East Walker River (9/25/17) Robert Kermen
East Walker River (9/25/17) Robert Kermen
Color Spotter Robert Kermen was passing the Walker River (US 395) this week when he captured “just a little gold peaking out” among the willows and in the aspen along the canyon’s walls.
Walker River – Just Starting (0-10%)
Ponderosa Pine, Willows, Spinner Fall Lodge, Fall River Mills (9/20/17) Martha Fletcher
Martha Fletcher of Fall River Mills (First Report) sends this shot of the tops of Ponderosa pine reflecting the orange glow of sunset, as – in the foreground – willows are just beginning to reflect on their own orange tones.
Fall River Mills (3,195′) – Just Starting (0-10%)
Fall color is developing rapidly across Mono County following last week’s storm, which dropped six inches of snow in the higher elevations of the Eastern Sierra, reports Mono County color spotter, Jeff Simpson.
Sagehen Summit (9/25/17) Jeff Simpson
Sagehen Summit (9/29/17) Rick Aeschliman
Sagehen Summit is Mono County’s first reported “GO NOW!” peak with vibrant yellows, and oranges. Simpson declares Sagehen Summit as a must-see this week. He estimates it will be photo-worthy for the next 5-7 days.
Virginia Lakes Rd. (9/25/17) Crys Black
Color spotter Crys Black drove south on US 395 from Conway Summit to Bishop Creek Canyon just after the dusting of snow this past weekend and found some color along the Virginia Lakes Road, though reported that the yellows were pretty muted. Similarly, Simpson says the upper sections of Rock Creek Road, Lobdell Lake Road and Tioga Pass are worth the trip, but still five days from peak viewing.
Convict Lake (9/25/17) Crys Black
Willows, Convict Lake (9/25/17) Crys Black
Convict Lake was starting to light up, though some leaves are spotty and brown. Black predicts the Round Valley to be good next week. Lots of its trees are frosted with yellow.
Convict Lake (7,850′) – Patchy (10-50%) – Willows are providing bright color around the lake.
Sagehen Summit (9/25/17) Jeff Simpson
Sagehen Summit (8,139’) – Peak (75-100%) – Sagehen Summit is currently displaying vibrant yellows, and oranges and is a MUST see this week and should be photo-worthy for the next 5-7 days. GO NOW!
Lobdell Lake Road (8,600”) – Patchy (10-50%) – Lobdell Lake Road is still having trouble getting going. Lots of green and lime green with not much change from last week Note: Burcham Flat Road to Lobdell lake Road are dirt roads – AWD or 4WD vehicles are recommended.
Virginia Lakes Rd. (9/28/17) Steve Greer
Virginia Lakes (9,819’) –Patchy (10-50%) – Yellow and greens around the lake with more color in higher elevations. For more adventurous leaf peepers with AWD or 4WD vehicles, take the Dunderberg Meadow Road to Sinnamon Meadows and Green Creek for additional aspen groves and views of Conway Summit.
Tioga Pass & Lee Vining Canyon (9,943′ & 6,781′) -Patchy (10-50%) – Color is just starting to show up around the upper elevations of Hwy 120 – Tioga Pass. Take the road up to Saddlebag Lake for the best viewing spots.
Upper Rock Creek (9,600’) –Patchy (10-50%) – Color is starting to show up nicely around Rock Creek Lake but still a bit patchy. Take the Mosquito Flats trail, Hilton & Davis Lakes Trail or Tamarack Bench Trail into higher elevations for more color.
Mono County is posting extended reports at MonoCounty.org and late pictures on Facebook.com/VisitEasternSierra and Instagram.com/MonoCountyTourism.
Writing in Via, Christopher Hall declares, “To hear New England tell it, you’d think that glorious fall foliage only happens there. But we in the West respectfully disagree.”
Amen.
CLICK HERE to read his article.
Hope Valley (10/8/16) Andrew Zheng
With only 1,138 residents, Alpine County is California’s smallest county, but what it lacks in population, it makes up in Quaking Aspen.
Aspen forests populate seven viewing areas in Alpine County: the Hope Valley, Woodfords Canyon, Monitor Pass, East Fork Carson River, Ebbett’s Pass, Hermit Valley and Bear Valley/Lake Alpine.
Though Alpine County is just south of my base in El Dorado County, I’ve never scouted Ebbett’s Pass, Hermit Valley or Bear Valley/Lake Alpine. That’s an omission I hope to correct, and just might do so during the Alpine Aspen Festival, Oct. 7 – 8.
The festival occurs in the Hope Valley, which is a favorite destination for fall color spotters due to its proximity to Sacramento, Stockton, Modesto and the SF Bay Area.
