[cdt-l] mosquitos

[cdt-l@mailman.backcountry.net (Ginny & Jim Owen)]

I don't know about Colorado. When we were there the first time (Aug. 1997) 
it rained every day, so we were covered most of the time and we nearly froze 
to death. On our thru, the bugs got bad at the end of July-beginning of 
August.  Every time we went near water, the mosquitos swarmed; when we were 
away from water the biting flies struck -- they were much worse. There were 
little flies that looked like house flies (but with big teeth), and huge 
hungry horse flies and some deer flies. It only lasted about two weeks, but 
for a while, all rest stops were a misery.  At night we would lie in the 
tent and there were so many mosquitos whining on the netting we couldn't 
sleep.  Supplex is helpful, because the bugs don't bite through it.  We wore 
supplex pants most of the time on the trail, and Jim had a supplex shirt he 
wore all the time. I just used my rain jacket to keep from getting eaten.  
One thought with the tarp - you know that in some places there are no trees 
for miles.  Do you use your hiking sticks instead?

Ginny


>
So, what do you thru-hikers have to say about mosquitos on the trail.  
Since I will be going northbound I am not worried so much about the southern 
San Juans (I've spent a lot of time there around that time of year and 
haven't found them to be too much of a hassle) however I am wondering about 
the conditions later in the summer (july) higher up in the state.  
(Nothing can be worse than the Uinta Range in Utah, I hope.)  I'm sure 
many people had tents to escape in to (one perk of tents) but I will be 
carrying my trusty "Baja Tent" (i.e. tarp) and so do not have the 
lock-myself-away option.  What have your experiences been with 
headnets, mosquito bars, repellent, breathing excersises, pungent aromas, 
zen, etc
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