High Sierra Topix

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I was amazed and grateful to have no mosquito contact at all this past weekend, after some heavy bug pressure at May Lake the prior weekend.

There were lots of butterflies and white-lined sphinx moths attending to all the glorious wildflowers

Very light through the day but heavy at dusk only - 2

Shingle Springs TH loop: Spotted Fawn Lake-Nance Peak-Boundry Lake-Kibbie Lake

0-2. Typical local factors applied. More in shady, boggy areas, present there even midday. Exposed granite had none in the daytime, even right by water, a few would come out after sunset. How tasty you are also had an affect. My brother got it notably worse than I did. I have 2 bites, he has 18-20 or so.

Mozzie level 1-2 for the route between Horseshoe Meadow and Golden Trout Creek (over Trail Pass), with the exception of dawn and dusk at our camp on the east end of Tunnel Meadow, which was 2-3. I applied DEET the first night but not the second (a light jacket with a hood was almost as effective), so I returned with a few bites, but overall less than what we expected camping next to such a lush meadow. The bigger flying entities (fighter jets from Edwards AFB or CHina Lake) were a lot more annoying - they circled the entire area the night of 1 August every 15-20 minutes until almost 1 AM, tough to get a good night's sleep with all the afterburners going off!

August 5 through 9.
Throughout the basin mosquitoes could be especially heavy at dusk and dawn. Breezes and dry areas helped keep them manageable during the day. The average rating for the area therefore would be a 3.

From the reports of people we met who were leaving as we were entering, and observing the changes during the 5 days were were in the basin, the mosquito intensity has moved steadily higher in elevation. They were lightest at the trailhead, somewhat worse at the Blue Lake/DIngleberry 10.5ish elevation, and even worse at the Baboon/Moonlight/Hungry Packer 11ish elevation. This was nearly reversed as of a couple of weeks ago.

We often went hours between 8am and 6pm with few problems, except when visiting particularly wet areas. But my friend and I routinely retreated to our tents by 8pm for relief, and used deet on the trail when necessary and headnets when in camp. We concluded that the skeets were an annoyance but did not ruin the trip. Others we met, however, who may have been less prepared or more sensitive, complained and a few left early on account of the skeets.

0 from the trailhead up through the first three miles or so, even in wet areas
2 around Pine Lake
3-4 from Upper Pine Lake to Honeymoon Lake. Picaridin helped, but only a little, and they didn't seem to care if I was moving or not.

Aug. 6 - 9 - Lodgepole to Silliman Pass to Commanche Meadow area

0-1 Wuksachi and Lodgepole trailheads (daytime)
2 Twin Lakes trail, East Fork Clover Creek (dusk/evening)
1-2 Twin Lakes area, traveling (morning)
0-1 Silliman Pass area
3-4+ Descent towards Commanche Meadow and Roaring River on Silliman Pass North Trail / Belle Canyon (mid-afternoon)

I used deet and different clothing options trying to get from Silliman Pass to Roaring River, but it was not fun with the number of downed trees and mosquitoes on the trail, and I ultimately turned around. Having grown up around mosquitoes, I typically have a mild reaction to a small numbers of bites -- they disappear after several hours. However, parts of my arms, legs, and shoulders are still recovering 36 hours later.

August 9-11, Kennedy Meadows (north) towards Relief Reservoir, and a quick trip up to and around Sonora Pass.

1 Everywhere, all times. Just a couple of strays.

I did get an account that they were still at diabolical levels in North Yosemite.

Blackcap Basin, Bench Basin, Red Mountain Basin, August 3-11
8,000 ft- 2
9,000 ft- 3
10,000 ft- 4
11,000 ft- 4.5