Final Hope
Today, Philip Reedy visited the Hope Valley one final time. He timed his visit as snow had just fallen and glazed the landscape. Though, the dusting did not suppress the valley’s iridescent beauty. It accented it.
This autumn, the Hope Valley was challenged by suffocating smoke and singed at its edges by the Caldor Fire. It exited the ordeal as a survivor. And in its final moment, the Hope Valley exhibited luster and grace.
- Hope Valley (7,300′) – Past Peak, You Missed It.
Crowley Lake Homecoming
Crowley Lake is home to Mono County’s working class. Well used and worn vehicles are parked on its streets … streets that are home to folk who work for land agencies, the county, in local tourism services or who retired there.
There’s not much ornamental about Crowley. It has a lived-in, down-to-business vibe that working towns often have. Its streets are built for getting there and getting it done. They’re wide, quiet and strong, just like Crowley Lake.
Golden black cottonwood and yellow quaking aspen forest Crowley Lake with Near Peak to Peak color. Conditions permitting, the show will continue for as much as two more weeks.
- McGee Creek Canyon (8,600’) – Peak (75 – 100%), GO NOW! – Brilliantly colorful.
- Around Crowley community (6,949′) – Near Peak to Peak (50 – 100%), GO NOW!
- Convict Lake (7,850′) – Near Peak to Peak (50 – 100%), GO NOW!
June Has Arrived
June Lake Loop (10/17/21) Angie Plaisted 
June Lake Loop (10/17/21) Angie Plaisted
It’s mid October, yet June has arrived.
Mammoth Lake’s Angie Plaisted drove the June Lake Loop yesterday, and sends evidence of Near Peak to Peak color. Forecasters are predicting partly cloudy skies through Saturday.
That means, color should continue to develop making this the week to see the June Lake Loop at Peak!
- June Lake Loop (7,654′) – Near Peak to Peak (10 – 75%), Go Now.
Influencer Season
When an Instagram influencer (@anu_eternalsunshine) called Mammoth Lakes color spotter Sarah Wallock and asked to see the best local fall color, Sarah was all in.
She didn’t have to go far to find it. Sarah drove north from Mammoth Lakes to the June Lake Loop where they toured CA-158 and toasted romance and autumn with California wine and appetizers.
- June Lakes Loop (7,654′) – Patchy to Near Peak (10 – 75%), Go Now.
Praise Quincy
As the Dixie fire ravaged Plumas County, destroying Greenville and much of its northern forest, many were praying that Quincy would be spared.
When it comes to California hometowns, Quincy stands apart. Isolated as it is in the northern Sierra, Quincy is authentic and lovely, particularly in autumn. Their prayers were answered.
As Michael Beatley’s photographs attest, Quincy was spared. The Dixie fire scorched the land north of town, but missed dipping into the American Valley.
Beatley captured the state of autumn downtown, where many landmark trees surround the Plumas County Courthouse and shade city streets and parks. On an OHV trail above Feather River College, he looked down upon a scene that is very close to peaking.
Snow is predicted above 5,000′, though Quincy is at just 3,342′. So it should be fine. Beatley says he plans to tour the region, visiting the Indian Valley whose edges were singed by the wildfire. A reassuring report of his from Spanish Creek showed that its famous Indian Rhubarb (darmera) survived and are nearing peak.
- Quincy (3,342′) – Near Peak (50 – 75%) GO NOW!
McGee Creek As Advertised
McGee Creek Canyon delivered as advertised here. Declared California Fall Color Hike of the Week, it was at peak this weekend, though Angie Plaisted worries that with snow falling Sunday night and Monday, as well as several days this week, will it last?
Certainly, it will be gorgeous when the clouds break, immediately after it snows. So, GO NOW!
- McGee Creek Canyon (8,600′) – Peak (75 – 100%), GO NOW!
Drought + Smoke + Cold Snap = Strange
When it comes adding up this strange autumn, consider the sum of drought, smoke and a recent cold snap.
Steve Arita was looking for a way to explain why fall color has been so cattywampus. Following a weekend trip into the Sierra, he said, “I was expecting most areas to be at peak, and while that is the case, it seemed there still are many areas interspersed with lime green with bright colors.”
His conclusion? “This has been a strange year for fall colors.”
Lake Tahoe (10/16/21) Steve Arita 
Tallac Estates, Lake Tahoe (10/15/21) Steve Arita
At Lake Tahoe, Steve stayed mostly along the west shore. Good idea. There’s not much on the east side near Marlette Lake, and only occasional bright splashes of color elsewhere around the lake. Martis Creek is Past Peak and the Kokanee salmon aren’t spawning.
Why? Add Drought.
It was announced this past week that the Lake has reached its natural rim (6,223′) and is no longer spilling water into the Truckee River. Tahoe is full when the water level is 6,229′, meaning that at the natural rim, the lake has lost six feet of depth across its surface of 191 square miles. That’s 1,146 square miles of water, a foot deep.
What color is found at Tahoe lacks luster and is seen only along creek drainages, Spring Ave. and the bike path.
