John Poimiroo – Page 4 – California Fall Color

Back to Wind Wolves

Gary Skipper II introduced California Fall Color readers to the privately managed Wind Wolves Preserve, last November. He returns today on Orange Friday to share the amazing breadth of wildlife he found this week at this remarkable location.

As we reported last year, “Located 32 miles southwest of Bakersfield, Wind Wolves is an ecologically distinctive place where the Transverse Ranges, Coast Ranges, Sierra Nevada, western Mojave Desert and San Joaquin Valley converge.

“Ranging from 640 to 6,005′, it has a wide array of landforms and habitats. And, at 93,000 acres it’s the west coast’s largest non-profit preserve.”

On his most recent outing, Skipper captured a bobcat. He’s two for two in that category in successive yearly reports. Gary also photographed an American Kestrel (Falco sparvarius), an American Pipit (Anthus rubescens), Mountain bluebird (Sialia currucoides), Tule elk (Cervus canadensis nannodes) and California Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus californicus).

Mule deer, Wind Wolves Preserve (11/22/22) Gary Skipper II

Mountain Bluebird, Wind Wolves Preserve (11/22/22) Gary Skipper II

Tule elk, Wind Wolves Preserve (11/22/22) Gary Skipper II

Wind Wolves is not known for broad displays of fall foliage. Western sycamore, Frémont cottonwood, valley oak, poison oak and California grape are the only significant deciduous foliage to inhabit the preserve. So, it may not be high on a list for fall color photography. Yet, it has a dependable display during Thanksgiving week and is worth adding to a late November trip through the Central Valley.

Fremont cottonwood, Wind Wolves Preserve (11/22/22) Gary Skipper II

Poison oak, Wind Wolves Preserve (11/22/22) Gary Skipper II

Wind Wolves Preserve (11/22/22) Gary Skipper II

California grape and poison oak, Wind Wolves Preserve (11/22/22) Gary Skipper II

Wind Wolves Preserve (640′) – PEAK (75-10%) GO NOW!

November 25, 2022 /1 Comment/by John Poimiroo

Thanksgiving Color

Chinese pistache (Sarah's Radiance), LA County Arboretum (11/23/22) Frank McDonough

Crepe myrtle forest, LA County Arboretum (11/23/22) Frank McDonough

Liquidambar fruit ripens, LA County Arboretum (11/23/22) Frank McDonough

American elm, LA County Arboretum (11/23/22) Frank McDonough

There’s a lot to be thankful for during Thanksgiving Week. Leading the list on this site is the beauty of Autumn color.

LA County Arboretum & Botanic Garden, Arcadia (482′) – PEAK (75-100%) GO NOW!

November 24, 2022 by John Poimiroo

CaliforniaFallColor.com, Fall Color Report, Statewide

Giving Thanks and Looking Back at 2022

On this Thanksgiving Day, CaliforniaFallColor.com is thankful to the 75 color spotters who contributed reports, photographs and videos in 2022.

They include (from first leaf): Philip Reedy, Hannah Meisner-Bogdahn, Samantha Deleo, Jeff Simpson, Daniel Stas, Alena Nicholas, Betsy Forsyth, Patrick Griley, Dakota Snider, Gary Young, Angie Plaisted, Linda Hennessy, Michelle Petit, John Pan, Parchers Resort, Michael Beatley, Jeff Luke Titcomb, Jim Van Matre, Trent Vierra, Sam Xi, Shanda Ochs, Amanda Carlson, Ken Robesky, Marianne Berttell Vaughn, Shawn Reeder, Soyojng Kim, Sharon Jiang, Legarlin Li, Bill McFall, Donna Mercer, Tim Zalaha, Bethany Anderson, Peter Robbins, Clayton Peoples, Gary Skipper II, Vishal Mishra, Curtis Kautzer, Steve Arita, Mark Hoshovsky, Mark Harding, Jeffrey Lu, Max Comer, Lucas Yan, James Wei, Dave Pabinquet, Ryan Boyd, Lyle Gordon, Julie Kirby, Wolfie, Grant Ly, Noah Sondgroth, Curtis Kautzer, Mark Hanning Lee, Bruce Wendler, David Sharp, John Natelli, Sandy Steinman, Frank McDonough, Salil Bhatt, Walt Gabler, Risa Wyatt, Michelle Pontoni, Kathy Jonokuchi, Bonnie Hulkower, Frank Dariano, Parrish Todd, Ellie Wilson, Steve “Spike” Spiker, Gianna Crest, Claudia Cram, Danielle Ormsby-Toombs, Lara Kaylor and Ron Tyler, who produced the above video.

