Crimson Knotweed, Cliff Lake, Lassen Volcanic NP (9/12/15) Shanda Ochs
One of the earliest fall colors to enjoy in California’s mountains is red.
Though if you seek it, look downward. As, the red of which I write is crawling along the ground.
In the Shasta Cascade, it is the Crimson Knotweed that carpets volcanic slopes above 7,000′ in the Northern Sierra and Southern Cascade.
Dwarf Bilberry, Cascade Lake, Hoover Wilderness (9/5/18) David Senesac
In the Sierra Nevada, Dwarf Huckleberry or Sierra Bilberry (Vaccinium nivictum) grows in subalpine fir forests and alpine fell fields usually between 8,000 and 12,000′, John Hunter Thomas and Dennis R. Parnell write in Native Shrubs of the Sierra Nevada.
Naturalist David Senesac hiked up into the 20 Lakes Basin of the Hoover Wilderness in early September to find ruby Dwarf Bilberry (Vaccinium caespitosum), “a turf height species of the blueberry family” blushing near timberline elevations in the weeks before autumn.
This plant is often red-purple in color, but ignites when backlit with light, adding vermillion vibrance and verve to its otherwise austere environs.
Thumbs Up for Autumn, Rock Creek (9/13/18) Josh Wray/Mammoth Lakes Tourism
Rock Creek Lake (9/13/18) Josh Wray/Mammoth Lakes Tourism
Rock Creek (9/13/18) Josh Wray/Mammoth Lakes Tourism
Reports from the Eastern Sierra indicate that autumn color is good to go up the canyons with peak color starting to appear near 10,000′.
It happens quickly in late September, as days shorten and temperatures drop. So, be prepared for possible Near Peak at high elevations there, by the first day of autumn.
Josh Wray, of Mammoth Lakes, drove south to Rock Creek (southern Mono County) to capture what was happening up the canyon, and though it was still Just Starting for most of the canyon, more than enough Near Peak color could be seen along the Hilton Lake Trail at 10,300′.
Aspen, Silver Lake (9/3/18) Cindy Hoover
Willow, Silver Lake (8/31/18) Cindy Hoover
Color spotter Cindy Hoover explored the June/Mono Lake region of Mono County earlier in the week, reporting that Silver Lake is where early color is visible with willows full of gold and singled-out aspen branches bright yellow, while the rest of the trees remain green, but noticeably lighter than a few weeks ago.
Near Mono Lake, Cindy was wowed by a spectacular display of rabbit brush, carpeting the high plains toward a pink-orange sunset.
Krisdina Karady of Parcher’s Resort on the South Fork of Bishop Creek reported that color is still Just Starting, with some aspen branches carrying golden color, but most of the trees remain dark green to lime. A complete report is expected this coming week.
Near Peak (50-75%) – Hilton Lakes Trail (10,300′)
Just Starting (0-10%) – Rock Creek (9,500′)
Just Starting (0-10%) – June Lake Loop (7,654′)
Just Starting (0-10%) – Mono Lake, South Tufa (6,378′)
Just Starting (0-10%) – Bishop Creek Canyon (Parcher’s Resort – 9,260′)
Rabbit Brush, Mono Lake S Tufa (9/6/18) Cindy Hoover
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Little Lakes Valley (9/8/18) Liz Grans/Mono County Tourism
Fall color scouting trips by Mono County color spotters Alicia Vennos, Liz Grans and Robert Bernstein returned with promising images of gilding beside high Eastern Sierra trails.
Vennos and Grans visited Lundy Canyon, Green Creek, the Little Lakes Valley and Rock Creek Lake, while Bernstein visited Dunderberg Meadows. Each of their trips showed that color spotters should get packing to see Mono County’s Fall Color.
When these photos were taken a few days ago, the color was just starting to appear, but within the coming week that will change as fall color transition from Just Starting, to Patchy and Near Peak at the highest elevations in the Eastern Sierra. In Mono County, expect Upper Rock Creek and Virginia Creek to show the earliest color.
Click photo to enlarge.
Just Starting (0-10%) – Mono County
Dunderberg Meadows (9/10/18) Robert Bernstein
Dunderberg Meadows (9/10/18) Robert Bernstein
Dunderberg Meadows (9/10/18) Robert Bernstein
Little Lakes Valley (9/8/18) Liz Grans/Mono County Tourism
Rock Creek Lake (9/8/18) Liz Grans/Mono County Tourism
Green Creek Trail (9/9/18) Alicia Vennos/Mono County Tourism
Green Creek Trail (9/9/18) Alicia Vennos/Mono County Tourism
Parker Lake (9/7/18) Alicia Vennos/Mono County Tourism
Parker Lake (9/7/18) Alicia Vennos/Mono County Tourism
Aspen, Parker Lake (9/7/18) Alicia Vennos/Mono County Tourism
Green Creek Trail (9/9/18) Alicia Vennos/Mono County Tourism
Lundy Canyon Trail, Mono Lake in distance (9/8/18) Alicia Vennos/Mono County Tourism
https://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.png00John Poimiroohttps://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.pngJohn Poimiroo2018-09-12 10:25:562018-09-15 07:47:38Get Ready to Pack Into Mono County
An Eastern Sierra Photography Jamboree will provide photographers opportunities for recognition, exposure and cash prizes this weekend in the Bridgeport Valley.
