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People’s reaction to mosquitos is pretty odd. On our Emigrant Wilderness Trip in California’s Sierra, we saw:

-A happy couple with full face head nets. They seemed to be pleased that they had spent 99 cents to keep the little guys away from their face. Missing was the ear plugs or the iPod to block out the buzzing sound.

-A young woman in her 20’s who was wearing, honest to God, a kind of sun dress. Short ballerina looking kind of thing with completely bare arms and uncovered legs up to her underpants. She was showing cleavage and had nothing on her head or face. Her only comment to us was “I’m wearing strong chemicals.” We did see her the next day heading home with her boyfriend. Wearing the same dress. Couldn’t In tell if she had any bites.

-A guy who asked ever so lightly, are the “skeeters bad.”

My backpacking partner Wild Bill simply ignored them as he covered his head with a hat with ear flaps, thick gloves and a rain jacket. All this, while standing in the smoke of the camp fire at 3 p.m. on a warm day. The only thing sticking out was his nose and I’m sure it was covered with repellent. After our 11.5-mile hike up and down at 9,000 feet for 6 hours on Day 2, I just hid out in my tent from 7:30 p.m. until the next day.

I have Jungle Juice with 100% Deet ($6 at REI), but didn’t bring it. We had so little rain this year in California I thought the mosquitors would be pretty much absent. On our car camping trip the two days before, we had wonderful, mosquito-free conditions.

Anyone have any ideas for dealing with bugs, besides staying out of the mountains until late August or September?

Be light (could mosquitos carry you away?). Be safe. Be one with the pack.