2010 Skeeter Updates

[Eastern Sierra]

Dana Meadows July 11 the skeeters were pretty bad.

[Bill Markwood]

Jamison Lake, Rock Lake, Wades Lake in the Plumas National Forest: 1. No problem during the day, a few would come out at dusk.

[DoyleWDonehoo]

Just came back from a four day trip yesterday to the Granite Dome area out of Kennedy Meadows.
No skeeters till after Grouse Creek, and after that they became bothersome in places. The higher I went, the more problems there were. Things were fairly manageable (2-3) and if I was too bothered wind-pants and shirt were enough, but day 1 to 3 became increasingly beastly hot (100's! At 8600 feet!), the hottest I have ever experienced in the Sierra, and by the end of day 3 and into day 4, it was a level 4 alert with the flying bloodsuckers. The heat must have hatched a whole new bunch. On the way back if I stopped they ganged up on me and followed me for a ways.
I have seen worse (Tilden Lake in early spring: Level 5), and if you know your stuff you can manage. The hard part was the heat: you got hot if you covered up, and expose yourself and you got attacked. At one point I was only wearing wind pants, camp shoes, wind shirt and head net, and I was hot.
At this rate things will dry out in a hurry and that will be it for the bugs. Maybe in a week or two. Still, if you are prepared, go anyway.
TR later.
(Night three I saw flashes, day 4 it cooled with clouds, thunder and lightening in the morning.)

[Eastern Sierra]

There were a few in the meadow of Warren Canyon on Sunday.

[EpicSteve]

Glen Aulin in Yosemite last weekend (7/16 - 7/18) = 3 Hardly saw any bugs during the day, but they swarmed at dusk to the point that I donned my head net. Oddly enough, they were fine during the day at river level, all the way from the high sierra camp to California Falls, but when I ascended the dome just NW of the HSC, they became moderately annoying until the wind came up.

[Eastern Sierra]

Yesterday all the lakes above Saddlebag were terrible with mosquitoes. They were swarming. The deet I put on my face, neck and hands worked for me. The little buggers were everywhere.

Which brings me to the question, is there anything natural in the mountains that one could use as a repellent in an emergency?

[EpicSteve]

is there anything natural in the mountains that one could use as a repellent in an emergency?

I've read that back in the day, Native Americans used mud with reasonably effective results, though I haven't tried it myself.

[schmalz]

Thousand Island Lake, 7/22

It was definitely a 5. By far the worst I've ever experienced. There were constant swarms, even in the afternoon.

[Cross Country]

Nothing more than a side note to this is that some people aren't "allergic" to what the mosquitos injects into us (an enzyme?) to neutralize our antibodies. I believe it's about 5% of the population. Also it's hereditary. These people neither swell nor itch from the bites. Fortunately for us my sons and I are in this 5%. Mosquitoes still irritated us a lot but we never had to deal with the worst consequences of Mos. bites. As diehard backpackers it was always such an advantage for Mike and me.

[jeisz]

I'm headed up to Seville lake, Lost Lake, Ranger Lake, and Silliman pass in the Kings Canyon / Jennie Lakes area this weekend. Does anyone have an idea what the current mosquito levels are like on this hike? Would you camp at Ranger Lake or up on Silliman Pass?