2016 Mosquito Reports

[wildhiker]

Hi Mutant Sherpa Turtle,

So sorry to hear about your ordeal with mosquitos! Sounds like you hit the absolute peak. Probably fine in a few weeks. We hiked the length of Little Lakes Valley last year on July 27 and saw no mosquitos at all. Of course, 2015 was a record dry year, so the mosquitos died out extra early last year.

-Phil

[rlown]

MST.. September.. September..

[Mmalone32]

Spent several days at Ediza Lake Iceberg Lake, Nydiver Lakes, Thousand Island, Gaylor Lakes, and Cathedral Lakes. Not a single bite.

[Alpinista55]

Hey Mutant Sherpa Turtle,

What preventative measures did you have in place? I always wear long sleeves/long pants/hat, and spray all my clothing with permethrin before hitting the trail. Then DEET for any exposed skin, refreshed several times a day as necessary. And of course, headnets are mandatory insurance for a tiny weight penalty.

[maverick]

Please do not post questions or ask about a particular area in this thread. Thanks

[Mutant Sherpa Turtle]

Hey Mutant Sherpa Turtle,

What preventative measures did you have in place? I always wear long sleeves/long pants/hat, and spray all my clothing with permethrin before hitting the trail. Then DEET for any exposed skin, refreshed several times a day as necessary. And of course, headnets are mandatory insurance for a tiny weight penalty.

We definitely were not that prepared.
Long sleeves, pants, hats, Deet - Check
Permethrin and headnets - No

[SSSdave]

When members mention particular areas, time of day and breeziness makes a huge difference. Mosquitoes even at locations that may rate a 4 or 5 midday are often totally absent before the sun comes up in the morning or in cooler hours during wee hours at night. And after the usual afternoon up canyon winds are blowing, mosquitoes tend to confine themselves to shaded lee aspects of terrain, rocks, and vegetation. Thus mid day sitting out in the sun with the wind blowing there may be none to few about. But wander over 50 feet away then sit down about the shaded lee aspect of a small group of whitebark pines and increasing numbers will leave vegetation where they have hunkered down and join the whining mob. Additionally when one is actively moving through terrain when even a minor breeze is active, it may not seem like there are any squeets about until one stops to sit down on a boulder. However when squeets are truly numerous their behavior can change to an intense attack mode as though they understand their target cannot fight back and that only a strong breeze will keep them away.

Last week during our Silver Divide trip, there were strong afternoon winds with modest am breezes and very few calm periods even early morning. On several days it was even intermittently rather breezy at night. When we hiked up mid morning Mono Creek and its north fork from Edison Reservoir at 7640 feet on 7/15 areas below 8600 feet were a 2. Above that to 9500 feet mid day was a 3 or 4. But after a week of strong pm winds, on our early pm down canyon return on a light breeze 7/22 we saw almost none. Mosquitoes obviously use the pattern of pm winds to be swept up canyon from drying areas with little water to higher elevations where melting snows and water are more abundant. Indeed there seemed to be more mosquitoes where we were in upper Fish Creek below Red Slate late in our week than early. And that is why I suspect such a radical change occurred in just a few days. Mid am 7/17 Izaak Walton Lake was a 4 to 5. Two days later, same time a 2. Where did they go? Maybe reached Sierra Crest ridge lines and ended up hours later in Nevada.

Despite lots of squeets about us most of the week, I only received a few bites each day. We wore our full battle gear that numbers here don't seem to get. Often did not bother to apply DEET till they became more than the usual flying in the face annoyance. And most of those bites were on the top side of my unprotected hands or wrist because they often got into water, washing off any repellant. In places that were a 4 a fresh application of 100% DEET to my face, wrists, and hands kept them from even getting close. Like they smell the DEET, maybe bounce off my face once, get its horrible taste on their probe, go berzerk, and then keep away.

[maiathebee]

Reds to Lower Fish Creek - 2
Iva Bell Hot Springs in the afternoon - 1, in the evening - 3, in the morning - 1
Grassy Lake in the afternoon - 1, in the evening 4
Lake of the Lone Indian / Silver Pass - 1
Tully Hole - 3
Lake Virginia down by the lake - 2, above on a ridge - 1

[Phiker]

Kearsarge Lakes, Bullfrog Lake - 1
Vidette Meadow - 3 (got chewed on pretty badly setting up camp along Bubbs Creek)
Tyndall Creek - 3, same story. Swarms of mosquitoes anywhere by the creek
Onwards (Wallace Creek, Crabtree, Guitar Lake and main Whitney trail) - 0

Note, my ratings are based on the amount of bites sustained (over 150 on my arms, shoulders and back in 5 days). I was attracting all mosquitoes to the delight of my fellow hikers who were spared.

[Pearl]

Did a loop hike so we were at Lakes 1-2-3-4-5 and Summit Lake and Black Lake over the 3 days. All between 10,000-10,800 ft. Mosquitoes were a 2. Present during the day but active at dawn and dusk. I got about 6 bites. It was hot so I wore shorts. Finally had to put Sawyer Picardin spray on my legs as I kept getting bit. The breeze kept them at bay and they all but disappeared overnight. Temps got down to about 48 degrees overnight.