Current Bug Conditions – Southern JMT

[Simon Weiss]

1st – i've already posted some other questions about my upcoming ~week long trip on the southern end of the JMT + Whitney. As usual the responses have been very helpful – so thanks to the community. Especially BG!

Here's another:
We start tomorrow. According to weather.gov I can expect highs of 50 and lows of 30(at 12,000', just South of Whitney). We'll be at lower elevations, so it'll likely get hotter during the day, and will prepare for a bit cooler at night.

At the elevations we're hiking, mostly 9,000' and up, will there really be bugs? I've heard people saying how bad the bugs are/were along the JMT, but not sure which sections were being referred to. We'll be between the Rae Lakes area and Whitney.

My main reason for asking: is a bug net really necessary? Or, will I be suffering under my tarp without something to cover my face?

[drowning in spam]

Bring the bug net. You'll want it when you're not moving. Leave the DEET at home. It's worthless.

[Jennifer McFarlane]

We were in the area at the end of JUly and the bugs were not as bad as last year. DO bring the headset.
We brought some of the Citronella type bug juice- used it once by Charlotte lake, but used the headnet every nights.

[Erik Dietz]

take your bug net and deet. I was just there about ten days ago and I used both quite a bit.

[Author]

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