2017 Mosquito Reports

Questions and reports related to Sierra Nevada current and forecast conditions, as well as general precautions and safety information. Trail conditions, fire/smoke reports, mosquito reports, weather and snow conditions, stream crossing information, and more.
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justm
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Re: 2017 JMT Mosquito Reports

Post by justm »

I just got back today , Aug 28 from the Emigrant wilderness, elevations 9,000 to 9,700 ft. Mosquitoes were really bad.
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overheadx2
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Sabrina Basin 8/24 - 8/28

Post by overheadx2 »

None at Sabrina, very few at blue lake. Definitely increases from there. Not bad, but a bother for sure. Dingleberry was a 1 to 2 during the day while passing through. Fishgut lakes was a 1 during the day and a 2 at dusk. Bothersome but not bad. Used deet on exposed skin at all times. Shober lakes at 11700' was 0.
Reports are that they are decreasing significantly, but still bad in some locations.
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Goat
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Mineral King August 19-27

Post by Goat »

Mineral King Cold Springs Campground: 0

Franklin Lake: 0. We also had a nice breeze, which may have helped.

Forester Lake: 3 - We camped in the low flat forested area on the north side of the lake, there was no wind so the skeets were swarming during dinner until night fall.

Big 5 Lakes (largest lake): 2 - Annoying swarming little buggers under still conditions. Shut down at nightfall.

Little 5 Lakes (northern): 2 - About the same conditions as Big 5. They were out there, but mostly swattable. They were a 3 near the outlet where we spent some time fishing, but less severe where we camped up the slope on the exposed shoulder above the outlet.

Hamilton Lake: 0 - There may have been a few, but nothing notable

Cliff Creek: 0 - none, refreshing because the place didn't have much else to offer (we were spoiled).

Cheers,
Nate
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Wandering Daisy
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Emigrant Wilderness

Post by Wandering Daisy »

Trip route:
Day 1 : Sonora pass PCT to lower Kennedy Canyon - 0-1 mostly due to wind
Day 2: PCT to Dorothy Lake and Bonnie Lake (2) Ruth Lake (3), Dorothy Lake (2)
Day 3: Dorothy Lake to Bond Pass (2), Bond Pass (2) to Grizzly Meadow (4) to Emigrant Meadow Lake (2- due to wind) to Lost Lake (1-due to wind)
Day 4: Lost Lake to Brown Bear Pass (2-3) once down pass (0-1) slight breeze but significantly drier and hot- up Kennedy Lake/Creek trail 2 miles to first meadow (0)
Day 5: Kennedy Creek to Kennedy Meadow resort (0)- but small horse flies

The worst section was a mile either side of Grizzly Meadows. The trail was very soggy. Upper Emigrant Lakes are basically in early July conditions.

By the way, the wildflowers are amazing!
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tomba
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Kings Canyon 8/24-8/27

Post by tomba »

Route: Road's End trailhead, Sphinx Creek, Sphinx Col, Cinder Col, South Guard Lake, Longley Pass, Lake Reflection, East Creek, Bubbs Creek, trailhead.

Mosquitoes present from trailhead (mild), mild to moderate above Avalanche Pass trail crossing of Sphinx Creek, then mild to none all the way to Lake Reflection (the higher the fewer, in general), then mild to moderate (in places even none), decreasing after Charlotte Creek.

There are annoying little black flies from trailhead to Sphinx Creek crossing and to Charlotte Creek. They seem to be attracted to face.
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hikerdude87
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Little Lakes Valley 8/27-8/29

Post by hikerdude87 »

This was a car camping trip. So day hikes

Tamarack Trail to Francis Lake: 1 - Didn't really notice them until closer to the lake.
East Fork Campground: 1-2 - We camped away from the Rock Creek so didn't notice them till evening.
Little Lakes Valley to Long Lake: 2-3 - They were bad closer to the lakes but luckily we had on pants and l/s shirts. Bug spray helped a lot too.
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SirBC
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Ediza Lake 8/30-9/1

Post by SirBC »

Just before Shadow Lake a couple of guys hiking out from Ediza said it was a mosquito Armageddon at Ediza and people were reportedly bailing because of the skeeters. They said they spent 2 days in their tent. I made a Plan B for Nydiver Lakes (which I visited and they were a 0) but didn't need to execute as the mosquitoes were a 3 or so in the meadows above Ediza and were at the high end of tolerable with bug juice and head net.
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mpeters
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Re: 2017 Mosquito Reports

Post by mpeters »

8/31-9/2 - Mono Pass to Pioneer Basin. We were warned when picking up permits in Lee Vining that Pioneer would be bad. Turned out to be a 1 most of the time with a few periods of 2. Really not an issue at all - spray and long sleeves/pants did the trick. We heard from another group that they were bad at Fourth Recess so we modified one of our days and climbed Hopkins instead.


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sierra65
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Sabrina Basin 8/25 - 8/27

Post by sierra65 »

Camped at Blue Lake and day hike to Hungry Packer. Mosquito level was 2 during the day and level 3 early morning and at night. Definitely needed DEET all of the time. Some places by the bushes we did got swarmed.
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kpeter
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Re: 2017 Mosquito Reports

Post by kpeter »

Big McGee Lake Sept 1 and Sept 2.
Mosquitoes were numerous and aggressive from 4 pm to 9pm--I would say a 4
They were present even in the middle of the day especially around meadows, marshes, and stagnant water--3.
Only a breeze kept them at bay and the breeze at the lake was intermittent and not constant enough to provide relief for much of the time.
My daughter was sufficiently miserable that we cut the trip short.
No mosquitoes below appx. 9000 feet. We made it to 11000 without losing them.
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