If, somehow, we missed you, please know it wasn’t intentional. We are truly indebted to every contributor.

Special thanks are expressed to Inyo County Tourism, Bishop Area Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau, Mono County Tourism, Mammoth Lakes Tourism and Choose Redding for underwriting California Fall Color, and to the many reporters and media who carried our reports and gave attention to what we have shown about California’s fall color.

Of course, this list is not complete without mentioning Joan, my bride of 52 years. She has pulled the car to the shoulder so that I could jump out to photograph particularly beautiful locations; humored my recording of color percentages, species and elevations; pointed out spectacular color; and tolerated my exuberance in showing her countless stunning photographs taken by our contributors.

Our deepest thanks go to the more than 70,000 readers who on over one hundred and twenty thousand occasions opened, read, followed, reacted to and commented here and on our social media pages. You are, after all, the reason we do this.

The photographs selected for this year’s video represent: what happened, the diversity of fall color across the state, and some of the finest photography of 2022.

If you would like your photographs considered for inclusion in next autumn’s video, we recommend that you submit “horizontal,” high resolution (300 dpi), not-watermarked photographs, within a week of having captured them. Pictures taken in places not often photographed have an advantage in getting selected, as competition is stiffest among pictures taken at popularly photographed destinations.

Autumn doesn’t end today. It continues for nearly a month longer. We’ll continue to post photos and reports, as received. Though today, we dial back reports and will post them less frequently. We’ve also stopped sending weekly updates to meteorologists, travel and outdoor writers.

Finally, this is my last autumn editing CaliforniaFallColor.com. The site will continue, but will be edited and published by someone else. You may see my photographs and comments occasionally as a contributor, but it’s finally time for this old travel editor to do a bit of traveling and enjoy retirement.

So, enjoy your Thanksgiving Day and plan an Orange Friday of fall color spotting, tomorrow.

California – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – In our hearts, California is always at its best.

CaliforniaFallColor.com will see you next autumn, dude.

November 24, 2022 /5 Comments/by John Poimiroo

Bike of the Week, Fall Color Report, Gold Country, Hike of the Week

El Dorado Trail

The El Dorado Trail is one of two great multi-use trails in the greater Sacramento region. It, and the Jedediah Smith Memorial Trail on the American River Parkway serve over eight million recreational users, annually.

On Thanksgiving Day, both trails will be busy with walkers, runners, cyclists and skaters along their 69 miles of paved Class I and dirt track. Presently the trails are Peak to Past Peak, with black oak, bigleaf maple and (along the river) Frémont cottonwood and California walnut carrying peak orange, yellow and gold leaves. An occasional bush provides an intense flash of vermillion.

El Dorado Trail, Placerville (11/23/22) John Poimiroo

Snakehead Rock, El Dorado Trail, Placerville (11/23/22) John Poimiroo

Weber Creek Bridge, Placerville (11/23/22) John Poimiroo

The El Dorado Trail travels 37 miles along an old railroad route from Folsom east to Camino, passing through historic downtown Placerville. Approximately 13 miles of the route is paved Class I bike path (El Dorado to Camino). The rest is unimproved dirt path.

Points of Interest along the El Dorado Trail, include the Gold Rush town of El Dorado, bucolic ranches, a tourist railroad, cat hill – populated by dozens of feral felines, the Weber Creek Bridge on which lovers attach locks engraved with their initials, historic downtown Placerville, an old railroad tunnel, bicycle overcrossing of US 50 and a six-mile climb up a 6% grade.

