Best backpacking for no bugs?

[langstaf]

My wife and I are driving up early tomorrow (Friday, 7/30) and plan on staying 2 nights in Yosemite. This will be the first time taking my 13 month old son backpacking (I know, most people think we are crazy). We were originally planning on hiking out of TM (staying 1 night in the backpackers camp and another in the backcountry), but with all the bad mosquito reports I am reconsidering. Any suggestions on alternative trips that would be less inclined to have bugs? I'm looking to hike a few hours in, setup a base camp for a day or so and just enjoy being in nature. (I understand this is contingent on getting a wilderness permit, but let's just ignore that little detail for now ) Thanks in advance for any ideas!

Random Questions:
I did hear that Lyell Canyon isn't too terrible up until the Ireland Lake trail junction...true? Is it safe to assume the lower the elevation the better? Are the mosquitoes everywhere or just close to the water?

[AlmostThere]

The mosquitoes are going to be everywhere. I was bitten while hiking up to Dana (before the wind kicked up) - on a rocky slope.

Lyell Canyon is very, very, very, wet - you will have condensation on the inside of the tent in the morning as well as tons of mosquitoes. I camped there in August on the way south and had both top and bottom of my open pitched tarp covered with dew. Can't get more ventilated than a tarp.

Take headnets and bugspray. I've seen kids wearing headnets over their torsos.

[langstaf]

if minimizing bugs is the higher priority over scenic high country (especially for the wife and kid), would you recommend trying to hike and camp out of yosemite valley or around glacier point?

[AlmostThere]

Running water will have fewer associated skeeters than standing water. I think the valley will probably be too difficult to backpack out of if you are heavily loaded (steep trails). I don't know that I would want to haul a child up the Mist Trail (I'm sure people do, but it seems hard enough to carry my backpack ). It's going to be hot there too.

Glen Aulin would have the scenery (waterfalls are still flowing) and be an easier walk up (down going out, actually, and gradual uphill coming back) - but those permits are kind of hard to come by. Might be able to get a walk in if you're lucky, or pick up a canceled permit at 10 am. Would be less standing water by now - I hope. I'm going there Tuesday.

[hikerlinda]

I just came back last weekend from a 50 mile leaving TM going up to Vogelsang down to merced lake (almost) and then up by Washburn lake and over Reds Peak Pass Ottoway lake and on to Glacier Point. I stayed last night at TM backpackers camp and report NO mosquitoes at TM or anywhere below 9000 ft. Seriously the higher we went and worse the bugs got. We hiked up Rafferty Creek trail and slept only 4 miles out the first night with only a few mosquitoes. It was beautiful.

Also getting a permit at 10:00 has always worked for me. I do not think you are crazy to take the little one. You would be crazy to stay at home. ENJOY

[TigerFan]

We hiked from TM down to the Valley, 7/18-7/22. Mosquitoes weren't a problem for us along Tioga Road and TM, Lembert Dome, around the lodge, Tenaya Lake and most of Rafferty to Vogelsang.

Vogelsang was another story -- WOW. We got a taste of what it must be like to be beekeepers... long-sleeves, long pants, headnets and my son even wore thin gloves. We basically retreated to our tent. Lake Bernice was no better. We found an outcrop of rocks into the lake with less bugs (enough of a breeze) and spent the entire afternoon there.

Mosquitoes were gone by the time we got to Merced. Heard from other hikers there that Washburn was OK as well. (Also heard lots of great fishing reports at Washburn!)