2019 Mosquito Reports

[Love the Sierra]

July 21-23
Red Mountain Basin
Courtright to Post Coral 2-3
Post Coral to Fleming 2-3
Fleming Lake 4+ (The only reason I do not give a 5 is that there was a respit from about 9:30pm- 7:00 am
They were so thick that it was necessary to eat in the tent. Even when hiking, they were swarming. The whining around my headnet drowned out the sound of birds! I had to keep tapping the tent walls so that I could see out, otherwise, mosquitos covered all of the tent mesh.
Reports from three other hiking groups were that Disappointment Lake was “really bad.”
Fleming Lake to Courtright 3-5 The same area about 2 miles from the trailhead that had been please take only a couple of days before was a nightmare! Even hiking at almost 3 mph, they were swarming. With repellent, they wouldn’t bite protected skin, but swarmed close and bit where fabric had tension on shoulders.

[fpb56]

Permethrin doesn't work that well with the current swarms but 98 %Deet does. I only got bit about 5 times over 6 days.

[SSSdave]

Suspect the reason no one has added any Emigrant Basin reports the last week or so is because no one has managed to come out alive and those that have are still stacked up next to their cars at trailheads looking like dried prunes.

...now back to packing up my backpack

[Bradg]

Just spent six days in Emigrant wilderness.
Went in at Kennedy Meadows to Emigrant Lake
Mosquitos at Relief Reservoir to Mosquito Pass around 2
Mosquitos at Emigrant Lake a solid 4
Didn't see too many people, but one group reported bad mosquitos from Pinecrest Trailhead to Blackhawk Lake.
100% deet worked well. Picardin not so much

SSSdave: I'm alive and well. The only dried prunes I saw were in my breakfast bag!

[PointeAuBaril]

July 24th/25th - Gilmore Lake Desolation Wilderness - 4/5. Horrendous after 7pm. We had to eat while pacing back and forth. Didn’t want to eat in the tent because of bear safety. We had to wear our rain jackets and mosquito nets at all times. The bug spray we had was worthless (20% picaridin made by Sawyer). Others reported that 100% DEET was also not working. The people 30 yards from us were in shorts and t-shirts. They said they were using OFF Spray. No clue how they were not covered in bites from head to toe. The next morning we saw a note near the lake that was intended to inform part of a group that two people had to turn back because the mosquitos were so bad.

July 25th/26th - Aloha Lake - Desolation Wilderness - 0/1 - this was fantastic. Zero mosquitos during the day and none on the night of the 25th. The next morning there were a few, but nothing to worry about. It was windy on the 25th which might have contributed to fewer bugs.

Mosquitos were easily manageable on the trails between these lakes and Glen alpine trailhead, at least during the hours we were hiking which was morning to afternoon.

[uscscott]

7/24-7/26
Susie Lake - 3. Really tough at Dusk and Dawn, not as bad during the day, maybe a 2.
Lake Aloha/Mosquito Pass - around a 2 during the day.

[kpeter]

7/23-7/26 Sabrina Basin
Blue Lake 3
Dingleberry Lake 4
Moonlight and Hungry Packer lakes 4

Mosquitoes were bad throughout the basin, but my impression is that the worst of them are moving up in elevation and are now hitting the 11k zone with full force. Despite their swarms, they were not overly aggressive and we managed to enjoy our trip by covering up, using small amounts of deet when we had to expose skin, and wearing mosquito nets when they were at their worse. Our trip was damp and overcast, so perhaps sunnier days would have fewer bugs.

[alanhaight]

7/28: Just returned from a six day trip out of Twin Lakes in the Hoover that turned into four days due to continuous swarms of mosquitos in all locations and at all altitudes. Hiking in between Barney Lake and Peeler met two groups leaving early due to mosquitos. I thought, “Hiw bad could it be?” Eastern slope in and out was not bad, Peeler was unbearable at all hours, including the middle of the night. Went over the ridge at Kerrick Meadows to Thompson Canyon, hoping the ridge would be high and dry but mosquitos were so thick I could only eat my lunch while walking. Camped at the top of the Thompson Canyon narrows, then off trail back to the ridge top and down the ridge to the PCT. Back up Kerrick Canyon to Kerrick Meadows and out at Peeler, same conditions everywhere. Had a blissful mosquito-free moment sitting in the sun and strong breeze on the ridge overlooking Kerrick Canyon. Long pants, long sleeves, gloves, hat, head net, rain pants and rain shell plus repellent are a good idea.

[northwesterner]

7/27-7/28: Deer Lakes Loop

Very few mosquitos before crossing Mammoth Crest. On the other side, 3.

Deer Lakes Basin: 4 - I had covered my hands/face/neck/legs with a Deet cream; they were biting through my thick shirt so I pulled the shirt off and sprayed with a Picaridin product and put my shirt back on. I thought the Picaridin would be easier to apply to my body/torso than the cream (it was) but had no effect on the mosquitos. I have probably close to 100 bites on my upper body - all through my shirt. I'd look down and see ten mosquitos on one arm, and ten on the other. Swarms were thick throughout the basin until I climbed up the scree slope on the east side.

Duck Lake: 1 - Ended up camping here (didn't push through to Pika as I was out of daylight). Very few mosquitos present and it was a pleasant stay.

[Upthere]

About to cancel mono pass permits for this weekend but looking for recommendations somewhere up high! No NP because of our dogs. Anyone know of any pockets above 7k and as high as 13k that might have already passed their peak skeeter levels or have yet to see the swarms? Anywhere between i80 and big pine is fine