High Sierra Topix

Tuolumne Meadows to Young Lakes

July 3-4-5

Tuolumne Meadows - 1 - noticed a few but not biting. Did not hang out for long or stay in the backpackers camp as this was just our starting point

Young Lakes - 2

Note - I pretreated all my clothes with Permethrin. That seemed to work fine for mosquitos and biting flies. Got bit by some mosquitoes and biting flies on my exposed legs. I applied Picardin only once on my exposed legs and arms and that was on the hike out. In the evening at Young Lakes is when I saw the most mosquitoes and they were buzzing around the tent trying to get in at dusk.

Spanish Lake: 2- around the marshy part on the outlet and west side.

July 3,4, 5
2-3. 1 when wind picked up.

06/25-06/28

Wallace Lake: 1-2 at 5:30 pm, but the fish were jumping.
Wales Lake: 3 along the northern shoreline even with a stiff wind elsewhere there seems to be a windbreak and the campsites were swamped.
Wright Lakes Basin: 0
Shepherds Pass area: 0

It was windy almost everywhere and most of the day while I was there. Deet on exposed areas and a head net was enough to keep bugs at bay.


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July 2- TH to Big McGee Lake. Rain, breezy, cleared in afternoon, mosquitoes 1-2mostly at dusk and dawn.
July 3- Big McGee Lake, over Corridoor Pass, breezy- 1-2. Only a few to no mosquitoes in Convict Creek headwaters, even when calm and overcast, except at specific creek crossings, where it was about a 2.
July 4- no mosquitoes- rained nearly all day
July 5- back to Big McGee Lake- side trip to Little McGee Lk ( none to 1). Only bad part was going up from the lower meadow to Golden Lake. And that was not a mosquito problem - TONS of swarming flies!
July 6- Golden Lake to Steelhead Lake and out - very few mosquitoes, but a 2-3 for flies.

In general I was very surprised at the few mosquitoes because McGee Creek is known to be buggy. Upper Convict (Constance Lake, Bighorn Lake -Dorothy Lake, Lake Genevive, Cloverleaf Lake, seem to have drier conditions - likely because of sandy/ash type soils with very good drainage. Bugs only in limited areas where there are meadows. I did not go to Mildred Lake, but looking down at this lake, it may have more mosquitoes, being in a sunken valley and at a lower elevation and with the extensive meadows.

Not sure if mosquitoes are done with, or I just lucked out before or between hatches.

Spent 4th of July weekend up at Little Lakes Valley and near Mono Pass.

July 3rd - Day hike through little lakes valley - 1/2 no too much of a mosquito presence

July 4th - Hike to ruby lake and up mono pass. 2 at ruby lake, 3/4 at summit lake on top of the pass

July 5th - Hiked out from ruby lake, 2

Went better than I expected, except for the scarily close lightening at night

July 3rd Lower Lamarck 3-4
July 4th Wonder lakes 4
July 5th Upper Lamarck 3

July 3rd

Upper and Lower Lamarck Lakes: 2ish
Went swimming in both lakes. Saw a few skeeters and heard them buzzing, but never were bothersome. The skeeters were actually worse at the parking lot when we were done swimming and hiking (around 4:30pm).

July 11-12th

Trailhead to Blue Lake: 1... maybe. Saw more illegal campers than skeeters
Blue Lake to Dingleberry Lake: 1-2 not bad, just saw a few buzzing
Dingleberry Lake to Moonlight Lake: 2ish

Honestly, they didn't bother me too much. We saw quite a few at dusk (the rare times we weren't in the tent due to hail), but none touched me (a rare thing... skeeters love my blood). My boyfriend got a few bites, but nothing bad. They weren't too bad on the hike out either... just buzzing, not biting.

7/11-7/12
Cherry Lake --> Lake Eleanor --> Kibbie Ridge --> Kibbie Lake --> Cherry Lake

1!