# Yampa Bug Update?



## Chirripo (Dec 4, 2015)

Anyone just off the Yampa or Green with an update on skeeter situation?


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## letsgoh2o (Oct 13, 2006)

Got off July 3, skeeters were bad the whole way from Deerlodge Park to Split Mountain. Take plenty of bug juice!


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## Guerrillaman (Dec 24, 2017)

Got off the Green yesterday. Skeeters ruled the roost for first 25/30 miles. Like previously stated, LOTS of bug juice!


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## lawlessr (Aug 6, 2013)

Off today. Bugs were horrendous. DEEEEEEET sorta works.


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## Riverwild (Jun 19, 2015)

Got off Lodore yesterday. I probably have over 100 bites. The worst was anywhere in the trees in Lodore, if you stuck to the beaches it was much lower pressure. The bugs were still out in full sun during the day, especially in Island Park. The take out was maybe one of the worst spots. Picaridin seemed to work well, as did anything that was treated in permethrin. DEET worked ok. Take lots of spray and maybe a full bug suit.


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## lindazco (Jul 6, 2004)

Ditto. Took off at Split on Fri. Mosquitoes were crazy bad. We used like 4 large containers of bug juice for 2 of us. Bring all you can to defend yourself (head nets, light jackets, etc.). It’s the worst I’ve ever seen. And watch out for the skunks at Jones Hole while you’re at it! Still a great trip, no matter what!


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## Waterdog (Feb 3, 2007)

We just got off the Yampa 7/1 - 7/6/2019, Deerlodge to Split Mountain.
Deerlodge mosquitoes were pretty bad. Echo Park, Island Park and Rainbow Park we were fresh blood and they were hungry. Deet in large percentages (20-40%) was the only help. 
Camps along the way varied from not bad to just take a bath in Deet. 
Even with the mosquitoes it was a great trip. What a beautiful place!


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## brent591 (Dec 8, 2011)

We are putting on Gates on July 27, any recent skeeters report?


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## cgarv12697 (Aug 14, 2018)

Bugs are improving daily, the hay fields are starting to dry up finally. Was workin upriver near Maybell this week (musquito hell) and they were non-exisent. That being said though, don't forget bug spray just in case!!!!


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## sunshine (Mar 29, 2011)

If the water holds, will be putting in on Yampa on August 6th. Bug updates would be appreciated and How Low Would You Go? 14' Avon and 15' NRS raft packed light.

Thanks!


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## 76763 (Jul 16, 2018)

We'll be right behind you on the 9th. Based on current levels and rate of decline, we estimate the starting cfs will be at about 500cfs on our start date. That may be generous. Our no-go level is 400cfs. We paid extra for the 6th day, and over the course of that week it'll be a bit of a race to get to the Green confluence, where levels will rise. But we'll be in a lightly loaded one-person IK and a packraft, we're hopeful. 

You might be dragging a lot by the 6th in larger rafts, just a guess. Good luck,

-Tom


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## sunshine (Mar 29, 2011)

Thanks Tom. I am watching the water drop each day, and hoping for a leveling out. i don't plan to launch, if below 850. Anyone with a bug report??


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## raymo (Aug 10, 2008)

You really can't be too upset with the mosquitoes, remember they are just offspring's of many boaters. In fact I've seen thousands that look just like a couple of my ex-wives, I have taken down on a particular river before, with the exact same attitude toward me.


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## JDizzle (Sep 4, 2014)

We took off on the 21st. Worst camp we had for mosquitos was Jones. Yampa itself wasn’t too bad. Deerlodge would have been bad except we had a nice steady breeze. Box elder was bad but we camped at river level where they weren’t too active. Definitely avoid mathers. Based on what I saw at 2k ish, my cut off for big boats would be 1200. Both big joe and warm springs had sleepers at the top that will make things interesting at lower water. I had only done yampa at 9k and abode previously. Warm springs was super forgiving at the level we had. Hope the flows hold out for you


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## sunshine (Mar 29, 2011)

Thanks for info. The flow seems to be going up or the gauge is broken. Never seen the gauge so up and down in one day. 

Raymo, I will keep an eye out for skeeters that look like ex-wives. Should I capture them and keep them alive?


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## raymo (Aug 10, 2008)

*Word of caution...*



sunshine said:


> Thanks for info. The flow seems to be going up or the gauge is broken. Never seen the gauge so up and down in one day.
> 
> Raymo, I will keep an eye out for skeeters that look like ex-wives. Should I capture them and keep them alive?


Keep them as far away from you as you can, if you don't you will find yourself, sitting in a corner of your house with a bottle of JD in one hand and a hangman's noose in the other, mumbling to yourself, what did I do to deserve this, because of all the repetitious hectoring comming at you. Deet is your best friend, along with a rock solid prenuptial. Have a nice trip, the Yampa is a great beautiful 
river through DSNM.


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## matt man (Dec 23, 2011)

Couple weeks ago, one of our group was sitting on the grooved, killing skitters, and feeding them to the spider on the bush next to him, circle of life kinda stuff. Deep thoughts on the groove!

Never let them ex wives get to ya to bad, not worth destroying your life over. That’s pretty dam funny though!


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## raymo (Aug 10, 2008)

Thanks Matt man, they do have a way of getting under your skin, so to speak.


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## matt man (Dec 23, 2011)

Much a like a chigger!


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## jgrebe (Jan 16, 2010)

Got off Lodore Friday 7-26. Bugs weren't terrible. Biting flies were active all day and mosquitos during the evenings. Jones Hole was pretty buggy as were the camps downstream according to others. The put-in and first two camps were tolerable. I slept on my boat unprotected each night and got no bites. Up in the trees things were a lot worse. As usual some folks were more attractive to them so they might have a different story. All in all I've seen much worse so things are getting better


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## gdaut (Jul 30, 2019)

We put in last Tuesday (23rd) and took out Sat (27th). Bugs at Deerlodge were horrendous, despite a stiff breeze. Camped at Ponderosa (bugs not bad); Mathers (bugs not bad, but a slog across a muddy lagoon to get from the river to the campsite); Box Elder 3 (bugs sort of bad in the camp area but a huge sand beach to camp on with few bugs); and Jones (bugs bad, and not much of a beach). Despite the bugs it was a great trip. Saw two people on the Yampa section; the Green section was populated but fun. Water levels were about 1700 cfs at launch, IIRC. Water was noticeably falling throughout the trip, but on all days was adequate. Warm Springs had enough exposed or barely buried rocks that no one accomplished a clean run, but no one got hung up. Just a lot of hitting the hole at various unplanned angles.


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## sunshine (Mar 29, 2011)

Thanks for update!! Water level not dropping as quickly as days past. Hoping it holds out. Keep the updates coming.


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## Genghis (May 28, 2007)

We launched from deerlodge July 26th. Arrived late afternoon. Bugs were bad but then got better that evening. After Put-in they weren't a real issue until Jones hole. We camped on the beach most places which helped. 

Not sure about flow given the guage - but it was amazing trip. Slow crawl through yampa so be pepared for long days on the boat. We didn't see another person until Echo. Stay safe and enjoy. Genghis.


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