Well? How bad? Going in Tuesday to Ellinore.

Bring DEET. They're AAAALLLLLLLLIIIIIIIIIVVVVVVVVVEEEEEE!!

...but not nearly as bad as last year. We were pestered while hiking in the Lyell Fork yesterday, came home with a few itchy bites.

thegib wrote:Well? How bad? Going in Tuesday to Ellinore.

Oh god. Willow Lake. Elinore. SF to Elinore bushwhack.

Death.


[sorry, not a comment on current conditions...it's just...nothing sends a shudder down my spine like the idea of Willow-Elinore with vampire death monsters]

Thanks for setting my expectations on the low side... : ) I find every off-season re-arranges my memory of suffering, making me vaguely nostalgic for it.

Yeah...it's weird how flexible our memory becomes. Somehow, that particular stretch of brush and mosquitos has imprinted itself on my mind as unforgettably awful.

You know, if you're not in a hurry and want something slightly different, you could try heading south up the drainage leading to the Norman Clyde glacier starting slightly west and south of Willow Lake. Initially, it's as bush-choked as the section between the south fork and Elinore, but opens up fairly nicely, and if there's any snow left on the tongue that extends down below the glacier, the walking is quite pleasant; no crampons required--it's not steep, even if the snow is hard/cold. You'll reach a point which should feel fairly natural where the slope to your right is not very long above you, and you can turn up on to the slope and ascend to a striking, little hidden meadow that's almost magically beautiful, isolated and serene; I'm pretty sure very, very few people ever get there; then continue up another slope that's mostly dirt, trees, and some rock until you top out on the ridge. You'll be above a lovely tarn which is itself above Elinore. Drop down to Elinore from there on mostly talus with some solid rock. Or, if you're heading to Gayley Notch or Scimitar Pass, stay high and contour around, above the lake. It's a lovely way to go if you've got a little extra time, and the view up the NC glacier and of NC itself is fantastic, especially with the sun setting on it.

EDIT: I should add that if the description of the route from the snow below NC to the ridge doesn't quite make sense, check your map and compare to terrain. It really is fairly intuitive.

Upper edge of the meadow, looking up at Norman Clyde:


The tarn:

I heard A mosquito in Big Horn Park yesterday at the base of Thor Peak. Never encountered another all day, but the red ants are another story!

Ditto on 3deserts reply. I was up that way eight years ago, and it's indeed a nice, isolated spot.

Skeeters are definitely out in droves in the lower elevations around Tahoe.
Had to break out my headnet for the first time yesterday

That view of Norman Clyde justifies a detour. I'm not wedded to Elinore. Thanks for the info.

Deb wrote:I heard A mosquito in Big Horn Park yesterday at the base of Thor Peak. Never encountered another all day, but the red ants are another story!

But you left out that it was as big as an eagle.

MooseTracks wrote:

Deb wrote:I heard A mosquito in Big Horn Park yesterday at the base of Thor Peak. Never encountered another all day, but the red ants are another story!

But you left out that it was as big as an eagle.

HAHA! I only HEARD him while I was watering a bush. I am, however, riddled with red ant bites on my arms. Dave got them down his back during the descent - so gross!
Sorry we missed you at the Portal; we stopped in for hugs and Keeler stories from Myles and Ames that afternoon. Bad ass kids!

Little lakes valley (approach to Bear Creek Spire)??? Last weekend they where intnese @ Tuolumne meadows at night.
Thanks

Not a one below 9700' on South Fork Big Pine Creek. Then, not terribly bad to 10400'. Then, when you get to your campsite at 10800' the whole bunch is waiting for you. At least they didn't follow me past 11800'.

thegib wrote:Not a one below 9700' on South Fork Big Pine Creek. Then, not terribly bad to 10400'. Then, when you get to your campsite at 10800' the whole bunch is waiting for you. At least they didn't follow me past 11800'.

Is it possible that was a diurnal observation and not altitudinal?

I don't think diurnal explains it. With the crazy warm weather the bugs didn't go away day or night at 10800'. When I hiked out last Thursday I left camp at 3 pm and didn't make it to car till 7 pm, but still don't remember any bugs past the lip at 9800'.