High Sierra Topix

Evolution Valley 8/18-20: Pretty much a 3. 30% deet and headnet in evening neutralized them.

Dinkey Wilderness, 8/17/- 8/19

IMO, not that bad, but my daughter might disagree. About a 1 on the hike in with some areas of 2 to maybe 2.5 near the meadow areas around South Lake. Second Dinkey was about a 2 on our first night. Next day was mainly all 1 to 2's. Rock lake was about a 1.5; Island lake was a 1 at our camp on the ridge, but a 2 to sometimes a 3 at dusk along the lakeshore. Used 30% Uncle Bens and it did the trick. Dayhike to Fingerbowl found the skeeters to be about a 2. Worst area on this trip appeared to be First Dinkey and the outlet on our hike out. Gorgeous flowers around First lake, but way to many skeets. We had planned to stop and fish, but just kept going due to the little buggers being so persistent and that my daughter already had over 20 bites, mostly on her back.

Mokelumne Wilderness 8/19 - 8/22.

3 day trip starting at Silver Lake and spending a couple nights around Long Lake. None on long stretches, but on climbs from both directions to Plasse's Trading Post at wilderness border maybe a 2. Patches of snow in forested areas probably didn't help. On turn-off to Long Lake a 3, and deffinitely a 3-4 around Long Lake at dawn and dusk. My new MSR Hubba Hubba proved really nice, as it kept things breezy and views plenty while protecting from the evening onslaught. Wildflowers were absolutely stunning, however. Some of the best displays I've seen.

First post

Hoover/Upper Emigrant Wilderness 8/19-8/22. Very roughly 8500'+ seems to be really bad, below was really quite nice.

Leavitt Meadows to Fremont Lake, Chain of Lakes: 2. Moderate in the evening but really not bad at all.

Chain of Lakes to near Emigrant Pass to Bond Pass to Dorothy Lake Pass: 4+, I was definitely surrounded by the 'black cloud' in the (gorgeous) meadows and at most stops, I had to wear my mosquito headnet all day.

Stella Lake to Lane Lake to Leavitt Meadows: 4->2 From Stella Lake to the Walker River crossing mosquito steadily declined with decreasing altitude except right by the river, and below 8000 feet I barely saw any.

Sat 8/20: May Lake to Mt Hoffmann-2 at trailhead, 1 beyond trailhead
Sun 8/21: Postpile to Minaret Lake-2 throughout, some pockets of 2+ along Minaret Trail but hardly any at campsite on S side of Minaret Lake
M 8/22: Minaret Lake to JMT to Garnet Lake to Garnet Pass to Thousand Island Lake farside beneath Banner-3 in swampy areas along JMT and along isthmus on Thousand Island beneath banner, 1 at campside on NW side of Banner (all by myself along w/ the ground squirrels, no people or bugs)
Tu 8/23: Thousand Island to Lyell Canyon via JMT-2+ in places along Rush Creek and at Lyell Forks, otherwise 1
W 8/24: Lyell Canon to Toulume-1

I lucked out -- few bugs, great weather, plenty of solitude. Couldn't make it up Class 3 block to Cecile, but otherwise near perfect!

I am relatively new to this forum and to backcountry travel in the Sierra Nevada. Clearly, summer 2011 has been an unusual season: very heavy snowpack, late melt, late flowers, late mosquito season, etc. I will be in the Ansel Adams Wilderness in mid September, which I understand to be typically beyond the normal mosquito season. What about this year?

b-h,
Judging by my recent experience just south of Mammoth Lakes, you may hit a few stragglers, but nothing serious. The bugs out there now should be packing it in, and I doubt there will be much in the way of new blooms. I'll be doing a quick trip from Agnew Meadows starting 9/12 and will bring a pinch of DEET just as a deterrent, but I don't expect to use much.
cg

Thanks cg. Since you seem to know the area, do you have an opinion on the proper gear for the west side glacier from Lake Catherine to the saddle, mid-September? Ideally, I was hoping to get by with just an ice axe, hoping to kick-in steps in softened midday snow. Could bring micro-spikes or rent crampons if need be but prefer to go light.

b-h

b-h,
Funny thing, I've never done that route but it's on the list of possibilities for my trip in Sept; maybe I'll see you there! Regardless, you might want to ask that question of the broader forum, because I'm sure some of these folks (Snow nymph, wandering daisy, maverick???) have been up there. But, I have traversed high from Nydiver Plateau around to North Glacier Pass and that was fun for the views of Garnet/1000 Island Lakes.
cg

cg: Thanks. I will definitely solicit the collective wisdom of the HST community. And I will keep my eyes out for you in a few weeks. Have a great trip.

b-h