Skeeters in the Sierra 2009*

by **BrendanHickey** » Wed Jun 11, 2008 4:54 pm

How about Yosemite Valley & backcountry skeeters?

I may do Half Dome or Four Mile/Panoramic trails this weekend and don't want to be prey to those mini-Draculas.

by **rhyang** » Wed Jun 11, 2008 5:13 pm

'The Big Ditch' is a nickname for Yosemite Valley. Sounds like it's that time of year

by **The Chief** » Thu Jun 12, 2008 5:16 am

I encountered THREE Skeeter's today (all three were at Gem) during my eight hour, 14 mile climb/circumnavigation of the Petit Griffon from Ruby through Mills & Treasure down to Gem and return via the Main RC trail.. THREE!

All the lakes above 11K are still frozen solid! :shock:

by **MoapaPk** » Thu Jun 12, 2008 5:35 am

paisajeroamericano wrote:I have been all over the sequoia, inyo, and toiyabe national forests in the last few weeks... there seem to be very few mosquitos this year, but I it is still early to tell for the highcountry

I have seen a lot of those small black flies. what are they, anyway? no-see-ums, chiggers, chuspes? does anybody know?

Gnats or midges or no-see-ums -- which are vaguely defined terms for small biting flies.

Definitely NOT chiggers, which are larval stage arachnids (don't have wings).

by **keema** » Thu Jun 12, 2008 5:41 am

I just got back from Sword Lake in the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness and the skeeters were as bad as I've ever seen them there. We could sit and hear a buzz in the air and see clouds of the buggers. Interestingly, when the sun went down, they disappeared.

by **fossana** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 11:39 pm

Mosquitoes from Green Lake down to the S Lake TH ~ dusk. Not bad though.

by **edevart** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 11:52 pm

Anyone have any recent reports from the Desolation?

by **kwag** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 12:09 am

I was in the Domeland Wilderness this past weekend and there were a few of the buggers. I should have brought some repellent. But I saw three bears

on the way up there so its all good.

by **96avs01** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 2:18 am

edevart wrote:Anyone have any recent reports from the Desolation?

Friend went into Loon Lake area last weekend and said they encountered lots!

by **The Chief** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 3:14 am

Kris Solem and I encountered several squadrons of thepeckers this morning on the final 1/3 mile manzanita gully approach to Crest Jewel. Once we got on route, they were gone...

Kris Solem coming up P-7!

by **Deb** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 4:36 am

The Chief wrote:Kris Solem and I encountered several squadrons of thepeckers this morning on the final 1/3 mile manzanita gully approach to Crest Jewel. Once we got on route, they were gone...

Kris Solem coming up P-7!

THAT is f'ing awesome!!! Great shot in beautiful scenery!

by **MoabPeakBagger** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 2:42 pm

Just spent 5 days out in the Golden Trout Wilderness (south of Langley- the very southern Sierra). Skeeters were horrendous. They were bad when we camped at 8500 along the S. Fork of the Kern; and they were bad when we camped at 11500 at Chicken Spring Lake. And everywhere in between. :evil:

by **BrendanHickey** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 2:38 am

Last weekend, Yosemite Valley skeeters were bad in the obvious areas (shaded, near creeks or meadows, in the morning and evening) but few of 'em in hot sunny areas. I was bite-free after a liberal dousing of DEET.

by **Kerstin** » Sat Jun 21, 2008 11:28 pm

There are very few mosquitos at lake level at my house. I hiked in the vicinity of Star Lake in the Carson Range a day ago--I only got bit about five times, even though I was making my way back to the house at dusk. Desolation Wilderness may be different, though.

by **edevart** » Sun Jun 22, 2008 4:59 pm

UPdate from the Tahoe Basin -

Spent the night in Horse Meadows and hiked Freel/Joh's Sister on Saturday. The skeeters were only bad for an hour or so right after sunset. No skeeters during the morning or during the day. The gusty winds may have had something to do with the lack of skeeters.

Skeeters in the Sierra 2009*

How about Yosemite?

Big Ditch

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