The photo exhibit/contest is open to all amateur and professional photographers with $200, $100 and $50 prizes presented for the top three framed entries in these categories: Bodie, Ranching and Western Life, Wildlife, Hunting & Fishing, and Nature & Landscape photography. A $15 entry fee applies.
The Photo Jamboree is the first of a half-dozen fun events happening this autumn in Mono County, including:
https://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.png00John Poimiroohttps://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.pngJohn Poimiroo2018-09-11 10:44:512018-09-12 10:33:44Eastern Sierra Photo Jamboree This Weekend
https://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.png00John Poimiroohttps://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.pngJohn Poimiroo2018-09-10 09:12:462018-09-10 17:35:44What One Videographer Saw Last Autumn
As long as we’re in the singing mood, how about turning Johnny Mathis’ classic upside down.
No, it’s not beginning to look a lot like Christmas, but it is beginning to feel a lot like Autumn, Mammoth Lakes color spotter Josh Wray reports. “It’s really starting to feel like the early days of fall in Mammoth Lakes now with summer crowds calming down and temperatures dropping at night.”
He visited the Mammoth Lakes Basin a couple of days ago, “…to see what it’s looking like up there, and it was gorgeous. There were traces of yellow aspen leaves off in the distance but nothing to report on quite yet.”
The color seen in the photo at left are grasses ringing the Twin Lakes. Otherwise, there’s little fall color yet to be seen at 8,500′ in the Eastern Sierra.
https://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.png00John Poimiroohttps://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.pngJohn Poimiroo2018-09-09 06:52:392018-09-10 17:35:59It's Beginning To Feel A Lot Like Autumn
Poison Oak, Briones Regional Park (9/4/18) Darrell Sano
I just love “Who Done Its.” Though, in fall color’s case, it’s more “Where Is It?”
Today, I received reports from Lance Pifer and Darrell Sano who uncovered more evidence that fall is approaching.
1000 Island Lakes, Pacific Crest Trail (9/1/18) Lance Pifer
North Lake, Bishop Creek Canyon (9/1/18) Lance Pifer
Lance visited the Eastern Sierra where he found spots of fall color lighting up the Pacific Crest Trail near 1000 Island Lake and at North Lake in Bishop Creek Canyon, where aspen remain green and lake grasses are highlighted lightly with gold.
Darrell was a road warrior, exploring far and wide. On Friday (as previously reported) he drove across Sonora Pass, returning via Tioga Pass. About three to four miles after entering Yosemite National Park’s east entrance, he stopped to investigate “a scene that looks like it was planned, meaning so perfect–layered trees, leaves from pink to golden yellow, colors receding into the background, such depth. And it’s peaceful, quiet.” He continued that this area was severely damaged by fire, with at least half of it changed.
The following day, he drove north from the Bay Area to Cloverdale, then along CA 128 to the coast. As expected, there was no color to be seen other than a little in low shrubs, though reminds us that by driving the route he was reminded about how stunning Mendocino county is.
Poison Oak, Briones Regional Park (9/4/18) Darrell Sano
On Labor Day, he stayed near home, taking “a long hike in Briones Regional Park (one of the great East Bay Regional Parks – some of the best managed and most beautiful in California), hiking nine miles while criss-crossing trails. Along his route, he passed “vile poison oak” in toxic profusion, recalling the many times he’s suffered after having been covered in its sap, but noted, “When you see beds of its brilliant red in filtered light, you know 1) don’t go in there 2) enjoy the color from a distance.”
Darrell’s detective work included observing the afternoon light which due to skies, still tinted with wildfire haze, cast a yellow ochre tint that was accented by the lower angle of sunlight, dramatizing the shadows, and noted the dryness of the landscape, observing that despite their parched appearance, thistles and grasses remained beautiful remnants of summer.
Dry thistles and grasses, Briones Regional Park (9/4/18) Darrell Sano
Briones Regional Park (9/4/18) Darrell Sano
Just Starting (0-10%) – Tioga Pass
Just Starting (0-10%) – 1000 Islands Lake
Just Starting (0-10%) – North Lake
Just Starting (0-10%) – CA 128 (Cloverdale to the Coast)
Just Starting (0-10%) – Briones Regional Park, SF Bay Area
East Bay color spotter Darrell Sano didn’t expect to see much autumn color on a Labor Day weekend drive over Sonora Pass (CA 108).
He was out to explore hot springs and other volcanic terrain (of which there are plenty in the Eastern Sierra), when he began to notice patches of aspen turning bright yellow at 8,000′ in elevation on the pass.
He reported, “It was strange that the cluster of trees on the left side of the road already looked peaked and had lost leaves on one side, while across the road there were more, but appeared undamaged by wind. Could this be a small micro-climate area?”
Darrell said, the majority of the aspens were green, “but even so, when backlit by brilliant sunshine, the many graduated values of emerald green mixed with gold was all I needed to stir excitement and anticipation. Bring fall on!”
In the Bridgeport Valley along Twin Lakes Road, he passed this classic Western scene of horses grazing on meadow grasses that were warming from yellow to ochre.
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