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Post by paula53 on Jun 30, 2015 22:20:04 GMT -8
How are the bugs in Yosemite and Desolation? Has anyone been up there recently?
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toejam
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Hiking to raise awareness
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Post by toejam on Jul 1, 2015 4:32:06 GMT -8
Oh yes. It's the season. I was in Sequoia a few weeks ago where they were really bad in the shady trees on one side of a lake. I camped on the other side of the lake in an open spot with a breeze and they didn't bother me. This is a good source of info: www.highsierratopix.com/community/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=12302
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null
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Post by null on Jul 1, 2015 7:12:20 GMT -8
A friend of mine hiking the PCT says they're awful in Yosemite. This info is about a week old, but still....
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Post by High Sierra Fan on Jul 1, 2015 9:10:50 GMT -8
On the old forum balzaccom did a TR about his experiences up towards Roosevelt Lake on a loop out of Tuolumne: starting near Polly Dome and then coming back closer to Mt. Conness: write the Mosquitos were bad at higher elevations. forums.backpacker.com/topic/bugs-and-elevation/
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Post by paula53 on Jul 1, 2015 13:46:32 GMT -8
Thank you for your responses. I plan to go up to Yosemite in late July for a few days.
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whistlepunk
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I was an award winning honor student once. I have no idea what happened...
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Post by whistlepunk on Jul 1, 2015 15:53:44 GMT -8
Where I live (Lassen area) almost none. No water for breeding.
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speacock
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I'm here for the food...
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Post by speacock on Jul 2, 2015 9:23:51 GMT -8
DEET works just fine. Don't pour it on. A few drops on palms rubbed together. Brush hands on clothing too when done with the skin.
A mosquito net weighs ounces and works wonderfully, even if not a good fashion statement.
I've never considered a mosquito invasion a reason to cancel a trip.
Even ugly mosquitoes have a right to eat too.
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Post by High Sierra Fan on Jul 2, 2015 9:35:11 GMT -8
DEET works just fine. Don't pour it on. I'm trying out that new eucalyptus oil based repellant in a couple of weeks.: "The eucalyptus-based repellent containing 30% p-menthane-diol applied at a dose similar to those used in practice gave 96.89% protection for 4 h. Deet gave 84.81% protection. The other 2 products did not provide significant protection from mosquito bites." www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12083351There's aREPEL brand available I'll be trying. Carrying some Cutter's sticks with DEET as backup and for face touchups.
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toejam
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Hiking to raise awareness
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Post by toejam on Jul 2, 2015 9:54:05 GMT -8
DEET may be toxic if used in large quantities over a long period of time. Mosquito bites actually are toxic.
There should be fewer mosquitoes in late July. I carry a head net on all trips just so I don't forget to bring it when I really need it.
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speacock
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I'm here for the food...
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Post by speacock on Jul 3, 2015 11:28:41 GMT -8
HSF, I am interested in your response to the new stuff. Not so much that I am concerned about growing a hump on my back, but like the idea of better and longer protection. I get pretty good protection with two drops of DEET rubbed between palms and spread around on exposed areas and another drop or two for clothing especially shoulders and back. Doesn't take much to be effective.
At night I could not exist at times without a hood and thick socks for ankles.
ToeJam, yer rite! Mosquito and tick 'bites' have some really ugly side affects. I am sooo glad chiggers don't happen in the Sierra. A bad case of shingles could not be more discomforting.
Permethrin works as advertised!
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Post by paula53 on Jul 3, 2015 14:21:17 GMT -8
High Sierra Fan, I too am interested in the eucalyptus oil based repellant. Please let us know how it worked out for you. I have always used 100% DEET by Cutter and used it sparingly. I need something different than Deet.
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johnnyray
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Post by johnnyray on Jul 3, 2015 14:25:44 GMT -8
I'm trying out that new eucalyptus oil based repellant in a couple of weeks.: Give us a report when you get back, don't like DEET melting my sunglasses and who knows what else.
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Jul 6, 2015 21:45:34 GMT -8
Just got back from 5 days in the Mineral King area of Sequoia, and mosquitoes were annoying, but never bad enough that I put on deet (in part because it was cool enough to wear plenty of clothes). We usually go into the Sierra in late July or early August, and are seldom much bothered by bugs. As dry as this year has been, they shouldn't be bad (though we also got rain nearly every day of our trip, so...).
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toejam
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Hiking to raise awareness
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Post by toejam on Jul 7, 2015 4:32:25 GMT -8
A friend sent a satellite update from Desolation last night. He's camped in a canyon next to a creek and says bugs are bad. Campsite selection makes all the difference.
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Post by High Sierra Fan on Jul 7, 2015 8:12:49 GMT -8
Campsite selection makes all the difference. Indeed it can come down to the micro-environment. My final push to getting a headnet was a rather mosquito free trip one year where everywhere was clear EXCEPT at each stream crossing, the greenery along the riparian zones was teeming. Unfortunately that particular route crossed a lot of small streams and it got to the point I found myself running (full pack plus SLR camera gear) AT the stream to blow through the clouds of whatever as fast as possible: just too much right in my face too many times.... well I figured that wasn't at all safe so I went right out and got a mesh headset: sanity restored! (well...). I've a Sea to Summit now that weighs close to nothing and works great. I stick it over a billed ball cap to keep the mesh (and hordes) a bit further away from my eyes.
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