2014 Bug Level Thread

General discussions on hiking in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest
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adamschneider
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Re: 2014 Bug Level Thread

Post by adamschneider » July 22nd, 2014, 10:23 pm

kepPNW wrote:Heh, when I let my trekking poles dangle on their straps, the wind blew them out nearly parallel to the ground. I wanted a picture of that, but don't think we got one. :)
You mean like this? :)
Image

(This "trekking pole anemometer" is courtesy of Round Top in the northern Sierra Nevada, 6/24/14. And for the record, that was a sustained wind, not a gust.)

Sometimes I think it'd be fun to bring a real anemometer along while hiking; I figure it was blowing about 40 mph below Ladd Glacier last Thursday, but I wish I knew for sure.

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kepPNW
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Re: 2014 Bug Level Thread

Post by kepPNW » July 23rd, 2014, 5:05 am

adamschneider wrote:
kepPNW wrote:Heh, when I let my trekking poles dangle on their straps, the wind blew them out nearly parallel to the ground. I wanted a picture of that, but don't think we got one. :)
You mean like this? :)
Exactly! :lol: I think mine were rising even a bit higher than that, too. (I did have pumice baskets on.)
adamschneider wrote:(This "trekking pole anemometer" is courtesy of Round Top in the northern Sierra Nevada, 6/24/14. And for the record, that was a sustained wind, not a gust.)

Sometimes I think it'd be fun to bring a real anemometer along while hiking; I figure it was blowing about 40 mph below Ladd Glacier last Thursday, but I wish I knew for sure.
I do have an elCheapo wind gauge that I picked up a a garage sale or Goodwill or somewhere like that for a buck or two. It goes up to 60mph, I found out one day in the gorge. Sure wish I'd thought to bring it the other day!
Karl
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weathercrazy
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Re: 2014 Bug Level Thread

Post by weathercrazy » July 23rd, 2014, 5:12 am

I have a hand held gauge...approached 100 mph at Crown Point once, and was up there when my friend Matt Sloan recorded a gust to 122 mph...that was insane.

On a hiking note, I estimate winds near 55 mph or so when hiking at Angel's Rest once, and approaching hurricane force on Hardy ridge one time, so much so that I had to turn around. Very scary, even though I knew there would be strong winds, I had no idea they would be that bad.

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kepPNW
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Re: 2014 Bug Level Thread

Post by kepPNW » July 23rd, 2014, 5:41 am

weathercrazy wrote:I have a hand held gauge...approached 100 mph at Crown Point once, and was up there when my friend Matt Sloan recorded a gust to 122 mph...that was insane.
That might have been the very day (1/24/14?) I learned mine topped out at 60mph! :lol: We were doing a quickie Cape Horn loop, and later read the winds at Crown Point, just across the river, had been up in that range.
weathercrazy wrote:On a hiking note, I estimate winds near 55 mph or so when hiking at Angel's Rest once, and approaching hurricane force on Hardy ridge one time, so much so that I had to turn around. Very scary, even though I knew there would be strong winds, I had no idea they would be that bad.
I only got blown over once on Saturday. Thankfully, that portable tree known as Crusak was right there for me to bounce back up off of. :lol:

Here's a taste of what that day in the gorge was like - definitely hurricaney...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTlsVojTOO4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrsuQZtYFjs
Karl
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weathercrazy
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Re: 2014 Bug Level Thread

Post by weathercrazy » July 23rd, 2014, 5:53 am

Yes, that was the day! We hit 115 mph on January 20th, and that 122 mph occurred on the 24th. :)
kepPNW wrote:
weathercrazy wrote:I have a hand held gauge...approached 100 mph at Crown Point once, and was up there when my friend Matt Sloan recorded a gust to 122 mph...that was insane.
That might have been the very day (1/24/14?) I learned mine topped out at 60mph! :lol: We were doing a quickie Cape Horn loop, and later read the winds at Crown Point, just across the river, had been up in that range.
weathercrazy wrote:On a hiking note, I estimate winds near 55 mph or so when hiking at Angel's Rest once, and approaching hurricane force on Hardy ridge one time, so much so that I had to turn around. Very scary, even though I knew there would be strong winds, I had no idea they would be that bad.
I only got blown over once on Saturday. Thankfully, that portable tree known as Crusak was right there for me to bounce back up off of. :lol:

Here's a taste of what that day in the gorge was like - definitely hurricaney...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTlsVojTOO4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrsuQZtYFjs

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xrp
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Re: 2014 Bug Level Thread

Post by xrp » July 28th, 2014, 11:42 am

Low mosquito count on trail #3842 today in Diamond Peak Wilderness.

I got bit 10-12 times, probably, but not enough over my 2 hour trail run to warrant putting on DEET.

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Re: 2014 Bug Level Thread

Post by xrp » July 29th, 2014, 3:03 pm

The Twins Peak trail 3595, just east of Waldo Lake 7/29/2014:

No mosquitoes to light mosquitoes up to the PCT junction. Then moderate to heavy until just shy of the summit.

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Re: 2014 Bug Level Thread

Post by weathercrazy » July 29th, 2014, 8:26 pm

Mount Margaret from Norway Pass...lots of bugs, little bite!

However, I did seem to time the hatch of another batch of flying ants right at the summit. Pic/video will be posted on my TR and here when I get it uploaded. I encountered the same thing last year at Mt. Rainier. I'm curious how long these things mate or whatever, or is it that I time the exact day???

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Re: 2014 Bug Level Thread

Post by weathercrazy » July 30th, 2014, 11:06 am

Um...lol, the summit of Mount Margaret was awash in bugs. They were seething, and you could hear it lol

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xrp
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Re: 2014 Bug Level Thread

Post by xrp » July 30th, 2014, 2:34 pm

PCT in Diamond Peak Wilderness 7/30/2014

Almost no bugs/mosquitoes that annoy/bite.

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