Mosquitoes, dust, and floaters

I think most of us were tired of both rain and snow - I know I was. Then we had a day or two of nice weather and then more rain. Now we are back to nice weather and, surprise, surprise, temperatures in the 80s.

So far the weather has allowed an orderly runoff of last winter’s snowpack, but there has been a price. The river is pretty much bank to bank and the color of chocolate milk, but no strong sign of flooding. The mix of rain and warm weather has created a horde of mosquitoes. The whining pests are so thick that in the evening they sound like sirens in the evening and early morning. Folks living close to water always have lots of bugs, but the wet underbrush means mosquitoes are pretty much everywhere, and insect repellent manufacturers are celebrating.

Thank goodness we are no longer limited to 6-12 to ward off insects. That oily, smelly stuff has been replaced by a whole array of concoctions to keep bugs off, ranging from unscented to perfumy and even waterproof.

However, if you don’t like the cost of these commercial mixtures, you might try something a Blackfeet friend told me about.

He was an advocate of using sage as an insect repellent. Gather the leaves, immerse them in water, boil them down to mush, and apply liberally. I like the smell of sage, but it may be too strong for some. Also, I hang bundles of sage on my front porch and it seems effective for at least 30 days.

Recent grading of the road plus dry weather has made the North Fork Road pretty dusty. This is especially true from Canyon Creek (end of pavement) to Great Northern Flats. North of Vance Hill is also dusty, but from Big Creek to Vance Hill, last year’s magnesium chloride is still somewhat effective.

I used to think logging trucks raised the most dust, but they are as rare on the North Fork as wolverines. Worst dust today, in my opinion, comes from vehicles pulling trailers and going too fast. These are not rare, as floaters are already getting thick.

Speaking of which, in mid to late summer, the North Fork is pretty much a granny float: slow and enjoyable for fishermen and bird and wildlife watchers if you are reasonably careful.

Not so during spring runoff. The river is faster than it looks and very cold. In addition, there are hazards from trees in the water and sticking out from the bank over and under the water. The muddy water limits visibility, which makes it more dangerous.

In my opinion, the old, infirm, and inexperienced should stay off the river until after the Fourth of July.

That includes me.

For the young, adventurous folks: be careful, wear your life jackets, and again, BE CAREFUL!

Larry Wilson’s North Fork Views appears weekly in the Hungry Horse News.