The Jedediah Smith Memorial Trail parallels the American River for 32 miles on Class I paved bike path from Old Sacramento east to Folsom Lake State Recreation Area. Additional hiking trails are available. Its points of interest include Old Sacramento, American River riparian habitats, a path trod by trapper/explorer Jedediah Smith, views of river rafters, the Nimbus Fish Hatchery, the Lake Natoma Loop, historic downtown Folsom, the Johnny Cash Art Trail, Folsom Dam and Folsom Lake.

Due to their exceptional recreational experience and fall color, the El Dorado and Jedidiah Smith Memorial trails are declared Thanksgiving Week’s California Fall Color Bike/Hike of the Week.

El Dorado Trail (2,000′) – PEAK to Past Peak, GO NOW, You almost missed it.
Jedediah Smith Memorial Trail (200′) – PEAK to Past Peak, GO NOW, You almost missed it.

November 23, 2022 by John Poimiroo

CaliforniaFallColor.com, Video

Looking Back at Autumns Past

On Thanksgiving Day, California Fall Color posts its message of thanks and video review of autumn 2022. It will be the eleventh annual “California Fall Color Looks Back” video.

Although CaliforniaFallColor.com went live in 2009, it wasn’t until 2012 that our first video review was posted. In advance of seeing “California Fall Color Looks Back at 2022,” here are videos from autumns past.

Ron Tyler created each video. Ron is head of the Tyler Marketing Group, an El Dorado Hills-based marketing communications consultancy with expertise in social media, product marketing and video. Previous videos were judged among the state’s best outdoor videos by the Outdoor Writers Association of California.

Each of the photographs selected for these videos is representative of what happened that autumn, the extent and diversity of fall color seen across the state, and some of the finest photographs taken that year.

November 23, 2022 by John Poimiroo

Central Valley, Fall Color Report

Davis, A Study in Color

Chinese pistache, Davis (11/20/22) Philip Reedy

Frémont cottonwood, Davis (11/20/22) Philip Reedy

True to its position as California’s center of agricultural research, Davis is a study of peak color. Philip Reedy walked his hometown today and found its trees popping with color.

Pear, Davis (11/20/22) Philip Reedy

Gingko biloba, Davis (11/20/22) Philip Reedy

Chinese pistache, Davis (11/20/22) Philip Reedy

Davis (52′) – PEAK (75-10%) GO NOW!

November 20, 2022 by John Poimiroo

Fall Color Report, Gold Country

Sunday Drive

It had been some time since we’d taken a Sunday Drive. So, today we drove U.S. 50 through Placerville to Pleasant Valley to pick up a long-ignored wine club order. That allowed us to get close to fall color in the Sierra foothills.

Peak fall color is now down to sea level. Though, I can’t recall when it has endured this long, despite recent rain and snow in the Sierra. On this Sunday Drive, peak fall color was seen up to 3,000′.

Counoise, Holly's Hill, Pleasant Valley (11/20/22) John Poimiroo

Sierra Vista Winery, Pleasant Valley, El Dorado County (11/20/22) John Poimiroo

Foothill vineyards vary from Patchy to Past Peak by grape variety. Chardonnay vines were carrying chartreuse to tawny leaves. Counoise were splotched with crimson, titian and amber

Sierra foothills, Snows Rd, Camino (11/20/22) John Poimiroo

Black oak, Snows Rd, Camino (11/20/22) John Poimiroo

The foothills were rusted in places with orange and philamont-toned Black oak woodlands. Their muted color seemed to be assailed by invading evergreens.

As we returned by way of Snows Road through Camino, we passed a chestnut, orange and scarlet-banded field of blueberry bushes at Camino Ridge, a U-Pick farm along the Apple Hill Farm Trail. The bushes were picked clean of their berries, a sign that harvest had ended.

