High Sierra Topix

Entering via Taboose Pass on June 6th and exiting on the 17th, we went through Upper Basin, Amphitheater Lake basin, Dumbell Lakes, Lake 10565 (below Observation Peak) Marion Lakes Basin and back to Upper Basin before exiting. The tally for that period:
Taboose trail (and all the way to the JMT): 0
Upper Basin: 0.5
Amphitheater: 1
Dumbell: 2
Lake 10565: 4
Marion Lakes basin: 5 (but, directly below Vennacher col they were not bad).
cg

PS: Schmalz regarding how long the bugs will last: figure on 4-5 weeks in most places. I'd guess you'll get nailed in Pioneer. If you can wait till late July or August, it'll be OK.

cg - Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately, I don't have much flexibility with time off and august is off limits this year. I'm going out for 5 days for the first week of July no matter what, just have to figure out what the best plan is. It seems like stuff around 8-9k isn't getting too many bugs this year, so that is something I'll have to consider.

Wind helps. Check to NWS forecast and pick a place with high winds. Elevations alone are not very predictive of mosquito problems. Also pick a dry area (less grass and meadows) - east and south drier than north and west. I would avoid most of Yosemite and north. Pioneer Basin could be fine if the forecast is for wind.

Thanks for the advice. Very appreciated.

My reasoning for low elevation being a factor is that I don't think that lower elevations retained much snow this year, so there won't really be any standing water from snowmelt down below 9k. I might be totally off on this.

June 16-18 Lake Sabrina basin - lakes: Blue, Baboon, Donkey, Emerald, Dingleberry, Sailor, Moonlight, Hungry Packer, Midnight, Topsy Turvy, Pee Wee. Mosquitoes started at 10200' and were at 2-3 most of the time. Not just near Dingleberry Lk. as reported a week earlier. Monday was windy and it has improved - often none were found.

This needs to be updated. Just wrapped up a trip from Silver Lake> Clark Lakes > Waugh Lake> Out Rush Creek to Silver Lake. Two nights. In camp and while stopping for water along the trail the mosquito levels were a solid 4. It was brutal. Be prepared!!

June 21-22 - Green Lakes area Hoover Wilderness - mosquitoes annoying in sheltered areas from 9000 to 9500 feet elevation - probably a 3. But the wind was blowing gale force most areas which knocked them down to a zero (but wind chill was a pain).

June 23 - Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite NP @ 8600 feet elevation - no mosquitoes at all under breezy conditions.

June 24 - Hetch Hetchy Valley, Yosemite NP @ 4000 feet elevation - no mosquitoes, even in calm areas at dusk.

June 22 - 26, Lake Edison up the North Fork of Mono Creek to Mott Lake.

0 at the Edison Ferry TH both at the start and at the end (but wind was howling yesterday on the way back)

0 to 2 while hiking Mono Creek with Pocket Meadow increasing to about a 3.

0 - 1 at Mott and Blue Jay lakes.

Used 30% deet at Pocket Meadow as we stoped and fished, ut no need for head nets on this one. Winds came up each day (fairly strong too) and that seemed to keep the winged demons at bay.

A big improvement over my 6/9 trip to Nelson Lake.

Big Pine Lakes 6/24-6/26
We almost cancelled this trip due to the bug reports but then we got the forecast of wind...strong wind, and lots of it! I'd say add 1 to the numbers below for an accurate guess at actual conditions without wind.

6/24/12
Hike-in from the lodge to the cabin, cabin to Lakes #1-#3 = 1 in the expected marshy sections that were wind sheltered. Trail conditions were mostly dry and wildflowers looked more of early August than June.
6/25/12
Mid morning from Lake#3 campsite to Sam Mack Meadow (SMM) = 0
***Be warned, lots of big, black twitchies in the standing pools at Sam Mack Meadow. If not already bad, there will be LOTS of them there real soon!
SMM to the glacier = 0, but lots of wind
SMM to the creeks above Lake#3 on return after 3pm = 1
6/26/12
Hike-out to car at 7am to 9am = 0
Wind conditions were very gusty overnight.

Moral of this story: Wind is your friend.

Peech wrote:Big Pine Lakes 6/24-6/26
We almost cancelled this trip due to the bug reports but then we got the forecast of wind...strong wind, and lots of it! I'd say add 1 to the numbers below for an accurate guess at actual conditions without wind.

6/24/12
Hike-in from the lodge to the cabin, cabin to Lakes #1-#3 = 1 in the expected marshy sections that were wind sheltered. Trail conditions were mostly dry and wildflowers looked more of early August than June.
6/25/12
Mid morning from Lake#3 campsite to Sam Mack Meadow (SMM) = 0
***Be warned, lots of big, black twitchies in the standing pools at Sam Mack Meadow. If not already bad, there will be LOTS of them there real soon!
SMM to the glacier = 0, but lots of wind
SMM to the creeks above Lake#3 on return after 3pm = 1
6/26/12
Hike-out to car at 7am to 9am = 0
Wind conditions were very gusty overnight.

Moral of this story: Wind is your friend.

I was in the Big Pine Lakes area Saturday thru Monday, and can second this report. I feel lucky! At times, when the breeze would pause for a minute, a cloud of mosquitoes would appear, and then disappear just as quickly when the wind returned. When they were around, they didn't seem aggressive at all. Sorry we missed you Peech!

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