High Sierra Topix

Hoover Wilderness/N. Yosemite 09/06 - 09/08: 2 max at Crown, Rock Island, Arndt & Peeler lakes. Wind helped, but it felt like they were definitely on the wane.

1-2 most areas. We never went any lower than about 11k. Any breeze at all brought them to a 0. With permethrin treated pants, long sleeves, and a hat with neck cape I got 3 bites total. Never used my headnet or any deet. Hikers coming up from the JMT said they were much worse down there.

Camped first at May Lake and then at lake 9820 just north of Mt. Hoffmann while I explored that area cross-country.
Basically level 1 - a few mosquitoes would find you if you stopped in a wet area, especially at dusk, but mostly slow and easily swatted away. Used no repellent and got no bites.

Silliman Lake, 2
Lake 10410 in the Tablelands, 4
Deadman Canyon, 3
Roaring River, 2
Avalanche Pass, 2
Bubbs Creek, 3
Vidette Meadow to Onion Valley, 1

High trail from Crabtree TH to Gem Lake: 0
Gem Lake: 0
Lower trail from Gem back to Crabtree TH: 0
Except for Grouse Lake: 2

North Lake - Lamarck Col: 0
Darwin Lakes - Darwin Bench: 1
Evolution Valley: 1
Piute Canyon below Pinnacles Creek: 1
Piute Canyon above Pinnacles Creek/French Canyon to timberline: 4
Piute Pass/Humphries Basin: 1

I was surprised at how bad the mosquitoes were suddenly in Piute Canyon starting at Pinnacles Creek. Everything was very moist still, and standing still at all meant multiple bites. I treated my clothes and hat with permethrin before the trip, which worked, but they were going for exposed skin on my hands and face. My buddy got it worse than me, with bites through his clothes.

Unbelievable, the little b#$%&^@s are still biting! We found mosquito conditions of 2 on both sides of Hell For Sure Pass, and around Martha Lake. Most days were fine, but every so often the mossies showed up. The last we encountered were high in Bench Valley.