Today was one of the worst mosquito days I've ever suffered. I was on Zigzag Mountain Trail, and as I approached Zigzag Mountain, the mosquitoes quickly became more abundant and aggressive. The worst of it started shortly east of Horseshoe Ridge, to the point where the trail leaves ridgecrest and drops down the north face of ZZ Mtn. It's only about a mile, but what a mile of misery it was. I aborted, retreated back west. By the Horseshoe junction, things were back to normal. Based on my observations today, I suspect Cast Lake isn't even visible through its cloak of mosquitoes and larvae.
There's a spot on my back where I have about 8 bites in a circle about the size of a golf ball. That's the worst of it, but there are several others on arms, torso, face. I used permethrin, picardin, and deet. Imagine if I had ventured there with no protection!
edit: I just looked in the mirror. I have dime-sized domes on my forehead, plus one that's the size of a quarter! Oh well, it's still better that a bunch of embedded ticks, or a three-week blistering rash of poison oak.
2021 Bug Conditions Reports
- retired jerry
- Posts: 14417
- Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm
Re: 2021 Bug Conditions Reports
I've experienced bad mosquitoes there before.
There's a swampy area to the east of the Mozzie Mothership (Cast Lake).
The Zigzag Trail east of Cast Lake can be really bad
Go up to East Zigzag and not so bad
There's a swampy area to the east of the Mozzie Mothership (Cast Lake).
The Zigzag Trail east of Cast Lake can be really bad
Go up to East Zigzag and not so bad
- Don Nelsen
- Posts: 4380
- Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm
- Location: Vancouver, WA
Re: 2021 Bug Conditions Reports
Wow! - and I complain if I only get a bite or two - I'm such a wuss. Maybe the little buggers have mutated to the point that the usual deterrents have become attractants?
"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
"If you don't do it this year, you will be one year older when you do" - Warren Miller
Re: 2021 Bug Conditions Reports
I assumed the gorge would be dried up too much for mosquitoes, but on Benson Plateau yesterday, they were ferocious. I didn't have too much trouble when I was running, but stopping at all immediately resulted in 8 or 10 on me.
Re: 2021 Bug Conditions Reports
Hey Webfoot, thanks in advance for the nightmares.
Re: 2021 Bug Conditions Reports
Sounds like roundabout 4-5000' is the sweet spot for the little vampires right about now. Looks like I got to Wapiki just in time last week. A friend went into IH yesterday from the west side and said they were bad. My guess is that the Timberline Trail will be peaking in a week or two.
Re: 2021 Bug Conditions Reports
Hordes of mosquitos on the west side of Jefferson, above 5800' in the area of Coyote Lake. They weren't so bad down lower.
You know exactly what to do.
There's no need to be afraid.
Keep walking.
There's no need to be afraid.
Keep walking.
- Don Nelsen
- Posts: 4380
- Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm
- Location: Vancouver, WA
Re: 2021 Bug Conditions Reports
Elk Mt., Bluegrass Ridge, and Elk Meadows today, July 2: After reading Chip's cautionary tale about his Zigzag Mt. hike, Kel and I applied the deet before we headed out today. It turned out that there were very few bugs, but I got slightly bit by one fly - but I got him, so I claim a draw for that. Never saw a mosquito until I got back from the summit of Bluegrass and started circling elk meadows on the perimeter trail on the way back to the TH off the meadows road. One got me slightly but I got him before he finished the meal - so, another draw. I expected to get mobbed in that wet meadow but it was not a problem. It was about 70 the whole day and extremely low humidity. Maybe that had something to do with it.
"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
"If you don't do it this year, you will be one year older when you do" - Warren Miller
Re: 2021 Bug Conditions Reports
See how bad it's getting? Even the males are biting now!Don Nelsen wrote: ↑July 2nd, 2021, 8:46 pmOne got me slightly but I got him before he finished the meal - so, another draw.