[pct-l] Mojitos

[Diane at Santa Barbara Hikes dot com]

On Jan 12, 2010, at 9:19 AM, pct-l-request at backcountry.net wrote:
> I have been debating with my hiking buddy about mosquitos.
>
> I have the black diamond beta light shelter but after using it last  
> June
> around Desolation Wilderness and sleeping with 500+ tiny annoying  
> uninvited
> guests in the shelter for a week, I am curious what others do with  
> these
> guys. Ignore them? Use Bivys?

I can't sleep if there's even one mosquito anywhere near me and I  
know it can get me. I also cannot sleep if I'm hot and can't stick a  
leg or arm out without getting bitten. So I find peaceful sleep with  
a fully-enclosed tent. My Gossamer Gear One is very light and after  
trying all sorts of various other things, it turned out to be the  
lightest and simplest of all the combinations I could do.

>
> What are the mosquitos like all along the trail?  Where is the  
> worst of the
> mosquitos?

The worst mosquitoes I experienced were in July in Oregon. Most PCT  
thru-hikers are in Oregon in August or September so you may not have  
to experience the insanity. Even people I met from Alaska were  
flabbergasted by them in Oregon in July.