Patrolling My Backyard

The Hope Valley and American River Canyon are sort of my backyard. So, when John Bartell of ABC10 in Sacramento asked to talk about fall color in the Hope Valley, I met him at the Kirkwood Inn and made a loop of the day, checking out the Hope Valley and visiting some spots in the American River Canyon that I’d had on my “must see” list.

What’s happening in the Eastern Sierra is also happening at Hope Valley. Aspen are peaking by grove. Some are at full peak and gorgeous, while others are Just Starting … heavy with leaves, but green.

It looks like we’re not going to have an “all at once” peak, here. Instead, it’s more likely that stands will peak and drop leaves while others remain patchy. This could continue for another week or two. Or it could end abruptly, depending on weather.

Why this is happening is anyone’s guess. Any of these could explain it: a wet winter, a dry summer, a warm autumn. Or, it could be any of another list of reasons. No one can say for certain.

What is certain is that no one should delay visiting fall color when it’s reported as Near Peak or better. As, delaying too long risks missing it altogether. On my drive, I was called by a woman in Fresno who’d somehow gotten my number. She wanted to know if it would be perfect this weekend. I replied, it’s as good as it’s gonna get, and it’s pretty nice.

As Philip Reedy has shown in his weekly reports from Hope Valley, there is plenty of beautiful color there, right now.

One of the best groves is a few hundred feet east of Blue Lakes Rd. on CA-88. It’s a couple of hundred yards from the road across unfenced meadow on public land. Do not, however, climb the fenced ranch beside it, as that’s private property.

Elsewhere in the Hope Valley, you’ll see a mix of fully peaking aspen beside healthy stands that are almost entirely green.

The aspen at Sorensen’s Resort are now devoid of leaves, but stands across the highway, upstream and downstream are lush, healthy and peaking.

On my return by US 50, black oak vary from Patchy to Near Peak on the south bank of the American River. Willows are golden and bracken fern are nearly Past Peak. An aspen grove on Ice House Road at 5,390′ is patchy, though with impressively tall aspen. Bridal Veil fall on US 50 has Near Peak bigleaf maple framing it.

Here’s a rundown of what I saw on today’s drive. Note how now it’s peaking, now it’s not:

• Sly Park, US 50 (3,560′) – Patchy (10-50%), Bigleaf maple.
• Mormon Emigrant Trail (6,000 to 7,000′) – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW! – Willows, yellow and orange.
• Silver Lake (7,300′) – Just Starting (0-10%), Aspen
• Shot Rock (7,600′) – Near Peak (50-75%) – Willows, gold.
• Kirkwood Lake Grove (7,550 – 38° 41′ 39″ N 120° 7′ 20″ W) – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW!
• Woods Creek Trailhead (8,200′) – Patchy (10-50%)
• Red Lake (7,861′) – Patchy (10-50%)
• Red Lake Creek Cabin – – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW! – Aspen.
• Blue Lakes Rd. Junction (7,550′) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – Aspen, orange.
• Sorensen’s Resort (7,000′) – Past Peak, YOU MISSED IT!
• Woodfords Canyon (7,000′), CA-89 – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW!
• Luther Pass, CA-89 (7,740′) – Patchy (10-50%)
• Strawberry, US 50 (5,325′) – Patchy (10-50%)
• US 50 (3,500′ to 3,200′) – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW! – Black Oak
• Ice House Road, US 50 (5,390′ – 38° 48′ 29″ N 120° 22′ 45″ W) – Patchy (10-50%)
• Bridal Veil Fall, US 50 (3,363;) – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW!

Finally, comparing fall color development in the photo of Red Lake Creek Cabin taken today (top), here’s one taken by Dan Rastler three days ago.