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Incoming in Inyo County

North Lake (9/15/23) Betsy Forsyth

The excitement continues to grow in the Eastern Sierra as the autumn equinox approaches. Small flecks of lime greens and yellows continue to make their appearances.

Inyo County color spotter, Betsy Forsyth, reports that things are getting started in the Bishop area.

“Down in the valley there are plenty of yellow hues in the cottonwoods,” she states. More is expected to pop up by next weekend.

The approach of the first day of fall is also queueing up some fall weather, according to the National Weather Service. Wind, showers and freezes are in the forecast for the Eastern Sierra in the coming week. Expect this to trigger additional color changes in the region.

Deciduous trees drop their leaves in order to survive.  As days grow shorter and colder, deciduous trees shut down veins and capillaries (that carry water and nutrients) with a barrier of cells that form at the leaf’s stem.

Called “abscission” cells, the barrier prevents the leaf from being nourished. The abscission layer blocks the transportation of materials from the leaf to the branch and from the roots to the leaves. As green Chlorophyll is blocked from the leaves, it disappears completely from them and that is when the fall colors begin to appear.

As long as the days stay warm, cold nights are good for creating vibrant fall color.

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The Wait is Over

Early Changes, Convict Lake (9/9/23) Samantha Lindberg

While the autumn equinox is still more than a week away fall colors are being spotted in Mono County and we have received our first reports. It seems the wait is over and things are beginning to change.

Things are just getting started with only a couple of locations showing lime-green to yellow leaves, reports color spotter Jeff Simpson. Sagehen Summit, Virginia Lakes, and Rock Creek Lake are always the first areas to change and that’s no exception this year. All three locations are in the 0-10% category and are just getting going with a few changing leaves at the highest elevations. 

To Simpson’s surprise, Convict Lake and McGee Creek in the Eastern Sierra were also showing signs of autumn with a few groves of yellow (and even orange) color at the south end of Convict Lake. These areas traditionally peak in mid-October so keep your eye out for an early season there. Both locations are also in the 0-10% category.

  • Rock Creek Lake (9,705’) – Just Starting (0-10%)
  • Virginia Lakes (9,819’) – Just Starting (0-10%)
  • Convict Lake (7,850′) – Just Starting (0-10%)
  • Sagehen Summit (8,139′) – Just Starting (0-10%)
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Meteorological Fall, Plus Why Leaves Change

Meteorological Fall, Convict Lake (8/28/23), Samantha Lindberg

Color spotter, Samantha Lindberg recently used the phrase “meteorological fall” and it peaked my interest. After doing a little research it seems the term refers to a season created by scientists (meteorologists). It begins September 1 and ends November 30, according to wane.com, because this is the time period that the general public associates with “fall.”

While the date of the actual autumn equinox changes every year, meteorological fall stays the same. The equinox arrives on September 22 in 2023 in California, but with cooler temperatures in the state this Labor Day Weekend, perhaps the scientists behind meteorological fall are on to something.

Either way, the reason leaves change color throughout the season stays the same. Blake Engelhardt with the US Forest Service explains.

“During the summer growing season the leaves are constantly producing chlorophyll, which gives them their green color,” she says. “In the fall, longer nights trigger the formation of the abscission layer.”

According to Engelhardt, this is basically a thickened layer of cells at the base of the leaf where it attaches to the stem that blocks the transport of water and sugar into the leaf.

“Thin, deciduous leaves won’t survive the freezing temperatures of winter, so there’s no reason to keep feeding them,” she adds. “Once chlorophyll synthesis stops, the green quickly disappears and other more persistent pigments become visible yellows, reds, purples.”

Yellow comes from Xanthophylls (compounds) and Flavonols (proteins) that reflect yellow light.

Orange is found in leaves with lots of beta-carotene, a compound that absorbs blue and green light and reflects yellow and red light, giving the leaves their orange color.

Red comes from the Anthocyanin compound.

