Black Flies

I'm planning a trip next week (22nd-26th).

How bad are the black flies in the Dacks and in NH (Cannon, Cathedral, Rumney). I went to the Dacks a few weeks ago and it was brutal.

Thanks

Pretty bad as one would expect from a damp June. ADKs usually a bit worse than NH but not that great a difference. Acadia--especially Otter and Great Head are your best bets for diminished bugs. For shorter trips some of the CT crags are fairly open and often have a decent breeze to keep the bugs at bay. I was at Farley (in Mass) yesterday and the bugs were reasonably tolerable there.

Rumney was pretty bad in April and early May, but then a cold snap hit and the last few times I've been up there I didn't much trouble with them.

Rumney usually isn't bad at all in my experience. I was at Pway yesterday and there were tons of mosquitoes though.

Ive been climbing in northern VT lately, in between Daks and NH. Black flies are still out around here. I'm sporting a few big itchy bites from climbing yesterday at Smugglers Notch. But I think they're beginning to dwindle. Seems like peak was a couple weeks ago. 

Are the flys at Rumney an all summer ordeal? I'm thinking of heading up mid to late July and it would be a huge bummer to drive 10 hours to get shut out by black flys! Any info is greatly appreciated! 

Black flies are mostly gone, or going away soon throughout all of New Hampshire.  I was at Rumney 2 days ago, and didn't notice a single black fly.  Even PWay probably only has a week left.  They are never really bad at Rumney even during peak black fly season except maybe the Blackjack Boulders.  Locals know black fly season as Mother's Day -> Father's Day.

However, mosquito season is here.

You'll probably be ok by then - at least better off then you would be right now.  A lot depends on the weather between now and then.

I spent a couple of years in NH and my recollection of it is as follows:

• Up to your eyeballs in snow all winter
• Eight weeks of the ungodly hell that are Black Flies
• Eight weeks of Alaska-class Mosquitos
• Eight weeks of Deer Flies and Ninja-Rated Horseflies
• Then for three weeks it's hallucinogenic beautiful like few places on Earth
• Up to your eyeballs in snow all winter

After two years of that I bailed for PDX under the promise of windsurfing, no bugs and no snow...

Some of us like winter :-) 

Bug situation was tolerable at Cannon and Cathedral this weekend. You probably won't get out without a few bites but they won't ruin your trip. 

Black flies have cleared out up here.  Because of the recent wetness, mosquitos are bad in the woods (wicked bad in Tamworth, NH).

Its all about how you dress. long pants, long sleaves and a bug net for belaying.

Was at Cannon on Saturday. Black flies were like I've never experienced before. I had a dozen biting me at a time on top of Duet buttress. They were also flying into my pants! I have bites all over me....I'm pretty itchy still today!

West coast best coast.

Black flies may be gone in southern NH but they are definitely still around up in the Whites.  I was in the Lincoln/Franconia area this weekend (6/17-18) and they were biting in full force.

I was at Rumney yesterday, mostly Jimmy Cliff, and the black flies weren't an issue. The mosquitos were a pain in the ass though.

Healyje wrote:

I spent a couple of years in NH and my recollection of it is as follows:

• Up to your eyeballs in snow all winter
• Eight weeks of the ungodly hell that are Black Flies
• Eight weeks of Alaska-class Mosquitos
• Eight weeks of Deer Flies and Ninja-Rated Horseflies
• Then for three weeks it's hallucinogenic beautiful like few places on Earth
• Up to your eyeballs in snow all winter

After two years of that I bailed for PDX under the promise of windsurfing, no bugs and no snow...

As a native New Englander who gets out of here as much as possible, this is why I leave. Bugs don't like the taste of me though. I'm one of the lucky ones.

Nick Goldsmith wrote:

Its all about how you dress. long pants, long sleaves and a bug net for belaying.

Because nothing says pleasant climbing in the humidity of a northeast summer like long sleeves and long pants.

I have a few mysterious red welts on my underarm area, after climbing Rumney.   Are these from black flies?

Russ Keane wrote:

I have a few mysterious red welts on my underarm area, after climbing Rumney.   Are these from black flies?

Chiggers?  I have quite a few on my legs from climbing in the Gunks on Tuesday.  It sucks because there's no indication they're there or you're being bit until a day later the itching and welts start.  I put deet around my waist band, where I usually would get nailed by them, but never put deet on my ankles like I normally would and of course that was their way in.