Red Lake, Hope Valley (10/16/21) Don Vilfer 
Wylder Resort, Hope Valley (10/16/21) Don Vilfer
Steve continued from Lake Tahoe south along CA-89 through the east end of the Hope Valley (passing beautiful color at the Wylder Resort, now at peak), through across the highway, opposite Wylder, the groves are on their way out and will be gone with the next storm.
As for the drive through Markleeville and over Monitor Pass to US 395, Arita said he doesn’t recall ever seeing so many trees showing bright fall colors through Woodfords Canyon, along Markleeville Creek and the East Fork of the Carson River, but as he crossed Monitor Pass, the aspen were Past Peak.
Most of the Hope Valley’s groves – above Wylder toward Carson Pass (CA-88) are now Past Peak. An exception is the groves behind Red Lake Creek Cabin, which have enough Patchy aspen within them, to sustain the show for another few days. Considering that snow will fall all week, the effect of snow on peak fall color should be beautiful.
The first trees to drop their leaves in the Hope Valley were quaking aspen whose leaves – two weeks before – were then edged with or entirely brown.
Why? Add Smoke.
Intense heat and toxic gasses from September’s Caldor fire damaged many, but not all, aspen leaves in the Hope Valley.
Twin Lakes (10/15/21) Steve Arita 
Twin Lakes (10/15/21) Steve Arita
By afternoon, Steve had reached the Twin Lakes, southwest of Bridgeport. If you’ve never driven the Eastern Sierra, you’re probably unaware (as I was the first time I traveled the road), that old west ranch life still survives in California. Hundreds of cattle graze across Bridgeport’s miles-wide valley. To the west, snow-flecked sawtooth peaks overlooking these high plains. Mechanized cattle drives transport the cattle to Bridgeport in springtime; by now, they’ve been chauffeured south to their winter grounds. At Twin Lakes, he found aspen reflecting lime-colored, yellow and orange leaves upon indigo waters, ending his first day on the east side.
June Lake (10/16/21) Steve Arita 
Silver Lake (10/16/21) Steve Arita
Saturday morning began early at Silver Lake where a turn of weather from constant cold to temperate days and cold nights allowed Patchy trees to develop vibrant color within the past week. Still, there were remnants of a freezing rain from last Spring with black spot algae on some. Others were dull and mottled.
Why? Add a cold snap.
Vibrant fall color is developed on clear, sunny days with freezing nights. This past week, it stayed cold day and night, dulling the color on leaves, many of which dropped, leaving leaves that hadn’t yet turned.
Rush Creek (10/16/21) Steve Arita 
Rush Creek (10/16/21) Steve Arita
Along Gull and June Lakes, Steve found yellow intermixed with lime-green leaves. That’s good news, as – conditions permitting – the show will continue to improve as green turns to yellow and yellow turns to orange or red. It was even further along at Silver Lake and along Rush Creek where the colors were a lot brighter and further developed, but still carrying yellow-lime leaves.
However, get there now, as predicted snow – while beautiful right after it drops – can ruin what show remains.
In all, Arita found these forests to be beautiful and visited by crowds at “full throttle.” That adds up to peak color in these locations for a few more days.
- Lake Tahoe (6,223′) – Patchy (10 – 50%)
- Hope Valley (7,300′) – Peak to Past Peak, GO NOW!, You Almost Missed It.
- Twin Lakes (7,000′) – Near Peak (50 – 75%), Go Now.
- June Lakes Loop (Patchy to Near Peak (10 – 75%), Go Now.
Owens River Gold
The best gold to find in California, these autumn days, is to head toward the trees.
Gary Young and his lady found it on a Saturday walk, east of Bishop along Warm Springs Rd near the Owens River where oak and cottonwood are laden with gold.
Bishop (10/16/21) Gary Young 
Bishop (10/16/21) Gary Young
- Bishop (4,150′) – Patchy (10 – 50%)
Early Harvest
There’s an early harvest of fall color to be seen in Mendocino County, where vines along West Road in Redwood Valley, north of Ukiah, are hemorrhaging, reports Michelle Pontoni.
Most of the vines seen from US 101 are green, but should present a brilliant show in weeks to come.
- West Road, Redwood Valley, US 101 (633′) – Patchy (10 – 50%)
A Tapestry of Textures & Tones
Technically, the June Lake Loop was Patchy when Mark Harding first photographed it, this past week. However, his images establish why visiting a location before it peaks is still a good idea. As, they present a tapestry of varied textures and tones.
The image chosen to lead this report is the earliest of those he took (Wednesday), yet the mix of bare white, red, orange, yellow, lime, forest green and purple mountains majesty made it one of the best in his set.
Morning mist settled on Silver Lake Thursday morning, as morning light and shaded aspen were reflected upon its still water. The mist separated two worlds, that of light and shadow and that of reflection. (click to enlarge image)
Lee Vining Canyon 
Lee Vining Creek 
Lee Vining Canyon 
Lee Vining Creek
The tapestry continued in Lee Vining Canyon where Patchy, Near Peak and Peak trees filled it with varied color.
The above shots were taken up the Little Walker Rd near US 395/Sonora Pass Junction. Again, Mark found a mix of Patchy, Near Peak, Peak and Past Peak trees.