Planned are interpretive hikes, photography and en plein air painting, a ranch tour, music and – of course – food (Dutch oven cooking and a feed benefitting East Fork Fire).
There are a bunch of first reports on the line. Let’s see who gets to them, first.
Liquidambar, Walnut/Diamond Bar (9/25/17) Del Hossain
Liquidambar styraciflua (Sweet Gum) is one of those ornamental trees that can’t wait for autumn to arrive.
It often begins exhibiting, bright reds, burgundies, yellows and oranges in flaming profusion in mid-summer.
More than any other tree, it generates reports that autumn is arriving early, just because it begins showing early fall color. Its brilliant color explains why it is one of the most commonly-planted deciduous trees.
The sweet gum is an American tree, though not native to California. It’s found growing naturally in the eastern and southeastern U.S., in Mexico and Central America.
There are 13 cultivars (a type of cultivated plant) of sweet gum (Burgundy, Festival, Gumball, Parasol… even the funny-sounding Goduzam and Morplesdon among them). In California, the Palo Alto is the favorite, appreciated for its flame color and autumn glow.
From Los Angeles County, color spotter Del Hossain was out for an evening walk last night. Inspired by an orange-purple sunset, he was further dazzled by the color within a liquidambar urban forest planted along Pathfinder Rd. that was exhibiting complementary color.
True to its reputation, while native trees are struggling to get going in the Sierra, the exotic liquidambar styraciflua is unashamed to blush early.
Diamond Bar (696′) – Just Starting (0-10%)
All The News That’s Fit To Print
South Lake Rd, near Parchers, Bishop Creek Canyon (9/23/17) Naresh Satyan
NY Times reporter Mike McPhate posted a piece today in California Today about our autumn, stating, “That means in California, with its extreme topography, weekend travelers can find their way to fall foliage for much longer.”
CLICK HERE to read Mike’s article.
Also, the NY Times’ California Today has a new feature by which you can post a photo. We recommend sending current photos and ones that show not just inspirational landscapes, but the relationship of people to them. CLICK HERE to be taken to that page.
Green Lake (9/23/17) Naresh Satyan
Color spotters from across California have been contributing their observations. Here’s a roundup of what they’re seeing.
Eastern Sierra
Groves Above Cardinal Village (9/24/17) Clayton Peoples
Clayton Peoples spent Sunday in the upper reaches of Bishop Creek Canyon and reports, “Although I agree with color spotter Will Ridgeway on rating the high elevations above Lake Sabrina as “Near Peak” (50-75%), much of Bishop Creek Canyon is still “Patchy” (10-50%)–but that doesn’t mean there isn’t still beautiful color to be found.
“For instance, the upper portion of the groves above Cardinal Village have turned mostly orange. Given a few more days, this subset of aspens will likely be at peak color. Likewise, some of the aspen around Lake Sabrina have begun to turn yellow and/or orange–but will likely need a week or more to reach peak color.
Nevertheless, Clayton predicts there will be “numerous weeks of good color to come in Bishop Creek Canyon as color fills in more fully in the high elevations, then works its way down.” Clayton would assess Bishop Creek Canyon as “Peak of the Week” worthy… and we agree.
South Lake Rd, near Parchers, Bishop Creek Canyon (9/23/17) Naresh Satyan
Naresh Satyan hiked from South Lake in Bishop Creek Canyon to Green Lake (up to 12,400′) before snow turned him back, yesterday. He reports that aspens along South Lake road are still mostly green and healthy), though he found a few stands surrounding the Parchers Resort that are turning nicely.
The color appears to be best at or above 10,000′ which coincides with a Near Peak (GO NOW!) report we received this past week from Sabrina Lake.
You will, however, find peak color among the willows, grasses and ground covers. That is evident in the photo of Green Lake (11,260′) which Naresh described as “spectacular and well worth the hike to get there.” Of course, be prepared for cold temperatures. A light dusting of snow on the mountains and some lupines still blooming made for an unforgettable hike.
Shasta Cascade
Ruth Hartman reports from Coffee Creek in Trinity County (Shasta Cascade) that color this past week’s cold snap got dogwood turning red and varigated green along Hwy 3 in Trinity County at 3000′. You’ll find it while heading north along the Slate grade, two miles before Tannery Gulch campground. Odd, but we’re seeing the same with planted dogwood at 800′ in elevation, east of Sacramento in El Dorado Hills.
