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Re: Tuolumne Meadows

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Tuolumne Meadows
July 04, 2010 11:04PM
Hi, Heading up to the campground at Tuolumne this week (6/5/10). Can anyone please tell me about the current mesquito conditions? Is there snow in the campground? Day and night temperatures?

Thanks, Birdhow
avatar Re: Tuolumne Meadows
July 05, 2010 02:41AM
Quote
Birdhow
Hi, Heading up to the campground at Tuolumne this week (6/5/10). Can anyone please tell me about the current mesquito conditions? Is there snow in the campground? Day and night temperatures?

Thanks, Birdhow



Tuolumne Meadows temperature links

Last fourteen days (scroll down page to see data):
http://cdec.water.ca.gov/jspplot/jspPlotServlet.jsp?sensor_no=1643&end=07%2F05%2F2010+02%3A26&geom=medium&interval=14&cookies=cdec01
Seven day forecast:
http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=37.873227357246435&lon=-119.36267852783203&site=hnx&smap=1&unit=0&lg=en&FcstType=text



Note: Both of the weather resources cited above are interactive websites. Links to their home pages are given below. (Suggest that forum users bookmark/favorite these sites.)
CA Dept. of Water Resources:
http://cdec.water.ca.gov/
NOAA:
http://www.noaa.gov/wx.html



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/05/2010 02:52AM by szalkowski.
avatar Re: Tuolumne Meadows
July 06, 2010 05:29PM
It's a couple of weeks after the OP is asking about, but I figured others may be curious. The mosquitoes in TM are fat and greedy right now. I got bitten within 30 seconds of getting out of the car at the campground office. D'oh!
Re: Tuolumne Meadows
July 06, 2010 07:58PM
I'm heading to TM day after tomorrw .. for a week backpacking up Cold, Virginia, then Matterhorn Canyons ... I went and bought not one, but TWO of those 100% DEET squeesy bottles (REI) for the trip. Yeah man, I'm going full hog 'gainst the critters this time.
avatar Re: Tuolumne Meadows
July 06, 2010 08:00PM
Quote
Anvanho
I went and bought not one, but TWO of those 100% DEET squeesy bottles (REI) for the trip.

I just wish DEET didn't taste so awful.
avatar Re: Tuolumne Meadows
July 06, 2010 08:15PM
Quote
eeek
I just wish DEET didn't taste so awful.


That's to discourage you from ingesting it.

[Two negatives not making a positive: DEET Chick-on]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/06/2010 08:20PM by szalkowski.
avatar Re: Tuolumne Meadows
July 06, 2010 08:17PM
Quote
szalkowski
That's to discourage you from ingesting it.

I always manage to get some sweat dripping down my face and it only takes a very small amount to get that disgusting taste.




Note: Corrected my post quote (Len)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/06/2010 08:21PM by szalkowski.
Re: Tuolumne Meadows
July 06, 2010 10:15PM
Are the mosquitos as active all thru the park now?
avatar Re: Tuolumne Meadows
July 07, 2010 06:59AM
Quote
rroland
Are the mosquitos as active all thru the park now?

No, it depends on several factors, primarily how wet things are in the area. Haven't been to the Valley lately, but they wouldn't be nearly as bad there.
Re: Tuolumne Meadows
July 07, 2010 02:51PM
Thanks for the mosquito updates...
My son and I are hoping to do Sunrise or Cathedral Trailhead to the Valley 7/15...i'm hopin the little bloodsuckers will not be too agressive...for some reason they like our blood type.
I guess I'll hit REI and get a couple of 100% DEETs. Does'nt seem like I would need mesh at night as it's been in the mid-40 degree range at night tho.....
avatar Re: Tuolumne Meadows
July 07, 2010 06:57AM
Quote
eeek

I always manage to get some sweat dripping down my face and it only takes a very small amount to get that disgusting taste.

Or some to drip in the eye...boy it stings!

Last week just about every time I stopped hiking for a few seconds the skeeters began attacking me. Makes for fast trip.
Re: Tuolumne Meadows
July 07, 2010 07:34AM
Ha!

Speaking of DEET, just for the “halibut”, I googled DEET, and sure enough, there’s a DEET.com website.

Who knew!

Fun reading too. In the FAQ’s, there’s mention of one of the urban myths about insect repellants and they point out that bananas are useless in repelling bugs.

Boy, that’s one urban myth I never learned of: bananas! And I’m from the “New-Yauk” area. I don’t think bananas will repel anything! Including bears … primates ... other critters … bugs … campers …backpackers ... etc., etc.

