2018 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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Willythedog
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Lyon Creek Trailhead to Lake Sylvia

Post by Willythedog »

Desolation from Lyons creek trailhead to lake sylvia between 6am-8am was friggin horrendous. Stop for 3 seconds and you got 10 on ya. Does this count as a level 5? I even got bit on my head under my hair

Went up to the peaks, 0 mosquitoes halfway up the Sylvia chute and beyond

Also 0 mosquitoes at Lyons lake during the afternoon
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roller62
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Tuolumne to YV 6/30-7/2

Post by roller62 »

Tuolumne Meadows to Valley 6/30 - 7/2

Sunset Lakes - 3 - 4 headnets and full clothes coverage the only way to survive
Intersection of Clouds Rest trail and JMT (Sunset creek) - 2
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gary c.
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Mosquito Flats - Mono Creek 6/30-7/6

Post by gary c. »

Mosquito Flats, Sat evening 6/30 : Solid 3
Ruby Lake 7/1 : 2+
Fourth Recess 7/2-5 : 2
Third Recess 7/3 : 2
First three Pioneer Basin Lakes 7/4 : 2
Trail Lakes 7/6 : 2
Neelle Lake 7/6 : 3
"On this proud and beautiful mountain we have lived hours of fraternal, warm and exalting nobility. Here for a few days we have ceased to be slaves and have really been men. It is hard to return to servitude."
-- Lionel Terray
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Sierra Miguel
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Crabtree -> Hetch Hetchy, 6/30-7/3

Post by Sierra Miguel »

1 from Crabtree to below Wood Lake via the lower trail
2 until the east side of Bond Pass, except 1 at Letora Lake
1 down to Hetch Hetchy, except 3 in lower Jack Main
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AlmostThere
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Roads End to Wolverton 7/3 - 7/7

Post by AlmostThere »

Roads End - < 1 but not totally zero, saw a few.
Sphinx creek (campsite on Avalanche Pass) - pesky enough that we all put on headnets and DEET. 2
Roaring River - 0
Deadman Canyon - somewhere between screaming and running and bruising ourselves swatting, I was very happy to have treated my clothes so we could enjoy the scenery. 4-5
Elizabeth Pass - 0
Tablelands - 1 - 2 depending on where you were at the time.
Pear Lake ranger station - 0

Most of them seem concentrated in very green meadows and higher than 9k.
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levi
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Circle of Solitude variation from Kearsarge, 6/30-7/7

Post by levi »

Kearsarge Pass: 0 east side, 1 on the west side near streams
Vidette/Junction Meadow (Kings Canyon): 4, managed with just headnets and our treated clothes
East Creek/Lake Reflection: 3, camped at the northern edge of Reflection's outlet pond on a nice granite bench, fewer skeeters than expected
Walking around Lake Reflection up to Longley Pass, 4-5, noticeably worse than at our campsite!
South Guard Lake: 0. What a pleasure.
Cunningham Creek to Big Wet Meadow: 2-3 while walking, 4 in the meadow around 8,000', a tad annoying but not apocalypse
over Colby Pass to near Gallats Lake: Headnets on in the meadows but mostly 2 or 3. Well east of the pass and below 11k we hit swarms (5) in the forest but DEET did the trick, ended the day at 4.
Bighorn Plateau: 1, and these mosquitos didn't seem to know what to do with themselves!
Bubbs Creek, east of East Vidette: 2

Amazing to spend the first half of an 8 day loop scratching at dozens of bites but exiting on day 8 you have fewer than 5 that remain itchy/visible. Next time I'll probably resort to DEET sooner.
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jfr
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North Fork Big Pine Creek 7/5-7/8

Post by jfr »

2 on the trail to Sam Mack Meadow
2 near the water at Summit Lake and Seventh Lake
1 on top of Cloudripper Peak

We had good weather with a bit of breeze, which helped.
They were a 3 right at the creeks when filtering water but otherwise were easily controlled with a light coating of DEET.
Trip Reports and PhotoJournal: http://hikingtales.com/
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mountaineer
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Kaiser Wilderness, 7/1-7/5

Post by mountaineer »

Trail over Potter Pass-1, Meadows-4+, Lakes in evening-4
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Love the Sierra
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Relief Valley-Wire lakes-Buck Lake -Emigrant Lake 7/5-7/10

Post by Love the Sierra »

This report is from a trip 7/5-7/10:
Relief Creek Crossing: 1
Lower and upper Relief Valley:1- 2
Salt Lick Meadow: 5
Wire lakes: 5
South Buck lake and the Isthmus: 2
Hike from Buck to Emigrant Lake: 4
Emigrant Lake: 4
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Love the Sierra
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Emigrant Wilderness 7/5-7/10

Post by Love the Sierra »

I had not been in these places but on the trail, I got multiple reports from other hikers that the area around Blackbird and Huckleberry Lakes are a 5. Saucer Meadow and Sheep Camp also a 4-5.
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