What a Difference a Day Makes

Monitor Pass (10/12/09)

Monitor Pass (10/12/09)

When Tim Fesko of the Meadowcliff Resort and RV Park in Coleville sent this report yesterday, his photographs of Monitor Pass and Meadowcliff show the aspen and cottonwood ready to blow into full color this weekend.  Now, with gale force winds predicted to blow across Northern California today, it’s anyone’s guess how many of the leaves will survive.  Still, here’s Tim’s report as of yesterday.

Tim had been encouraged that the previous week’s snow storm ” did not seem (at his elevations) to do much damage to colors” and predicted that “the next two weeks or so should show a lot of progress in colors. Still time to get over and catch the yellows turning golden turning reddish!”

0-15% — Walker River. Most of the aspen and cottonwoods along the Walker River are still green to lime green.  Same for the town of Walker.  Although, look to the banks along the river and you’ll see beautiful yellow color, as did Sarah McCahill as captured in her photo at right.

Walker River (10/12/09)

Walker River (10/12/09)

30-50% — Walker Canyon (5400′ – 6000′). Aspen, Cottonwoods and Willows are starting to turn. Aspens and Cottonwoods are showing green to lime green to light yellow. Willows are half green and half yellow.

15-30% — Antelope Valley (5000′ – 5300′). Near Walker, Coleville and Topaz, cottonwoods are still mostly green, “with some lime green and a tad of yellow. Aspens are half green and half yellow. Elms are vibrant reddish.”

Meadowcliff Resort (10/12/09)

Meadowcliff Resort (10/12/09)

15-30% — Monitor Pass (7000′ – 8300′). There’s still a lot of green with some yellow emerging.

15-30% — Monitor Pass (8314′). Mostly lime-green to yellow.

Meadowcliff Resort & RV Park

Meadowcliff Resort & RV Park

As I post this, the storm is beginning to build, though the strongest predicted winds have not yet arrived.  We’ll call Tim at the end of the week to see how things have changed, while keeping our fingers crossed for Tim and the folks at Meadowcliff that they don’t lose what promises to be a colorful coming two weeks.  If you’re motoring to the east side, you can’t find a more welcoming place than the Meadowcliff Resort.  This year, Tim added a nicely designed RV Park; the resort has guest rooms, a seasonal restaurant and shop. There’s an impressive rock cliff behind the resort, great fishing at Topaz Lake and the Walker River and lots of wild country to explore.

Photography: copyright 2009, Tim Fesko

Sarah