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Autumn Begins Today, But Started Weeks Ago

Hilton Lakes Rd. (9/21/15) Josh Wray

Bear Creek Spire and Pyramid toward Hilton Lakes (9/20/15) Josh Wray

Autumn begins today, though #SierraFallColors have been developing for weeks.

In the Eastern Sierra, that is particularly evident up Rock Creek and Hilton Creek Canyons, south of Mammoth Lakes and Lundy Canyon to the north, where color spotters Josh Wray and Christine Osborne took these photos.  The color there is still mostly patchy, though approaching Near Peak.

Josh wrote that he hadn’t heard what was happening up these canyons, so he decided to go check them out for himself, and was very glad he did. He anticipates these canyons will be, “peaking fairly soon,” and promises to keep tabs of them.
Hilton Lakes Rd. (9/20/15) Josh Wray

Hilton Lakes Rd. (9/20/15) Josh Wray

Hilton Lakes Rd. (9/21/15) Josh Wray

Hilton Lakes Rd. (9/20/15) Josh Wray

The road to Rock Creek (9/22/15) Josh Wray

The road to Rock Creek (9/20/15) Josh Wray

RC Hilton Lakes 7

Shaded by aspen (9/20/15) Josh Wray

Rock Creek Lake Road (9/20/15) Josh Wray

Rock Creek Lake Road (9/20/15) Josh Wray

Lundy Canyon (9/20/15) Christine Osborne

Lundy Canyon (9/20/15) Christine Osborne

Lundy Canyon (9/20/15) Christine Osborne

Lundy Canyon (9/20/15) Christine Osborne

Lundy Canyon (9/20/15) Christine Osborne

Lundy Canyon (9/20/15) Christine Osborne

Lundy Canyon (9/20/15) Christine Osborne

Lundy Canyon (9/20/15) Christine Osborne

Right now, you’ll see lots of fluorescent lime, neon yellow and bright orange, though not enough to announce an alert to Go Now!

Still, if you’re heading to the east side this weekend, you’ll find lots to enjoy by continuing up toward Mammoth Lakes and exploring the canyons north and south of it.

Josh describes the Eastern Sierra as where mountain ridges begin to glow as if they’re afire, canyon roads are the “roads to happiness” and the higher you go, the more you see changing.  Soon, you  witness “trees in every phase of the color shift.”

Patchy (10-50%) – Rock Creek – Gettin’ good.
Patchy (10-50%) – Hilton Creek – Same as Rock Creek.
Patchy (10-50%) – Lundy Canyon – Ditto.
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