2019 Mosquito Reports

[egull]

Crabtree TH to Louse Canyon: 2-3

[BESON]

I day hiked 7.19 out of the Cliff Lake trailhead up to the pass just before the trail drops down to Rock Lake. Mosquitos were in the 2-3 range throughout. Bug spray took the edge off, but the only sure way to keep the swarms down was to keep moving.

[Wandering Daisy]

7/17- Duck Pass TH to Pika Lake. None while walking. Just a few non-biting baby mosquitoes at Pika Lake. (light frost next morning)

7/18- Pika Lake to Ram Lake. None while walking until Purple Lake. Not mosquitoes but HORRIBLE black flies. Got bit when wading on two crossings up to Ram Lake. Had to wear head net until up to Ram Lakes. Ram Lake=1-2. no breeze. Mostly dusk and dawn.

7/19 Back to Purple Lake. mosquitoes 1-2, black flies 3-4. Day hike to Virginia Lake 0-1. Had to move camp from near Purple Lake up on a hill for a small breeze. Head net and DEET evening!

7/20 Back up to Virginia Lake to camp, 0-1 on breezy hill, 2-3 down at the inlet meadow when fishing. Day-hike to Franklin Lakes, none!

7/21 Virginia Lake to Duck Pass TH. not much of a breeze, but no mosquitoes, a few black flies. The Mammoth Lake side of Duck Pass was very hot and in spite of all the standing water, no mosquitoes while walking. Lots of day-hikers in shorts and bare skin!

I was surprised at the nasty black flies (small black biting gnats?) at Purple Lake. Talked to other hikers and they said the same, that Purple Lake was horrible for black flies.

Mosquitoes hatching during the five days, but only a few were biting.

Second hand information from other hikers - Fish Creek was horrible.

Disclosure-- I am mosquito bait. If there are even 2 mosquitoes, both will bite me. I also do not tolerate bugs buzzing around my face. Others more tolerant of bugs may find things OK.

[scap]

Lyell canyon. At first I would say a 2, but when I got home and noticed I was covered in bites I would say a 3. My wife also said I looked like the Charlie Brown character who always has dust around him, instead of dust it was mosquitos.

[oddtiger]

I visited a few lakes (between 8900ft and 9300ft) in Dinkey lakes wilderness and felt it was 2 away from the lakes and 3 near any swamp/water. With full protection (long sleeves/winter hiking pants/headnet/deet), I got about 50 bites.

[yosemite samizdat]

I did a Lyell Canyon/Vogelsang Loop on 7/19-7/21.

Lyell Canyon was a 2 along the wooded area opposite side of the river from JMT, where some campsites are, possibly up to a light 3 in the wetter marshy areas directly next to the river. Not all that bad. Evelyn Lake and the Vogelsang HST area were a strong 4. The monsters would descend in their multitudes if we stopped moving, and we had a cloud of dozens following us even while we were moving. They abated when we got to the wooded area lower in Rafferty Creek. I coated my clothes and exposed bits with deet and ended up with 75-100 bites.

[Vish]

Minaret Lake 07/17-07/18. Mosquitoes were nasty throughout the trail despite treating clothes and periodic deet showers. Ended up with 20-30 bites, Would say a 4.

[TahoeJeff]

With full protection (long sleeves/winter hiking pants/headnet/deet), I got about 50 bites.

I coated my clothes and exposed bits with deet and ended up with 75-100 bites.

despite treating clothes and periodic deet showers. Ended up with 20-30 bites

Man, those are some damn persistent blood suckers. Even with chemical warfare!

[AaronRDavis]

With full protection (long sleeves/winter hiking pants/headnet/deet), I got about 50 bites.

I coated my clothes and exposed bits with deet and ended up with 75-100 bites.

despite treating clothes and periodic deet showers. Ended up with 20-30 bites

Man, those are some damn persistent blood suckers. Even with chemical warfare!

Indeed.

Curious if these 3 posters had bites actually through their clothing (if so, what material?), or just on the minor areas of unprotected skin? The correct choice of fabrics can completely mitigate the former in my experience. I’m wondering just how bad things will be next week if I go in with optimal clothing system.

[oddtiger]

With full protection (long sleeves/winter hiking pants/headnet/deet), I got about 50 bites.

I coated my clothes and exposed bits with deet and ended up with 75-100 bites.

despite treating clothes and periodic deet showers. Ended up with 20-30 bites

Man, those are some damn persistent blood suckers. Even with chemical warfare!

Indeed.

Curious if these 3 posters had bites actually through their clothing (if so, what material?), or just on the minor areas of unprotected skin? The correct choice of fabrics can completely mitigate the former in my experience. I’m wondering just how bad things will be next week if I go in with optimal clothing system.

I got bites mostly on the unprotected skin, like fingers (8 on them!), face while eating, and areas that are in contact with tensioned fabrics (shoulders and knees). Some bites are under two layers of fabrics though. I would say it's possible to get it down to 10 bites per day if I'm careful enough with protection, and don't have to take care of my daughters. They are 4yo and 6yo, and I have to keep checking on their protection...