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Estimating Perfection

S. Fork Bishop Creek (9/25/21) Gary Young

By the weekend, areas above 9,000′ in Bishop Creek Canyon will all be Near Peak to Peaking, but for the moment the canyon has just edged past 50% of peak color. So, how do you estimate perfection?

  • Willows Camp, S. Fork Bishop Creek (9/25/21) Gary Young
  • S. Fork Bishop Creek (9/25/21) Gary Young
  • Weir Pond, S. Fork Bishop Creek (9/25/21) Gary Young
  • Weir Pond, S. Fork Bishop Creek (9/25/21) Gary Young

Bishop color spotter and photographer Gary Young has the enviable situation of living in Bishop and can be up the canyon in minutes. Most color spotters don’t have that luxury.

This past weekend, Gary looped the South Fork, Middle Fork and North Fork. Highest elevations in all areas are now Near Peak, though missing that edge of sparkle that they’ve had on the same day in previous years, only because the start has been a week later than usual.

Gary notes that the canyon continues to improve, though there’s still a lot of green. The Mist Falls is still 100% green, but that’s not unusual. It’s a later peak.

So, here’s the question. When do you go to catch a location at perfection? It’s a long drive and you want to be sure you’re not too early or too late.

North Lake, N Fork Bishop Creek (9/25/21) Gary Young

The problem in estimating perfection is that so much can happen to hold peak back or push it forward. However, once it’s moving as peak is now, change can happen quickly. So, the right advice is to time your visit when it’s Near Peak or Peaking and clouds might be seen. That means watching Bishop/Mammoth weather forecasts closely, right now.

Starting on Sunday, broken clouds are expected for a week. A visit anytime between Sunday and the following weekend should result in good chances for dramatic photography above 9,000′ (It’ll still be good down to 8,000′ for a couple more weeks).

To know the elevations, use the search tool “Reports by Month/Year” on the right. Read previous year reports (in more than one year) and note where it was peaking a week before when you plan to visit (peak is running a week late in the Eastern Sierra this year). This isn’t a precise method, but it’s the best I can suggest to give you a good chance of being there when it’s nearest perfection.

Booking.com in the right nav bar will help you determine room availability and allows direct booking to accommodations in Bishop, at Mammoth Lakes and elsewhere in the Eastern Sierra (I use it all the time). Or, link through to any of the visitors bureaus from their ads at the bottom of posts.

Most importantly, when we post GO NOW! for a location, believe it and go as soon as you can. A week later, it could be gone.

  • South Lake, S. Fork Bishop Creek (9,768′) – Near Peak (50 – 75%), GO NOW!
  • Weir Pond, S. Fork Bishop Creek (9,650′) – Near Peak (50 – 75%), GO NOW!
  • Parcher’s Resort, S. Fork Bishop Creek (9,260′) – Near Peak (50 – 75%), GO NOW!
  • Willow Campground, S. Fork Bishop Creek (9,000′) – Near Peak (50 – 75%), GO NOW!
  • Surveyor’s Meadow, S. Fork Bishop Creek (8,975′) – Patchy (10 – 50%)
  • Mist Falls, S. Fork Bishop Creek (8,350′) – Just Starting (0 – 10%)
  • Lake Sabrina (9,150′) – Near Peak (50 – 75%), GO NOW!
  • Sabrina Approach (9,100′) – Near Peak (50 – 75%), GO NOW!
  • Sabrina Campground (9,000′) – Near Peak (50 – 75%), GO NOW!
  • Groves Above Cardinal Village (8,350′) – Patchy (10 – 50%)
  • North Lake (9,225′) – Near Peak (50 – 75%), GO NOW!
  • North Lake Rd. (9,000′) – Near Peak (50 – 75%), GO NOW!

BREAKING NEWS

Rock Creek (south of Mammoth Lakes) is reporting Near Peak – GO NOW! – Photos to be posted 9/28.

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