Gorgeous Light and Shores Carpeted with Color

Twin Lakes, Mammoth Lakes (9/10/16) Darrell Sano

Twin Lakes, Mammoth Lakes (9/10/16) Darrell Sano

Rock Creek, Mono County (9/10/16) Darrell Sano

Rock Creek, Mono County (9/10/16) Darrell Sano

Rock Creek, Mono County (9/10/16) Darrell Sano

Rock Creek, Mono County (9/10/16) Darrell Sano

Convict Lake, Mono County (9/10/16) Darrell Sano

Convict Lake, Mono County (9/10/16) Darrell Sano

Rock Creek, Mono County (9/10/16) Darrell Sano

Rock Creek, Mono County (9/10/16) Darrell Sano

Photographer Darrell Sano was mesmerized this past weekend by early autumn beauty seen in the Eastern Sierra.

He stayed in Mammoth Lakes at Twin Lakes and reports, “it was truly a memorable experience. The fall light is gorgeous, and the night sky was clear and pristine.”

Darrell poked around the Mammoth Lakes Basin though, because we’d just posted shots of that area by Josh Wray, chose to send images from nearby Convict Lake where color is just starting, “especially the low shrubs.”

Convict Lake is a late bloomer by Eastern Sierra standards, due to its lower elevation. If you go now, don’t expect to find aspen to be showing much color, though the beauty and serenity of the lake is uplifting. 

Darrell wrote he found Convict Lake to be “wonderful to watch fishermen float above giant boulders in the clear water.” His imagery seems almost Salvadore Dali-esque, doesn’t it?

Hiking Rock Creek Canyon, he found patches of color anywhere from high above the road, down to eye level.

Darrell pointed out things many people miss when they visit too late in autumn.  He noted the beauty of the trees when backlit, that their “golden leaves were stunning, a visual treat in the clear air.”

As always, we recommend looking down not just up, and Darrell confirmed that recommendation, saying the low grasses lining the crystal-clear lakes that he hiked past carpeted the edges with autumn color.

On Darrell’s return to the East Bay, he crossed Sonora Pass (CA-108) and found patchy areas of color on the east side of the pass. The aspen in this area are artistically set among boulders and water falls, well worth including on your search for fall color.

Just Starting (0-10%) – Convict Lake (7,851′)

Patchy (10-50%) – Sonora Pass (9,623′)