High Sierra Topix

I'm thinking of doing a hike next week north from Sonora Pass to Wolf Creek Lake & Boulder Lake .... anyone know what the mosquitoes are like now? Thanks!

Well to answer my own question, during our hike 7/4-7/6, mosquitos were 0 - 1 on the PCT heading north from Sonora Pass, but there was a goodly breeze which might have been keeping them away.

Monache 1, templton meadows 1, overall very few bugs. Monache has a bunch of flys. We were up there June 19th-23rd.

Mokelumne Wilderness June 28-30
Granite Lake Trailhead (off hwy88)
Day 1: Hidden Lake (2-3...no bugs until around 6, then they came out in droves...was still hiking and even while moving along the trail they were biting, put on 100% deet and they quit).

Day 2: Beebe Lake, Black Rock Lake, Cole Creek Lakes and camped at Long Lake (2-3...morning was bad, had to eat while walking fully clothed gloves and all...not so bad for most of the day managed a couple sit down breaks at Beebe Lake and Cole where they were tolerable and even got out on granite where they seemed not to be at all in direct sun. At Long they were around, but in tolerable numbers).

Day 3: Back to Granite Lake TH via Plasse TH and connecting trail around Silver Lake (UGH this day was like a 4. In the morning at Long Lake I almost didn't eat breakfast....estimated about 50 on/around me broke out the 100% deet when the face mask when full clothing wasn't cutting it and they stopped biting but were still hanging around. Couldn't really take any breaks today because they would come around).

It was a gnarly weekend bug-wise. I think dealing with this year after year gets me more mentally prepared but it's still rough when you can't stop and enjoy views. I Have a solid early season sierra tramp stamp of bites.

On the plus side, weather was amazing and saw a bear near Cole Lakes this morning on my way out!

Hi SueD,

Welcome to HST!

Headed out on the JMT this week and looking for a bug report, any information will be greatly appreciated and we thank you in advance ; )

Leaving Reds Meadow on Sun 7/7 & finishing at Happy Isle VC on Wed 7/10. Anyone who has been in these areas as of late and can give us a report will have great karma for the rest of the summer.

Last weekend at Vogelsang Area: hellish. Dropped a few hundred feet and it was better. Even had skeeters on top of Vogelsang Peak. Pretty miserable; and I don't react to them and I have a high tolerance for their annoyance.

Mosquitos were light to moderate, headnet and deet made travel through wet areas bearable.

Day 1 - River Trail 1 in areas away from water, 2 near the river, along as your moving they leave you alone

Day 2 and 3 - Garnet Lake, had planned to go to 1000 Island but every person we ran into gave us a 3 or 4 report, went to Garnet instead, glad we did 2 at best and nice afternoon breeze left us free during the day.

Day 4 - Shadow Creek Area - 1 to 2 a little afternoon shower sent them home

Day 5 Back to Agnew Meadows - 2 along River Trail, not a bother if you keep moving

Silverfox

Echo Lakes TH (0) > Haypress Meadow (3) Lake Aloha (2) > Heather Lake (3) > Lake Le Conte (3) Cracked Crag (1) > Jabu Lake (3) > Lake Lucille (3) > Lake Margery (3). Note that it was very warm both days (85F+) and probably didn't really cool off (probably 55F) at nights. There was a breeze during dusk that allowed me to keep sane during dinners, but the mornings were still so breakfast was eaten while walking to avoid the ungodly.

Leavitt Trailhead - Bonnie Lake 06/29 - 06/30 (Hoover Wilderness/Stanislaus/Yosemite)

First 8 miles in we had very little interaction, occasionally a 2. After that 8 we started our ascent up Bond Pass, for the next 4 miles or so it abruptly turned to a 5. Unbearable, we camped out and turned right around the next morning. Spoke with a few PCT'ers who stated it was bad the last 3 days. To be more specific of where we were it was the 1,000 mile mark on the PCT.

In summary - near water a 2 - away from water a 1. If you stopped for about 2 minutes or so on the trail, a few would find you. My wife and I got away with 0 bites, but the kids weren't as lucky - about 10 bites between the two of them.

The gnats were being at a full 3 maybe 4 up near Barney lake. The din from their buzzing was wild to behold.