2021 Bug Conditions Reports

General discussions on hiking in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest
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Chip Down
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Re: 2021 Bug Conditions Reports

Post by Chip Down » July 10th, 2021, 6:49 pm

walrus wrote:
July 10th, 2021, 6:39 pm
Loowit 7/9 - no mosquitoes, a few deerflies in the afternoon at Windy Pass/June Lake, but not a plague.
Entire loop?

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drm
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Re: 2021 Bug Conditions Reports

Post by drm » July 11th, 2021, 6:41 am

Just did the Herman Ck / PCT loop. Bugs started around Noble Camp (8 miles up Herman), but not too bad. I camped at Mud Puddle (nee Lake). They were worse there but I brought old-fashioned mosquito coils, and sitting between two of them I could lounge mostly undisturbed - until I got up and moved around. Strangely, they went away at dusk even though the the low temp that night was about 60.

The next day they were minor to none on the PCT ridge (where the tiger lily bloom was amazing) but Benson Plateau was another matter. One threshold where you know they are really bad is when you are tooling along a smooth and flat trail (the PCT on Benson) at cruising pace and they are still attacking and biting. It was worst in the middle, around the jcn with the Ruckel Creek trail, since there is water near to the west. By the time I got to the plateau extension at the dry camp near the northern Benson Way jcn, they were gone. None at Teakettle either, where the spring is flowing nicely (and has been piped, so easy to get water).

And there was almost nobody on Herman - maybe they all went to Eagle Creek.

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walrus
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Re: 2021 Bug Conditions Reports

Post by walrus » July 11th, 2021, 1:00 pm

Chip Down wrote:
July 10th, 2021, 6:49 pm
walrus wrote:
July 10th, 2021, 6:39 pm
Loowit 7/9 - no mosquitoes, a few deerflies in the afternoon at Windy Pass/June Lake, but not a plague.
Entire loop?
yup. Plentiful beargrass, strawberries, marmots. Goats seem to have gotten wind of the ultra over the weekend and scarpered off.

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Chip Down
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Re: 2021 Bug Conditions Reports

Post by Chip Down » July 14th, 2021, 6:21 pm

Today I started at Rock Creek Camp, up Tarbell/Appaloosa/Tarbell/Chinook/Ed's, up the north ridge of Silver Star. Saw one mosquito on me, maybe a couple in the air. Part of the reason I did this route is because I had such great luck in the area a few days ago. If you want a break from summer bugs, Silver Star seems to be a good destination right now.

cfm
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Re: 2021 Bug Conditions Reports

Post by cfm » July 14th, 2021, 6:57 pm

Just curtailed our Mt Adams trip because of the worst, most voracious mosquitoes ever! 7/12-13.

Divide Camp TH to High Camp area, north side of Mt Adams. Bugs incessant all day from the TH at 4650 to our high pt at 7200 ft. Wore bug bafflers the whole time, sprayed our clothes with deet, and they were still relentless evil maniacs.
menthalia bugbafflers.JPG

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Don Nelsen
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Re: 2021 Bug Conditions Reports

Post by Don Nelsen » July 14th, 2021, 7:16 pm

Archer Mt., no bugs at all, not even one. I was up there wandering both on-trail and off between 1 and 6. (July 14th) A delightful day and only three other folks - and one friendly dog - spotted.

Perhaps the western gorge is the place to be for the time being.

dn
"Everything works in the planning stage" - Kelly

"If you don't do it this year, you will be one year older when you do" - Warren Miller

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Chip Down
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Re: 2021 Bug Conditions Reports

Post by Chip Down » July 14th, 2021, 8:24 pm

cfm, sorry to hear of your misery. Thanks for the warning. I had a really bad mosquito day in that area once (not this season), but as soon as I stepped onto Adams Glacier, they were gone! I know mosquitos don't have an aversion to snow in subalpine zones, but I wonder if they balk at flying over a glacier.

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drm
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Re: 2021 Bug Conditions Reports

Post by drm » July 15th, 2021, 6:53 am

cfm wrote:
July 14th, 2021, 6:57 pm
Just curtailed our Mt Adams trip because of the worst, most voracious mosquitoes ever! 7/12-13.
The south side of Adams is not too bad now. People are warned about the rest of the mountain.

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Chip Down
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Re: 2021 Bug Conditions Reports

Post by Chip Down » July 16th, 2021, 4:32 pm

I'm actually a little tempted to go visit Adams in a beekeeper outfit (no permethrin) to see how bad it is. The heat would be oppressive though.

AlpenGlowHiker
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Re: 2021 Bug Conditions Reports

Post by AlpenGlowHiker » July 18th, 2021, 4:47 pm

Just got back from a Riley Camp Tr -> PCT -> Killen Meadows. Mosquitos were present and annoying up to the PCT, but not annoying enough to drive you insane. It wasn't bad, unless you stopped and chose a poor place, like one of the ponds.

The PCT and Killen Meadows were essentially mosquito free.

Permethrin treated clothes
Long sleeve shirt
Long pants

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