Mt Whitney Webcam
Mt Williamson Webcam
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 121 guests, and 3 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Mosquitoes - Aug 6 Whitney
#5995 07/14/10 03:26 PM
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 695
CaT Offline OP
OP Offline
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 695
A friend of mine and his group will be attempting to summit Whitney via the MT as a dayhike on Aug 6. I've never done the MT that early, so don't know the answer to his question, which is: Should we be concerned enough with mosquitoes anywhere on the trail to warrant bringing bug repellent? Since my ventures on Whitney have always been late Aug - early-mid September, I've not personally had any problems with the little blood-suckers!

CaT


If future generations are to remember us with gratitude rather than contempt, we must leave them more than the miracle of technology. We must leave them a glimpse of the world as it was in the beginning, not just after we got through with it.
- Lyndon Johnson, on signing the Wilderness Act into law (1964)
Re: Mosquitoes - Aug 6 Whitney
CaT #5996 07/14/10 04:05 PM
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 582
Offline
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 582
Bring the bug juice. Little suckers can be really bad down low around the seeps, the falls below Lone Pine Lake, and Outpost.


Facebook

Flickr Pics

Think outside the Zone.
Re: Mosquitoes - Aug 6 Whitney
MooseTracks #6000 07/14/10 07:35 PM
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 695
CaT Offline OP
OP Offline
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 695
Thanks, Laura!


If future generations are to remember us with gratitude rather than contempt, we must leave them more than the miracle of technology. We must leave them a glimpse of the world as it was in the beginning, not just after we got through with it.
- Lyndon Johnson, on signing the Wilderness Act into law (1964)
Re: Mosquitoes - Aug 6 Whitney
CaT #6028 07/15/10 10:57 AM
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 14
J
Offline
J
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 14
I was there this last weekend, they were pretty thick morning and evening.


It's just over the next hill...
Re: Mosquitoes - Aug 6 Whitney
CaT #6140 07/19/10 01:04 PM
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 10
Offline
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 10
We are climbing on Aug 5th!

We are going to plan on bringing some. (Some being 'bug spray')

Always better to be prepared and not need it, than to need it and not be prepared.

Good luck!

Last edited by Danielisawesome; 07/19/10 01:04 PM. Reason: Clarification
Re: Mosquitoes - Aug 6 Whitney
Danielisawesome #6144 07/19/10 01:10 PM
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 8,505
Likes: 103
S
Offline
S
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 8,505
Likes: 103
Regarding bug spray, pay attention to these posts:

  Re: Solo Whitney 7/11-7/12

Re: Mosquitoes - Aug 6 Whitney
Steve C #6182 07/21/10 05:05 PM
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 7
3
Offline
3
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 7
Just got back from the MWT yesterday. The mosquito's were fairly heavy even a ways up the switchbacks past Trail Camp. Apparently mosquitos don't get AMS!

We used the Coleman 100 MAX unscented insect repellent. Comes in the very small and light .5 fluid oz container. Just sprayed it on our hands and rubbed a very light coat all over. It was very light and dried non-sticky. My kids are VERY susceptible to bites, and the critters seemed to leave them alone, except at the end of the third day when we should have put on a second coat after sweating it all off. You could see the skeeters fly up to us and then head for a different victim when they sensed the repellent.

It is 98.11% DEET, so the stuff does work as the other posters have said.

Re: Mosquitoes - Aug 6 Whitney
3skid3 #6192 07/21/10 06:51 PM
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,256
Likes: 2
Offline
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,256
Likes: 2
Same here 3skid3 - at about 13,000 feet last week I was still swatting the damn things. Quillansculpture and I took a long rest break at the water crossing by Outpost Camp on the way down - we hadn't lathered up in a while, and the little SOBs just about ate us alive.

When we camped at Consultation Lake overnight we used reasonably strong Deet and they seemed to leave us alone - mostly, anyway.

Re: Mosquitoes - Aug 6 Whitney
Bulldog34 #6224 07/22/10 07:02 PM
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 742
K
Ken Offline
Offline
K
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 742
One word-permethrin.

It can turn an ordeal into a pleasure, and minimize the need for supplemental DEET (or Picardin, which I now often use)

Re: Mosquitoes - Aug 6 Whitney
Ken #6248 07/23/10 06:53 PM
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 76
Likes: 10
S
Offline
S
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 76
Likes: 10
I bought a bottle of Cutter Advanced (picaridin) spray at REI last year. By the time I got done reading the directions for use, precautions, and disposal instructions on the back of the bottle, I decided I didn't want to expose my body to the stuff. If you use it and haven't read it, I recommend you do so. I have my reservations about the safety of DEET, but it's been around for a long time and hasn't been proven to be a major health risk that I'm aware of.


Link Copied to Clipboard
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.4
(Release build 20200307)
Responsive Width:

PHP: 7.4.33 Page Time: 0.028s Queries: 34 (0.022s) Memory: 0.6161 MB (Peak: 0.6993 MB) Data Comp: Off Server Time: 2024-03-28 16:12:41 UTC
Valid HTML 5 and Valid CSS