High Sierra Topix

I was with my 8/10 year old kids so we didn't get too deep in from Gianelli, but from Gianelli to Chewing Gum Lake to Granite Lake worst we had was a 2 at Granite Lake on our second night. We tried to pick good campsites out of the trees and up higher tho, and it was a windy weekend -- with winds and gusts all night long on our Saturday night. We gladly took it, the bugs were kept at bay.

It was a consistent 2 from the trailhead to the lakes. Winds were strong all weekend which kept the bugs at bay. Otherwise, it might have been worse especially at the lower elevations. During brief breaks in the wind, there were occasional swarms of very small mosquitoes at the trailhead. But they seemed young and too insecure to commit to biting yet.

Quick tour of many of the lakes of southern and central region. Crabtree TH, Pine Valley, Grouse Lk to Louse Canyon, Rosasco Lk all 1 during the day. Camped at Pingree Lk - a "low" 2; Hyatt, Big, Kole and Leighton - 1; Karl's a low 2; Wood Lk, Cow Meadow 2-3; Camped at Letora Lk - 2; Huckleberry, horse meadow, Maxwell, blackbird and Emigrant Lk - all 2-3 during the day; Camped at Buck Lakes - 3; Deer, Jewelry, Gem, Puite and Camp all seemed like a 1 but we were walking pretty fast.

A solid 2 from trailhead to the pass and back. Breezes and keeping moving helped considerably during the day, but I picked up a few bites at the car while getting ready before I had a chance to put on repellent. Dusk/dawn at Muriel Lake were irritating with many skeeters around but few actually biting.

Spent most of the day at spearhead - Was not present early am or into evening, but mosquitos were 3-4... pretty heavy whenever the wind settled. DEET mostly worked, though I reapplied every couple hours.

Probably 30+bites in my back through my shirt, + some on legs and arms. Pretty bad I guess.

I think you need a different shirt solution.

I tend to wear an undershirt and then a log sleeved shirt over that. They are lightweight, so not hot, but the combined thickness and action of the shirts keep them out of my skin.

Treated my clothes, pack and bug bivy with permethrin and applied DEET to skin. Flys and mosquitos weren't really put off, but I only got 1 bite. 2 others I was with both got bitten at least once.

Trail from Big Meadow to Jennie lake and the lake itself: 3

Trail to surrounding Boulder Creek: 2

Campsite near Boulder Creek: 3 (Was completely fine in my bivy, no bugs on it at all most likely from treatment with permethrin)

Trail back to Big Meadow: 2

We didn't stop at Weaver Lake so cant say anything about the bugs there.

rlown wrote:I think you need a different shirt solution.

I tend to wear an undershirt and then a log sleeved shirt over that. They are lightweight, so not hot, but the combined thickness and action of the shirts keep them out of my skin.

It was just a cotton tee... I should have just sprayed with DEET but the spray didn't work well. That being said, it has been a long time since I have had a really bad mosquito day... Guess I've been lucky in recent years...

I'd call Blue lake a 2.5+ and then it got much worse as I got higher. I spent the night of 7/16 at Midnight lake where it was easily in the 3–4 range every time the wind died down. I bailed two nights early because of how heavy they were. Not fun.

I will never backpack in the Sierra during mosquito season again. That sucked. Last summer I did the JMT SOBO starting on 6/15 and we hit only a couple tough spots (Sunrise, Thousand Island Lake and Tully Hole) but the rest was fine. I'm realizing the quantity of water last summer vs. this summer makes a HUGE difference.

Camped on the west side of Big Lake and the south side of Deer Lake. I'd say mosquitoes were a 1 for Big Lake and a 2 for Deer Lake.