Blackflies and the Adirondaks

“May be heading to the Daks in a few days on an impromptu trip. Been trying to find info on blackflies in the region and how bad they'll be this time of the year, but haven't had any luck. Can anyone provide me with info or links with info that they know of???”

“Black flies should (I stress should) be gone by now. Mosquitos are in season now. Warning: they carry FAA wing numbers up there!”

“Buddur, I was there over the fourth of July weekend and the black flies were insane. I got chewed alive (but it was worth it!). Gremlin, who posts here but has limited net access so it takes him a while, is a local up there and I remember him saying the black fly season was off by three weeks, so it should be at the tail end of it now.

Where you headin' exactly?”

“Blackflies should be gone by now and skeeters are past peak. In sunny, trailhead areas (particularly the first coupla miles of trail from Elk Lake to Panther Gorge) should be lotta deerflies. Take a white, urban-thug type "do-rag" and apply DEET liberally, then tie it on yer head (deerflies go for the head). I'll be hiking in 'Dacks second half of August (bugs mostly gone) (possibly completing NPT, again. Flyin' out to Seattle to hike Wonderland Trail for ten days starting next week.”

“I've run into skeeters in the first week of August to the tune of 30-some welts. They got me right through the tee shirt - white shirt looked like polka dots at end of trip because of blood spots.

Second half of August all the biting bugs are gone. It's the start of the best season in the Daks, right through the end of September.”

“Yo, Geo, Ain't nuthin' like the 'Dacks between 2nd 1/2 of Aug and Columbus Day, yaknowhatI'msayin'?”

“Went up there on the third week of September one year. Caught the last snow of summer and the first snow of autumn all in the same week.”

“Still contemplating the Daks..if I can find my High Peaks guidebook w/map. Between replacing a ball joint after work, then taking the dog for a long hike afterwards, I somehow couldn't find the guidebook in my storage space just a while ago...got everything else though. Did find the Cranberry Wilderness, WV map I had on my wall for many months prior, which is my Plan B (and the drive time would be cut in half, much like the views from Dak mtns).”

“How many hours drive would that be to the Adirondacks for you, Buddur?”

“Mr.Yahoo says 10hrs 16min drive time. Add an half-hour for a few pizz and a gas stop, subtract an hour for exceeding the speed limit, that shoud mean I could get there in just less than 10 hours.”

“...and I could get to the Cranberry Wilderness in about 6 hours.

I get the feeling WV will prevail, but I'd sure like to bag a peak just to hang out on top of the world for a while.”