[pct-l] Skeeters and sunscreen and routes to VVR

[mardav@xxxxxxxxxxx (Marion Davison)]

I cope with skeeters and sun exposure by wearing baggy nylon pants, a
voluminous silk shirt (cheap at thrift stores) a cotton brimmed hat with
a headnet, and deet applied to ankles, hat brim, and the backs of my
hands.  I carry a pump spray bottle of Cutter or Repel.  Most of the
time my headnet just sits on top of my hat, and I can pull it down when
I walk through a spot that is full of skeeters.  I too find it obscures
visibility, and much of the time the deet sprayed on my hat and the back
of my neck is enough to keep the critters off my face.  I bring a
stick-style sunscreen that I can apply to my face like a crayon.   I
hate putting on lotion with grubby hands.  One summer I didn't bring
sunscreen and went back to work in the fall with scabs on my face that
took forever to heal, caused by too much sun.
We have visited VVR several times and have hiked several alternate
routes to get in and out.  The Bear Ridge route stays high on a forested
ridge until the last minute, when it drops steeply down  by the dam.  It
is used by the packers so they do the only maintenance on it.  You may
find broad loose dirt slides on the steep part.  The Bear Creek Route is
very beautiful, staying near a creek for most of its route.  Fisherman
like this creek so you will see several day trippers.  There are many
good campsites too.  The Goodale Pass trail is a long way through a damp
ancient forest.  It isn't used so much and has a very isolated feel to
it.  Several side trails lead to nice lakes.  The Onion Valley OHV route
is a 6 mile walk on a dirt road that leads to a trail that rises 4000
feet to a pass.  Arch Rock (very dramatic) is near the top of the pass,
then the trail drops to a nice remote lake basin.  The trail through the
basin becomes a ducked route to Rainbow Lake, then dives down slabs
heading to Fish/Cascade Creek.  At the bottom of the slabs the trail
heads north and stays east of a creek.  The trail is overgrown and quite
hard to follow through here--look for cut logs, blazes and ducks and
stay close to but east of the creek.  The trail switchbacks down the
side of the canyon and bashes through chapparal  to the bottom of
Fish/Cascade Creek.  Iva Bell Hot Springs is an easy walk east on deep
dusty DG trail, used heavily by the red's Meadow Pack station.  The hot
springs are just plain wonderful.
This year we plan to take the Minnow Creek trail from Goodale Pass to
the Hot Spring.  It is the only way we haven't tried yet.
llamalady