The best fall color occurs when days are warm and nights are clear and cold. California’s cloudless skies and extreme range of elevations (sea level to 14,000′) provide ideal conditions for the development of consistently vivid fall color, as seen in these reports

Peak fall color will begin appearing in the Eastern Sierra above 9,000 feet (you can drive right to it) during the last two weeks of September.

Upcoming Fall Events

In addition to fabulous fall colors, the season also offers up great events.

In Inyo County, the Blake Jones Trout Derby was rescheduled for Sept. 16 and the Millpond Music Festival is that same weekend: Sept. 15-17.

More Inyo events:
Annual Bishop Pabanamanina Pow Wow –  Sept. 22-23
Lone Pine Film Festival – Oct. 5-8
Fall Color Car Show – Oct. 7
Dark Sky Festival at Eastern Sierra Observatory: Oct. 12-15
Annual River Cleanup – Nov. 4
Fall Highball Craggin Classic – Nov. 10-12
 
Mono County also offers a wide array of fall events, including a Fall Colors Photography Workshop and Pack Trip and the well-loved June Lake Autumn Beer Festival. Learn more about Mono County fall events here.
 
As for a new, notable event, the Obstacle Course Race (OCR) World Championships will be held in Mammoth Lakes from Oct. 5-9.
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Early Signs of What’s to Come

Aspen leaves yellowing, Convict Lake (8/28/23), Samantha Lindberg

Color spotters in California are beginning to send in sightings of the first signs of seasonal color change.

In the Mammoth Lakes area, Angie Plaisted reported on August 24, 2023 that a few leaves around Convict Lake were getting an early start on showing off their fall colors.

Color spotter Samantha Lindberg also checked out Convict Lake on August 28 and claimed, “we are just starting to get a teaser of what is yet to come, Convict Lake has some yellow on the tops of the tress and some fallen leaves. Also, the rabbitbrush is making its appearance!”

Rabbitbrush appears as summer begins to fade and blooms into fall.

Color spotter (and former californiafallcolor.com editor) John Poimiroo reported on August 25 that signs in Tahoe at 6,224′ were pointing to an early winter in the High Sierra.

“Oak trees are full of acorns and dropping them rapidly,” Poimiroo said. “Chickaree (Douglas Squirrels) and Golden Mantled Ground Squirrels (often mistaken as chipmunks) are frantically gathering black oak acorns and other nuts. One local said she had never seen them so active.”

US Forest Service Botanist Blake Engelhardt also weighed in with some thoughts.

“I’m optimistic that with the lingering snowpack this season and the moist soils from spring rains, we are primed for some good fall colors,” she said.

The Farmer’s Almanac is calling for another big winter and Engelhardt reinforced that it could quickly change what we see out there this year.

“Foliage season is always difficult to predict in terms of length, as unexpected frosts can cause leaves to drop quickly.”

This year the first day of fall is September 22 at 11:49 pm, so start your preparations for scenic drives and sweater weather.

What's to Come, Convict Lake (8/24/23), Angie Plaisted
What's to Come, Convict Lake (8/24/23), Angie Plaisted
The appearance of rabbitbrush in the Eastern Sierra means summer is fading into fall (8/28/23), Samantha Lindberg
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Home is Where Fall Color Is

My daughter at Home, Mammoth Lakes (October 2022) Lara Kaylor

Last year I missed fall color in California. My family and I moved to the Midwest for an off-the-beaten path adventure and briefly traded pockets of gold set against grand landscapes for swaths of oranges and reds. While the extra color was a sight to be seen, there was something missing in my mind.

When fall happens in California, especially in the Eastern Sierra, there is a bustle of activity that goes with it — hiking, biking, fishing, and (my favorite) camping. These activities take on new life with fall color as their backdrop and this year, I couldn’t have been happier to be back home for the season.

Fall in the Eastern Sierra is known for supplying unreal landscapes beyond your wildest dreams. Pops of color set against the grandeur of the mountains make leaf-peeping in our region completely unique, and this year was no exception.

