Cathedral Rock — Saturday, Jul. 30, 2022

Went up there for a backpack to escape the heat wave but ended up making a day hike out of it. The mosquitos were ferocious. Even though I brought two types of bug spray (citronella and picardin) and my friend brought two types of bug repellant (DEET and mosquito wristbands), I don’t remember being eaten alive the same way. It started off fine, then moderate around S* Lake (if you stopped, you would get swarmed), and finally gnarly times up closer to Cathedral Rock (swarmed while moving). It was hot, but I resigned myself to longsleeves, pants, and a bandana around my neck for relief. I don’t remember the last time I turned around after hauling a pack up, but my sanity was worth it. If you go, bug nets are highly recommended. High clearance vehicle recommended to get to the trailhead — a little Kia sedan turned around because they didn’t think they could make it over the stream (about 8-10 feet wide and maybe a foot deep). P.S. Berries were not ripe yet.