Southern California
Gingko Biloba, Long Beach (9/23/17) Trent Vierra
Liquidambar, Long Beach (9/23/17) Trent Vierra
Trent Vierra interrupted his morning bike ride, yesterday, to snap a couple of shots of gingko biloba and liquidambar brightening up along 1st St. in the Bluff Heights neighborhood of Long Beach, and commented that he’s been noticing change in color among these exotic species.
That’s typical of liquidambar, though the gingkos tend to keep to a more regular schedule. Still, Trent scores the first “First Report” for Long Beach. While doing that, he also got a shot of a Maine license plate beside emerging California Fall Color… double score.
Autumn begins throughout California at 1:02 p.m.
That’s when the autumnal equinox occurs, starting a new astronomical season. At that moment, the sun’s rays are almost equally divided between the northern and southern hemisphere.
Thereafter and continuing to the winter solstice on Dec. 21, days get shorter and colder, as the amount of sunlight reaching the northern hemisphere declines.
Less light results in less chlorophyll being produced in deciduous plants. As the green chlorophyl subsides underlying brown, red, orange and yellow colors are seen. Colder temperatures also intensify red, orange and yellow colors. Though, eventually, the leaves weaken and fall.
Autumn is the only season with two names: Autumn and Fall. It gets the latter from those falling leaves.
Many believe California’s best weather occurs in autumn. Days remain clement, but nights are cooler. There’s a crispness in the air, but also a soothing envelopment that almost feels as if you’re being embraced by the season.
Why is it that there is such celebration when pumpkin-spiced lattes return to cafe menus in autumn? Is it their taste, or the recollections of this gathering season that they inspire?
Autumn is the season of harvest, reunion, tailgating, wine making, costume parties, sweaters and thanksgiving. Though it would not be what it is, without Fall.
Over the past couple of days, snow has fallen in the High Sierra. Several of you have asked what effect the early snow might have on autumn color. The answer is: “Little to No Effect.”
Snow usually only damages the change of color on leaves that have turned color or have nearly turned color. Leaves that are vibrant and still producing chlorophyl shake off a little snow with no effect on the color. However, were the same to occur at an elevation that was near peak to peak, leaves in the process of turning would either be spotted or blown from their branches.
Rock Creek Canyon (9/22/17) Will Ridgeway
Rock Creek Canyon (9/22/17) Will Ridgeway
Will Ridgeway took these photographs near Rock Creek Pack Station yesterday morning.
He writes that “The snow on green Aspen leaves makes it look like we’re going straight from Summer to Winter, though that’s temporary.
“That said, there was a good amount of colour above Lake Sabrina this morning, roughly equal parts green, yellow and orange depending on the location of each grove.” he describes.
Lake Sabrina – Near Peak (75-100%) – Will Ridgeway rates the upper groves high above Sabrina Lake near 10,000′ in elevation as nearing peak. GO NOW!
Sagehen Meadow, Mono County (9/22/17) Bruce Wendler
Sagehen Meadow, Mono County – Patchy (10-50%) – Color spotter Bruce Wendler found “the first fire of autumn” lighting the hills around Sagehen Meadow, south of Mono Lake. Frigid temperatures are stimulating vibrant color change in high areas of Mono County.
Unidentified exotic tree, Downtown LA near Fig Plaza (9/21/17) Mohammad Delwar
Los Angeles – Just Starting (0-10%) – Often what appears to be autumnal change is not exactly the same thing. Del Hossain saw this blooming tree in downtown Los Angeles yesterday and had the presence of mind to photograph it and ask if it might be fall color.
This is one of the myriad of non-native (or exotic) trees that have been planted in our urban forests. It has a flower or seed pod (similar to a Bougainvillea bloom) that Del described as “a splash of pinks, reds,or orangish”.
What is most important is that Del turned a break while working in the heart of Los Angeles (Downtown Magnets High School – Go Suns!) into an inspirational fall color sojourn. Fall color creds to anyone who can identify the tree, and to Del for sharing.
Mammoth Lakes Hat Trick (9/21/17) Alicia Vennos
A day before the autumnal equinox Mono County color spotter Alicia Vennos reports she awoke to find snow, blooming wildflowers and fall color out her door.
Photographer Marc Hoshovski reported snow fell down to 7,000′ in elevation yesterday, “so this could get things happening.
Though, when he visited Nelson Lake south of Tuolumne Meadows, the aspen and meadow grasses were still mostly green.
Even the corn lily (veratrum) which turn yellow in late summer as things dry out, he commented were holding their green, “The The only sign of leaf color so far are Dwarf Bilberry (Vaccinium cespitosum) leaves starting to turn purple.
Nelson Lake, Yosemite National Park (9600’) – Just Starting (0-10%)