Andrew Skurka - In My Pack: Six Items for Rain & Ticks in West Virginia
With temperatures in the 40’s through 60’s, I’m expecting some mosquitoes. But I’m more concerned about ticks — May is prime time for them, and the mid-Atlantic is the epicenter for Lyme disease according to the CDC.
The most effective method to repel ticks is full-coverage clothing (i.e. long-sleeve shirt and pants, with pants tucked into socks) treated with permethrin, which may be branded as Insect Shield, BugsAway, Insect Blocker, or similar. That will be my outfit in late-June for more trips in the Brooks Range, but I’m struggling to imagine that outfit in the steamy East.
Read the full article by Andrew Skurka on his website here.
May 7, 2022
Andrew Skurka
LIFE OUTDOORS
MEDIA MENTIONS
Of all the creepy crawlers, ticks keep me on high alert. They can be very tiny in the nymph stage and difficult to see. They love to hang out in tall grasses along the trail and hitch a ride on hikers passing by. I plan on treating most of my clothes and gear with Sawyer Permethrin.
MEDIA MENTIONS
Ultra-compact and lightweight
MEDIA MENTIONS
I would often just drink directly from the sawyer squeeze if I was feeling lazy- which by the way works wonderfully.
