"Anybody who has ever been in the North woods in the spring should have an inkling as to what I'm talking about."

Misanthrope,

Good point on the skeeters. Living in the Puget Sound region, when it rains, the blood suckers hide. No worries here.

Not true above the great white north. Many years ago after doing some work in Anchorage AK, I had some free time to do a bit of hiking. I headed off into the Chugach National Forest for a walkabout (sans repellant). The size and tenacity of the mosquitoes there are legendary. It was in a full downpour and the bugs were still doing a fine business. I was fully clothed with the exception of my hands and face (head and neck covered with drawstring hood). I must have looked quite the fool with the nonstop waving, smashing, and slapping of my my face (I’m not even going to mention the funny dancing I was doing to keep the grizzly bells on my feet ringing). In the lower 48 I have never had a mosquito get through the thick skin on my palms. These babies were setting up drilling rigs on my palms. Within an hour may face and hands were so swollen from bites that I cried “Uncle”. Little bastards showed no mercy. I was forced to terminate my walkabout and high tail it back to my rental car. Just unreal.

Screw the bears! If I ever return I'll be loaded for bugs.

The only thing I have been in that was similar was a hike up to the Twin Sisters lakes near Mt. Rainier. This is a place of epic beauty and treacherous mosquitoes. The whole family was slathered in Cutters to no avail. After a brief look at the lakes (picture Chevy Chase at the Grand Canyon in “Vacation”) we practically ran back down the trail. Later I talked to some local hunters that have a favorite mosquito repellant. They rub themselves and their horses down in motor oil. Think I’ll pass.

Maybe others have some anti-mosquito warfare techniques they can share?

TR