Indeed, this was the last “harvest” weekend at Apple Hill. Though the bins were still full of every type of apple imaginable, the pumpkin patch was gone and cars were being loaded with freshly cut Christmas trees for the Sunday Drive home.

Sierra Foothills (2,000′) – PEAK (75-100%) GO NOW!

November 20, 2022 by John Poimiroo

Fall Color Report, North Coast

Berry Good Time of Year

Toyon, Calabasas Creek Open Space Preserve, Sonoma County (11/16/22) John Natelli

Snowberry, Calabasas Creek Open Space Preserve, Sonoma County (11/16/22) John Natelli

It was a berry good time for John Natelli to explore Nunn Canyon and the Calabasas Creek Open Space Preserve, in the Sonoma Valley, this past Wednesday. Not only did he find bigleaf maple at peak along the trail, but bunches of Snowberry and California Holly (Toyon) berries to brighten his walk.

Late November is when several attractive berries are at their best. Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia) is also called Christmas berry and California holly for the season in which it bears fruit. No doubt Toyon decorated many a pioneer’s or prospector’s holiday tables, as probably did Snowberries (Symphoricarpos albus).

Toyon berries are eaten by many species of birds and some mammals. When cooked, their bitter taste is removed, though they were often eaten both cooked and raw by native people.

Native Californians had many uses for Snowberry as a medicinal treatment, though the saponins in them can be extremely toxic if consumed in excess the Encyclopedia of Food and Health advises.

Elsewhere on his walk, Natelli found vineyards at peak with yellow, gold, cherry and carmine vines near Loxton Cellars.

Bigleaf maple, Nunn's Canyon, Sonoma Valley (11/16/22) John Natelli

Sonoma Valley (108′) – PEAK (75-100%) GO NOW!

November 20, 2022 by John Poimiroo

Fall Color Report, San Francisco Bay Area

Berkeley’s Back

The UC Berkeley Botanical Garden often peaks in late November. This year is no exception.

Sandy Steinman, who edits the blog Natural History Wanderings, visited yesterday and found the garden at or slightly past peak. He wrote, “It was very windy this morning … so I am guessing there is some leaf loss.”

The Asian Section of the garden was then carpeted with auburn Japanese maple leaves and it would now likely be able to double as the runway for an awards show were it at UCLA instead of Berkeley.

Even though color is dropping, there’s enough still being carried on its trees to make the UC Berkeley Botanical Garden a worthy place to visit on Orange Friday (the day following Thanksgiving Day). So, if you’ll be in the SF Bay Area this week, now’s the time to walk this compact yet beautiful garden.

Docent-led tours occur from 11 a.m. to noon, daily (Closed on First and Third Tuesday of each month).

The Botanical Garden knows November is its month to peak, as that’s the topic of this month’s blog by Garden Director Lew Feldman. CLICK HERE to read it.

UC Berkeley Botanical Garden (171′) – PEAK to Past Peak, GO NOW, you almost missed it.

November 19, 2022 by John Poimiroo

Fall Color Report, San Francisco Bay Area

Bay Area Beauty

Mountain View is peaking. Along its streets, vibrant displays of buttery Gingko biloba, ruby maple, chartreuse sycamore and burnt-orange Liquidambar have lit the town. MV began as an agricultural community, but today is best known as the headquarters for Google, which Vishal Mishra used to deliver these images of his hometown.

Mountain View is where William Shockley established the Shockley Semiconductor Laboratory, which was the genesis for Silicon Valley. Included among its tech giants are the NASA Ames Research Center, Intuit, LinkedIn, Samsung, Microsoft, 23andMe, Alphabet Inc., Unicode Consortium, Symantec and Synopsys.

The town has a mild climate with an average high in the 60s and 70s and only 64 rainy days each year. With such a clement environment, just about anything can grow there.

Its native deciduous foliage includes blue and valley oak, bigleaf maple, box elder, white alder, blue and black elderberry, red osier and brown dogwood, California buckeye and various willow, though landscaped trees provide the dominant fall color.