2014 Bug Level Thread

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

Post by -Q- » July 14th, 2014, 10:40 am

I spent the weekend down in the Willamette National Forest. Mt Jefferson and 3 Fingered Jack area.
Bug update...

Triangulation Peak- no bugs
Boca Cave- no bugs
Wild Cheat Meadow- no bugs
Associated trails- no bugs

Duffy Lake- no bugs
Mowich Lake- no bugs
Alice Lake- no bugs
North Dixie Lake- no bugs
South Dixie Lake- no bugs
Santiam Lake- MASSIVE BUGS. Millions of them. Stopping was impossible.
Associated trails- no bugs until around 5pm, then loads of them.

Side note... stellar bloom of beargrass going on in these areas. Bumber crop around North & South Dixie Lakes. Fantastic display.

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RobinB
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Re: 2014 Bug Level Thread

Post by RobinB » July 15th, 2014, 11:37 am

Up around Ice Lake in the Eagle Cap Wilderness this weekend: tons of mosquitoes between the West Fork Wallowa crossing and just above the lake - say, 5500 to 8000 feet. Then very few mosquitoes above 8000 feet, even though the snow's melting out up there pretty quickly.

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xrp
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Re: 2014 Bug Level Thread

Post by xrp » July 19th, 2014, 12:30 pm

Indian Heaven Wilderness 7/18-7/19

Inserted at Thomas Lake Trailhead: Swarms of mosquitoes from the start. Move at a decent pace and they stay away. However, stop almost anywhere and they will swarm you.

DEET and head net kept them off of most of me.

In short, brutal.

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Grannyhiker
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Re: 2014 Bug Level Thread

Post by Grannyhiker » July 19th, 2014, 1:30 pm

Went up to show Mt. Adams to the 9-year-old grandson (volcanoes are his current craze) on Monday 7/14. We went to Takh-Takh Meadow, just east of Takhlak Lake (I may have spelled that wrong) for a short dayhike. We emerged from the car into a cloud of killer mosquitoes, promptly jumped back into the car, and drove away as fast as possible (not fast enough on that rough road) with all windows open, blower on high and "Bear" swatting bugs in the back seat. It appeared later that I was well munched on during those few minutes!

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-Q-
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Re: 2014 Bug Level Thread

Post by -Q- » July 21st, 2014, 3:13 pm

McKenzie Pass bug update as of 7/19-7/20...

Lava Camp Lake- no daytime bugs, bugs evening until 10pm
North Matthieu Lake- no daytime bugs, lotsa bugs around 7:45pm
South Matthieu Lake- no daytime bugs, no bugs around 7:30pm
Yapoah Crater- no bugs
Yapoah Crater meadows- no bugs

McKenzie Lava Fields- no bugs
Little Belknap Crater- no bugs
Belknap Crater- no bugs

Lava fields are great for keeping the bugs away :P

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weathercrazy
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Re: 2014 Bug Level Thread

Post by weathercrazy » July 22nd, 2014, 8:12 am

Horrible on the Timberline Trail from Vista Ridge all the way to Elk Cove. Lots of flies and mosquitoes. It seems the mosquitoes were hatching right out of the snow. They would land and bite even while hiking. They were worst around the snowfields where you were moving a little slower.

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adamschneider
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Re: 2014 Bug Level Thread

Post by adamschneider » July 22nd, 2014, 8:34 am

weathercrazy wrote:Horrible on the Timberline Trail from Vista Ridge all the way to Elk Cove. Lots of flies and mosquitoes. It seems the mosquitoes were hatching right out of the snow. They would land and bite even while hiking. They were worst around the snowfields where you were moving a little slower.
Interesting... I barely saw any mosquitoes last Thursday on the section between Vista Ridge and McNeil Point. Either they're very localized, or weather/wind/hatch conditions were different.

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kepPNW
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Re: 2014 Bug Level Thread

Post by kepPNW » July 22nd, 2014, 8:39 am

adamschneider wrote:
weathercrazy wrote:Horrible on the Timberline Trail from Vista Ridge all the way to Elk Cove. Lots of flies and mosquitoes. It seems the mosquitoes were hatching right out of the snow. They would land and bite even while hiking. They were worst around the snowfields where you were moving a little slower.
Interesting... I barely saw any mosquitoes last Thursday on the section between Vista Ridge and McNeil Point. Either they're very localized, or weather/wind/hatch conditions were different.
And on Saturday, there were absolutely none on the east side (Elliot to Newton), but I have no doubt the gale winds played a part in that. :)
Karl
Back on the trail, again...

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weathercrazy
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Re: 2014 Bug Level Thread

Post by weathercrazy » July 22nd, 2014, 9:51 am

I should take a picture of my arms haha.

Also, I'm not sure if it's a good thing when you can kill to mosquitoes in one swat? I mean, should they be that thick anyway???
kepPNW wrote:
adamschneider wrote:
weathercrazy wrote:Horrible on the Timberline Trail from Vista Ridge all the way to Elk Cove. Lots of flies and mosquitoes. It seems the mosquitoes were hatching right out of the snow. They would land and bite even while hiking. They were worst around the snowfields where you were moving a little slower.
Interesting... I barely saw any mosquitoes last Thursday on the section between Vista Ridge and McNeil Point. Either they're very localized, or weather/wind/hatch conditions were different.
And on Saturday, there were absolutely none on the east side (Elliot to Newton), but I have no doubt the gale winds played a part in that. :)

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kepPNW
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Re: 2014 Bug Level Thread

Post by kepPNW » July 22nd, 2014, 10:32 am

weathercrazy wrote:
kepPNW wrote:no doubt the gale winds played a part in that. :)
I should take a picture of my arms haha.
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. :)
Karl
Back on the trail, again...

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