The website also mentions that DEET is now “pleasantly” offered in pleasurable scents and fragrances.

Really …?

I’ve only even used the DEET that makes me smell like a superfund site.

DEET is not an insecticide, but a repellent … it will not kill bugs … only deters them from coming any closer (because it interferes with the CO2 signal we give off).


Curious, I initially went to the site to get the full chemical name .. but couldn't find it on that website.
some crazy long multi-element thing ... heavy metals .. ... inert gases ... all those elements at the bottom of the periodic table .. Hafnium ... Bezerklium ... Repellamentium ... others ...
avatar Re: Tuolumne Meadows
July 07, 2010 07:44AM
Quote
Anvanho
DEET is not an insecticide, but a repellent … it will not kill bugs … only deters them from coming any closer (because it interferes with the CO2 signal we give off).


Curious, I initially went to the site to get the full chemical name .. but couldn't find it on that website.
some crazy long multi-element thing ... heavy metals .. ... inert gases ... all those elements at the bottom of the periodic table .. Hafnium ... Bezerklium ... Repellamentium ... others ...

DEET is also a pretty potent solvent.

The name is N,N-Diethyl-3-methylbenzamide. Sounds pretty nasty, but it translates to C12H17NO.
avatar Re: Tuolumne Meadows
July 07, 2010 08:20AM
I'm a sparky nerd so I wonder; Would that be like a hydro-carbon?



Old Dude
avatar Re: Tuolumne Meadows
July 07, 2010 10:16AM
Quote
mrcondron
I'm a sparky nerd so I wonder; Would that be like a hydro-carbon?


It would be 'like" a hydrocarbon, but not a hydrocarbon. It would come under the general heading of an organic (i.e., carbon-containing) compound

The definition of a hydrocarbon is a compound that contains only carbon and hydrogen.

You might find it interesting to check an Organic Chemistry book out of your local library to see the various compounds that are classified as hydrocarbons as well as all of the other carbon- and (carbon+hydrogen)-containing compounds that are not.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/07/2010 10:26AM by szalkowski.
avatar Re: Tuolumne Meadows
July 07, 2010 08:45PM
Check out whut?



Old Dude
avatar Re: Tuolumne Meadows
July 07, 2010 08:48PM
Quote
mrcondron
Check out whut?

A book. They're these things made of ground up trees.
Re: Tuolumne Meadows
July 08, 2010 07:07AM
What i have learned about DEET the hard way:

100% is not necessary - 25% (or even lower) works fine. Or at least the same as 100%.

DEET does nothing for flies or gnats. I have been bitten repeatedly through a layer of DEET so tacky and icky it made my hair stand on end. Flies may not give you West Nile but they HURT.

DEET on the lips makes you numb like you just got back from the dentist.

A headnet keeps you saner. Spray the headnet with DEET. Put it on. Presto. No need to get the #$%^^ in your eyes.

Permethrin is better for ticks - spray it on clothing at home (or hammock, or tent, or gaiters, or ...) and let it dry. It adheres to the fibers in the clothing and remains active for 6-7 washings. When dry is dangerous to nothing but the bugs. Ticks will walk through DEET (I had a rash and a doctor bill to prove it) but if they keep walking through permethrin treated fabric, they fall off, or die.
avatar Re: Tuolumne Meadows
July 07, 2010 05:53PM
Quote
Anvanho
Ha!

Speaking of DEET, just for the “halibut”, I googled DEET, and sure enough, there’s a DEET.com website.

Who knew!

Fun reading too. In the FAQ’s, there’s mention of one of the urban myths about insect repellants and they point out that bananas are useless in repelling bugs.

Boy, that’s one urban myth I never learned of: bananas! And I’m from the “New-Yauk” area. I don’t think bananas will repel anything! Including bears … primates ... other critters … bugs … campers …backpackers ... etc., etc.

The website also mentions that DEET is now “pleasantly” offered in pleasurable scents and fragrances.

Really …?

I’ve only even used the DEET that makes me smell like a superfund site.

DEET is not an insecticide, but a repellent … it will not kill bugs … only deters them from coming any closer (because it interferes with the CO2 signal we give off).


Curious, I initially went to the site to get the full chemical name .. but couldn't find it on that website.
some crazy long multi-element thing ... heavy metals .. ... inert gases ... all those elements at the bottom of the periodic table .. Hafnium ... Bezerklium ... Repellamentium ... others ...

Bananas are the last thing you want for mosquitos. Something in bananas cause most humans to secrete an undectable odor that is attractive to mosquitos.
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