[pct-l] Mosquitos

Sun Oct 5 21:27:19 CDT 2008

I recall on a backpack trip to Alaska, one local telling me, "the only way
to get more mosquitos in Alaska is to make them smaller." Indeed, the lakes
were swarming with mosquitos and noseeums (sp?). We would cover ourselves
head to toe in heavy clothes, then "deet" the wrists, ankles, neck, and
seal everything up. Head nets of course. That would get us about a half to
one hour of fishing on the lake before the the flying satans drove us off
the water. Thankfully, 100 feet of the water the bugs were at sane levels. 

They say that a whole herd of caribu--thousands--will instantly change
direction to head into a wind gust for a moment of peace from the skeets.

Original Message:
-----------------
From: Steel-Eye chelin at teleport.com
Date: Sun, 5 Oct 2008 07:28:01 -0700
To: pct-l at backcountry.net
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Mosquitos

Good morning,

Mosquito infestations along the PCT in prime areas such as the Sierras and
central Oregon are highly variable, probably based in large part upon the
moisture available from snow pack.  Whatever situation exists when a casual
hiker passes could easily be believed to be the norm.  I hiked through the
Sierras in June '07 and I didn't see a single mosquito until a camp on 29
May at Death Canyon Creek north of Kennedy Meadows, and then there were only
a few.  When I passed through the Sierras the population was very low, and
about the only moderate nuisance was around Wilma Lake on14 June.  I greatly
enjoyed that lack of mosquitoes but I certainly understand it is usually
much worse.  Similarly, I have also seen years of very low infestation in
Oregon.

This year was quite bad in Oregon.  Reproduced below is a 7 July PCT-L post
from Dr. Margarete "Rita" Hochhut along with my subsequent reply to her.
Her experience approaches a pure survival story where she could have easily
perished due to the effort, stress, and distraction caused by the snow and
mosquitoes.  She should be complemented for keeping her head straight and
persevering amid all that adversity.

I agree that 3.5 mph walking usually won't keep ahead of mosquitoes, but I
still don't consider 3-4 mph very fast for a flying insect.  Biting flies
and bees are much faster than that.  In my reply to Rita I mention working
in C. Oregon in the summer of '65 but I didn't mention another embarrassing
mosquito-related incident that also occurred early that summer.  One Sunday
morning I drove my old pickup to Miller Lake, just to the east of the PCT.
I was unprepared for mosquitoes:  Tee shirt, no net, no DEET, etc.  After
all, I was just going to drive in on a graveled forest access road, see the
lake, turn around, and return.  Knowing the mosquitoes were bad I didn't
want to get out of the truck so I drove a short way down a boat ramp to see
the lake.  Trouble: With a two-wheel-drive, pointed downhill, very light in
the rear, on loose gravel I was instantly stuck.  Hopeless to get un-stuck
with what I had available I determined to hike out, which actually worked
out quite well.  Carbon dioxide, and other byproducts of exertion, attracts
mosquitoes and I found that if I hiked fast enough I could stay just ahead
of the literal black cloud that followed me.  Before another Forest Service
worker picked me up -- also out for a drive -- I had walked 9.5 miles in 2
hrs. 15 minutes.  During that period I stopped only once, for about 15
seconds, when a gust of wind on a ridge pushed the mosquitoes back.  That
average of 4.2 mph is about as fast as I can walk.  Even then I had a
distinct advantage:  The road was very wide compared to a trail, so it took
extra time for my CO2 to reach the brush, then more time for the bugs to
respond and get in the chase pack.

Based upon that experience I carry DEET in my vehicles, year-round, and in
my hiking packs from early spring till the next snow.

Steel-Eye, the bitten

http://www.trailjournals.com/steel-eye

^^^^^^^^^^  Join other hikers at:  http://www.aldhawest.org/  ^^^^^^^^^^

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dr. Margarete Hochhut" <hochhut at web.de>
To: <pct-l at backcountry.net>
Sent: Monday, July 07, 2008 11:48 AM
Subject: [pct-l] OR-PCT
 Hi,

I am just back from a hiking attempt OR Section D1,3,4. Start HWY 138 north
Crater Lake, down over Maidu Lake and Miller Lake to Chemult.

The higher elevetions of Mt. Thielsen wilderniss, from about 7100 feet on,
are still completly snow covered. Camp at Thielsen creek, 6930 feetsome snow
free patches. Later on a good stretch snow free, good walking. A good way
before reaching Pumice Flat again closed snow cover for a long time.
Withourt GPS I would not have done it. After rounding the flank of Tipsoo
Peak I lost the new PCT and bushwhacked my way along the old one that went
once directly to Maidu Lake. Billiotrillions Mosquitos around everywhere.The
old PCT route was not visible anymore but was shown on my GPS map. So I did
it eventuelly. I could not do more than 1,5 miles an hour. I marked streches
with white tape on the trees. Mosquites made the air black. I used a new
Deet Layer almost every hour. Despite headnet they managed to bite me near
the eyes. They swoll and I hardly could manage to open them. I was very,
very, I mean VERY happy getting out of there and back to Chemult.

Fortunately a friend from Portland came and picked me up. I was never ever
so exhausted in my life, honestly. Especially the Mossies I could not bearl.
One bite is infected and I hope it will work out well.

Anyway, the snow was melting fast and I am sure, in a week or so, it is
possible to walk that stretch. I walked a little bit up the PCT from the
PCT-Maidu Lake junction. That part looked really good. Snow free. But I felt
to exhausted to go on, had not enough water, though.

I wish my followers better luck and more fun on the mentioned stretch

Rita, Frankfurt, Germany

----- Original Message ----- 

From: "Steel-Eye" <chelin at teleport.com>
To: "Dr. Margarete Hochhut" <hochhut at web.de>
Sent: Friday, July 18, 2008 5:34 AM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] OR-PCT

Good afternoon, Rita,

I just returned from hiking from Sierra City to Etna in northern California.
I intended to reach the California/Oregon border but there is a wildland
fire north of Etna that closed that part of the PCT.

When I returned and read your post I was very touched by your unfortunate
experience because as a long-time resident of Oregon I believe hiking that
part of the state can be very rewarding.  My first experience with the PCT
was north of Crater Lake between Highway 138 and Miller Lake.  That was in
1965, a few years before the old Oregon Skyline Trail was incorporated into
a much larger entity called the PCT.

At that time I was attending university and I took a summer job as a
surveyor with the U.S. Forest Service based in Chemult.  I began work in
mid-June, and from then until late July, the mosquito problem was very much
as you described.  I remember having to exert extreme mental discipline when
trying to concentrate and precisely read the Zeiss instrument and record
data amid such a black cloud of mosquitoes.  I entered data in a field
survey notebook with a plastic mechanical lead pencil, and the DEET from my
hands dissolved the plastic until the pencil broke where my fingers gripped.
Three or four pencils broke in that way before the mosquito season was over.
That time was not fun, but I found it very rewarding to have overcome the
adversity and performed superior work.

I currently live in a forested area of the Cascade foothills about 20 miles
west of Mt. Hood.  The area is lush and green, with a spring and a small
stream, but in the 21 years that I have lived here I have not seen a total
of 10 mosquitoes.  During spring and summer seasons my family and I
regularly work and play outside without any thought of mosquitoes.  It is
very strange - but good.

Please come visit Oregon again during a better season.

Regards,

Steel-eye
http://www.trailjournals.com/steel-eye

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