even though it's an 11,000 foot camp. Another week after that and I'm sure it will be worse.

[AlmostThere]

I keep taking DEET and not using it. There are plenty of mosquitoes, but they haven't bitten us....

[ExploreABitMore]

Glad I read this, I would have forgot the DEET, but am going to get it out for this coming weekend just in case. Looks like some more unsettled weather on the forecast for this weekend too. Guess some breeze and afternoon weather could give temporary relief from skeeters if they're out and about (trying to give a positive slant on this weather, which always seems to line up for the weekend ... )

[balzaccom]

When we hike at this time of year, we remember a couple of different trips where we could climb up to a higher elevation and find campsites that were still too cold for skeeters. Keep that in mind. IF the mosquitoes are bad where you are, you can always move. Uphill generally gets colder...and consequently fewer mosquitoes for a while. Out on a breezy ridge will blow some of them away....

[kpeter]

I've decided to shift from Emigrant to Little Lakes Valley on the theory that I can get up near snowline and get above the mosquito bloom, whatever elevation it may be at.

I've never backpacked in Little Lakes Valley before--I day hiked with small kids to the first couple of lakes once. Any advice? I'm not sure how far I will get before hitting snow. I wonder if I will be able to reach Gem Lakes, or the North side of Morgan Pass.

[BrianF]

Here is a report about Little lakes from Deb at Summit Post for 5/28:
"just ran over Morgan Pass today, trail is clear of snow up to Gem Lakes turn-off. Spotted tongues of snow quarter mile each direction off Morgan Pass, then clear. Which peaks are you interested in? There's still plenty of snow over 12K'. At least Hourglass Couloir is filled in".

[kpeter]

Is there a particular route to get to Treasure Lakes out of the Little Lakes Valley? Climb the ridge east of Gem Lakes or follow the outlet stream?

[maverick]

Use the "search" feature KP, numerous reports available, like this one:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=10776&p=81615&hilit ... kes#p81615

[kpeter]

Thanks mav, that is quite helpful. I did search but kept coming across the topics for the Treasure Lakes by South Lake. This link is spot-on.