The past six weeks have been full of beautiful, and colorful, pockets of wonder around the region, but like all good things, fall must come to an end so we can look forward to it again next year. Currently, everything above 7,200′ in our region is past-peak. If you come up this weekend you might find some hidden color, but this is officially our last report of the season.

Snow has begun to fall and while right now it has left a light dusting that simply sprinkles the fall colors with a little extra magic, we expect bigger storms in the next week that will blow and freeze the leaves away. As the season comes to an end, we hope you’ll scroll back through the photos on this site from time to time to remind yourself of the past season and build your excitement for next year.

  • Mammoth Lakes (7,881′) – Past Peak, You Missed It.
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Mono’s Final Moment

Black cottonwood, Topaz Lake, Mono County (11/5/22) Jeff Simpson
Black cottonwood, Topaz Lake, Mono County (11/5/22) Jeff Simpson

Mono County had its final moment of fall color on Saturday at Topaz Lake. Jeff Simpson was there to record it.

This has been a beautiful and long-lasting autumn in Mono County and now it’s fully past peak.

  • Mono County (5,033′ – 10,400′) – Past Peak, You Missed It.
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Inyo’s Final Call

Round Valley, US 395 (11/7/22) Betsy Forsyth

It’s final call for fall color in Inyo County (Eastern Sierra) where a few locations in the Owens Valley have Peak to Past Peak color and a winter storm is currently lashing what’s left. (Click photo above to enlarge)

Bishop color spotter Betsy Forsyth reports …

Bishop has lots of yellows, oranges and reds scattered throughout. There are still a few green trees, but with the storm that arrived Tuesday (Nov. 8), Inyo County’s autumn show will probably not last much longer. Now, should the wind not blow remaining peaking leaves from the trees, places like Bishop City Park are absolutely beautiful and worth visiting.

  • Bishop (4,150′) – Peak/Past Peak (75-100%) GO NOW, You almost missed it. 
  • Buckley Ponds (4,150′) – Past Peak, You Missed it.
  • Rawson Ponds (4,150′) – Past Peak, You Missed it.
  • Owens Valley (4,000′) – Peak/Past Peak (75-100%) GO NOW, You almost missed it. 

In Pine Creek, all of the aspen are past peak. There are oranges, yellows and still a few greens throughout the lower portion of the canyon. Again, a cold storm is here, and this is probably the last of the colors.

  • Lower Rock Creek Rd ((7,087′) – Past Peak, You Missed it.
  • Round Valley (4,692′) – Peak/Past Peak (75-100%) GO NOW, You almost missed it. 
  • Lower Pine Creek Canyon (7,000′) – Past Peak, You Missed it.
  • Pine Creek Pack Station (7,400′) – Past Peak, You Missed it.
City Park, Bishop, Owens Valley (11/7/22) Betsy Forsyth
Pine Creek Canyon (11/7/22) Betsy Forsyth
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Oh, Oh, Owens

Millpond, Bishop, Owens Valley (11/2/22) Betsy Forsyth

Oh, Oh, … Owens Valley has finally been crowned fall color queen of the Eastern Sierra. Its black cottonwood are gamboge towers throughout Bishop and reflected in nearby ponds.

The Round Valley north of Bishop is at its best, as well. This is a definite photograph if heading north to ski this weekend at Mammoth Mountain. Tip: shoot facing south so that the trees are backlit. 

The unanswered question is will Pine Creek Canyon last another week of sleet and snow? Presently, a mix of color remains in the canyon. 

Southern Inyo County

  • Big Pine (3,989′) – Patchy (10-50%)

Bishop Creek Canyon

  • All Elevations  Past Peak, You Missed it.

Owens Valley/Bishop

Bishop has lots of yellows scattered throughout. There are still lots of green trees, so the colors will keep coming. Colder weather is predicted for this weekend.   

