Gallimauphry – East/West Sierra, Wine/Gold Country

June Lake Loop (10/25/12) Jeff Titcomb

Here’s a roundup of color seen around the state.  We received photos only from Mono County.  I drove through Napa and Sonoma Counties today, but had no time to stop and take photos, so must leave that to local color spotters.  Visit the “About” page on this site to find our email address.

Also, if you’re frustrated that we haven’t responded to requests posted on our Facebook page, it got blocked by Facebook because we responded to a message sent to us by one of our color spotters.  The message was actually a Facebook virus that infected our site.  So, Facebook has blocked us from posting until they’re sure the virus is gone.

This blog, however, is not infected, so it will continue to post reports.  Because the Facebook message from the spotter related to “color change,” we thought it had something to do with fall color.  And, since it came from a productive spotter, we clicked on the request, only to learn today that it was a virus.

Because it was a virus and because we clicked to accept the color spotter’s request, the virus may have sent itself among our Facebook friends.  So, if you are a subscriber to our Facebook page and receive a request from us to something to do with “color change,” don’t accept it.   In the meantime, here’s what’s happening:

 

June Lake Loop (10/25/12) Jeff Titcomb

 

June Lake Loop (10/25/12) Jeff Titcomb

 

June Lake Loop (10/25/12) Jeff Titcomb

Eastern Sierra

Past Peak – Bishop Creek Canyon (above 7,500’) – All elevations above 7,500’ are now past peak, though some spectacular color can be seen in pockets of the Bishop Creek Canyon.

75 – 100% – Bishop Creek Canyon (below 7,500’) – The lower areas of Bishop Creek Canyon are in their glory, with lots of yellow and spots of orange.

Owens Valley, Bishop (10/25/12) Jon Klusmire

50 – 75% – Owens Valley – The color seen in Bishop and other towns long US 395 contrasted with snow atop Eastern Sierra peaks is breathtaking.

75 – 100% – Convict Lake – The mix of snow and fall color this past week has been beautiful.

75 – 100% – Mammoth Lakes – Spirits are up at Mammoth Mountain which reported 18” of new snow on the mountain this past week.  Combined with the fall color that’s still to be seen in the Lakes Basin, the area is “stunning.”

75 – 100% – June Lake – Color is at peak along the June Lake Loop, described by a reporter as “magnificent.”  The early snow has provided beautiful contrast.

Western Sierra

30 – 50% – Yosemite Valley – Dogwood are coloring pink, the bigleaf maple have dropped leaves into fern spring  and the black oak are turning bright orange and black in time for Halloween.  The famous pioneer Eastern Sugar Maple near the Yosemite chapel is past peak.  Yosemite nature photographer, Michael Frye reports on his blog (see link at left), “… autumn is arriving slowly. I found some nice color across the river from El Capitan, underneath Middle Cathedral Rock, where most of the maples have turned yellow. Some other maples around the valley have also turned, along with a few dogwoods and cottonwoods, but most of the deciduous trees are still green.  It looks like the peak color is still at least a week away, but the good news is that most of the trees seem to be in good shape. The leaves on a few dogwoods have already wilted and turned brown, but these are a small minority. Last year most of the cottonwood leaves wilted before changing color, but this year the cottonwoods look normal—if still mostly green.”

Gold Country

75 – 100% – Sierra Foothills – Grasses and ground covers in the Sierra foothills are glowing golden with splashes of maroon, along Latrobe Road, CA-16 and Buena Vista Road.  Amador County vineyards are just beginning to show yellow and auburn, mostly lime green on the vines.

North Coast

30 – 50% – Napa Valley – A hillside of vines at the intersection of CA-12 and the Silverado Trail is flush with ruby, yellow, orange and lime.

30 – 50% – Carneros – Vines near Cuvaison and Domaine Carneros at CA-12 and Duhig Rd. are yellow, red and lime.

30 – 50% – Valley of the Moon, Sonoma County – Vines along Stage Gulch Rd (CA-116) now sparkle with red, yellow and lime.