2013 Mosquito Reports

[Peech]

Long Lake = 1, barely noticeable with slight breeze
High Lake = 0, I found the boggy areas by the outlet still iced over with no signs of life at 8am on Sunday.

[egull]

Gianelli Cabin TH to Chewing Gum Lake.

Overall rating about 2-3.
Not bad when on the trail or at night.
In camp though, once the sun came up the mosquitoes were out and got progressively worse.
DEET and headnets were used.

[larroyo33]

3-4 if near the water or snow. The mosquitoes were better at dawn/dusk and when the wind was blowing hard, but if it was the middle of the day and hiking near the water, I basically could not stop for even 5 seconds without getting swarmed.

[Talimon]

We did some day-hiking around Mammoth, and also a 3 day trip from South Lake into Dusy Basin (all between 6/16 and 6/21). Overall mosquitoes were almost always existent, but largely mitigated by the wind during this time-period:

Agnew Meadows to Thousand Island Lake (via High Trail): 4-5 in Agnew Meadows, 2-3 up on the High Trail and at Thousand Island. Almost non-existent when wind picked-up, but this didn't make much of an impact in the more woodsy areas.

Lake Mary up to Mammoth Crest: 1 pretty much the entire way. Most of the hike we did not see any at all. It was windy, however, so it is hard to tell.

South Lake to Dusy Basin: 1 around South Lake, 3-4 around Chocolate Lake and Long Lake, 1 around Bishop Pass, and 3-4 in Dusy Basin. However, due to very strong winds in the basin, we were almost always able to avoid them. In the morning, winds were coming from the South-east, and right around 5 PM they seemed to shift to the North-west. Our campsite blocked the morning winds, so we had to ditch camp early, but in the evening we had none at all. I recommend checking wind conditions, as when the wind died they were quite atrocious.

[schmalz]

Much worse than expected. I was actually trying to go to finger, but didn't make it. The trip report will explain that.

Regarding mosquitoes, once I got in the area near Willow Lake they were unrelenting. Let's call it a 4. Swarming the whole time. I ate dinner in the tent, got up at 5:45am today, was immediately swarmed, and got the hell out of there immediately. My clothing protected me, but it was not pleasant and Callie got chewed up a bit.

[artrock23]

Camped for two nights at the spots just after the stream crossing where the trail to Lamarck Col begins. I'd call it a 3. They were always around, but really bad in the mornings and evenings. the 25% Deet repellant I used worked well, but i still ended-up with four or five bites.

[SSSdave]

Friday evening 9pm two of us night hiked 2 miles 1000 feet up from Wrights Lake to lower Twin Lakes in Desolation W. Trailhead is about a rather marshy lodgepole pine zone behind the reservoir and after noticing a few squeeters while getting our gear out of the Subu, put on some 100% Repel DEET on our hands and face, the only uncovered skin. As usual, we stopped alot on most every convenient thigh high trailside boulder or log and did not notice any as they probably flew away as soon as they got a whiff.

Arrived at Twin Lakes midnight, high 40s temps, slight breeze and left my tent in the pack. Just slept outside atop a ground sheet, balaclava on, head out in the fresh air with the residual DEET from the trailhead enough to deter any squeeters all night. In the morning after the sun came up, noticed a few buzzing about so put on some more DEET and that was that. Midday washed off the DEET, never put any on the rest of the trip. Later noticed a few buzzing around at times as there was a lot of wet areas and meadows all over, but never got a single bite until Sunday morning while hiking out. One bit my hand while I was taking a pic and another drilled into my scalp where my hair is thinning, while I was focusing my view camera under my dark cloth. So generally a 2.

[Mradford]

Darwin Canyon 6/22-23

Mosquito rank easy 3, but they weren't biting very much even though they were EVERYWHERE from the late afternoon until it cooled down.

[calisubie]

June 20-22:Shadow Lake x-country to Nydiver Lakes, Whitebark Pass, Garnet, 1000 Island and out.

Mosquitos were horrible (stop walking, look down and 10-15 on one leg) at Garnet and backside of 1000 Island Lake during typical skeeter times of the day. However, slight breeze in the afternoon helped a bit.

[esco]

6/22 Cottonwood Pass, Inyo Natl - 0
6/22 Chicken Spring Lake, Golden Trout Wild - 1 A few mosquitos one or two bites in late afternoon and then none in evening.
6/23 Lower Soldier Lake, Seki - 0
6/23 Cottonwood Lakes - 0