  • Bishop (4,150′) – Near Peak (50-75%) Go Now.
  • Buckley Ponds (4,150′) – Near Peak (50-75%) Go Now.
  • Rawson Ponds (4,150′) – Near Peak (50-75%) Go Now.
  • Owens Valley (4,000′) – Near Peak (50-75%) Go Now.

Northern Inyo County

Lower Rock Creek Rd. is past peak higher and peak/past peak lower in the canyon.

Round Valley’s many towering black oak are full of yellow and gold, though green leaves indicate the peak will last another week. It is quite beautiful. 

In Pine Creek, all of the aspen are past peak, but there are so many other deciduous trees and bushes that the colors continue to turn. There are oranges, yellows and greens throughout the canyon. 

  • Lower Rock Creek Rd (7,087′) – PEAK (75-100%) GO NOW!
  • Round Valley (4,692′) – Near Peak (50-75%) Go Now. 
  • Lower Pine Creek Canyon (7,000′) – Near Peak (50-75%) Go Now.
  • Pine Creek Pack Station (7,400′) – PEAK to Past Peak – GO NOW, You almost missed it.
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Silver Lining

Coleville, US 395, Mono County (11/2/22) Jeff Simpson

With so much snow coating fall color in the Eastern Sierra (6 – 8″ fell yesterday), leave it to Mono County color spotter Jeff Simpson to call it a “Silver Lining.”

In fact, he was referring to the Antelope Valley where black cottonwood from the West Walker River to Topaz along US 395 vary from Peak to Near Peak. “It’s last call for the walker canyon while the big cottonwood trees in the valley are still pretty green and should be good for another 10 days,” he wrote.

US 395, Mono County (11/2/22) Jeff Simpson

Overall, however, snow has changed the focus of Mono County toward welcoming winter visitors. So this was Mono County’s final fall color report.

The biggest news yesterday was from Mammoth Mountain which reported it will open early (Sat., Nov. 5) for skiing and riding. Also, the Bridgeport Winter Recreation Area opens Dec. 3 and June Mountain will open on Dec. 17.

Presently, the only way to get to Mono County is from the north or south on U.S. 395, as Tioga Pass (CA 120), Sonora Pass (CA 10-8) and Monitor Pass CA 89 are closed due to snow. These passes will reopen if conditions allow. CLICK HERE to read current road conditions.

Snowcreek, Mammoth Lakes (11/2/22) Angie Plaisted

Jeff observed that Autumn 2022 “was a fantastic season with incredible conditions early in the year. The cold temperatures and storms pushed us past peak a little earlier than expected.” He recommends bookmarking Mono County’s Fall Colors Page, and noting dates on images to plan color spotting trips next year. 

Yesterday, I drove I-80 to Lake Tahoe (6,225′), to be at our family cabin for the return of a tuned-up snowblower. On the way, I passed clusters of aspen in Truckee, along Martis Creek and on the North Shore that were still holding heavy loads of pumpkin-colored leaves. Photographers in search of snow-flocked aspen and cottonwood should search elevations between 5,000 and 6,000′ in the next five days.

  • West Walker River, Walker, Coleville and Topaz (5,200′) – Near Peak to PEAK (50-100%) GO NOW! – Golden along the banks of the West Walker River but still greenish in the Antelope Valley and the towns of Walker, Coleville and Topaz. 
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Poole Powers Up

Poole Power Plant, Lee Vining Canyon (10/29/22) Sam Xi

While most of Lee Vining Canyon is past peak with aspen denuded, color spotter Sam Xi found a grove of aspen at the entrance to the Poole Power Plant that’s powered up with electric color.

He also observed that the “June Lake Loop is definitely going into past peak now overall, but there is still a ton of color in aspens to be found at Silver Lake, as well as the loop road right after June Lake village.”
 
Thanks, Sam. We updated the fall color map based on Sam’s precise directions.
  • Poole Power Plant, Lee Vining Canyon (6,781′) – PEAK (75-100%) GO NOW!
  • June Lake Loop – PEAK to Past Peak, Go Now, you almost missed it.