Eastern Sierra – Page 10 – California Fall Color

Snowliage

McGee Creek Canyon, Mono County (10/10/21) Clayton Peoples

“Snowliage.” It’s a term coined by Jeff Simpson meaning, “the convergence of snow and fall foliage.”

Only in the Eastern Sierra is snowliage happening, right now. It is at its best when early snow dusts a forest full of peak fall color, creating scenery that is at one both colorful and dramatic.

Virginia Lakes (10/8/21) Jeff Simpson | Mono County Tourism

However, snowliage is rarely a lasting condition. Storms come and go.

Predictions of brilliant color posted on this site, over the previous few days, were stated without knowledge of what would transpire since they were made.

Vibrant fall color develops when nights are cold and clear and days are sunny.

A forest’s vibrance is relative to how sunny a day may be, but it’s also affected by weather that can change leaf luster. Such has been happening over the past couple of days, in some locations.

*Virginia Lakes (10/8/21) Jeff Simpson | Mono County Tourism*

Mono County observers are attributing the unexpected combination of a sustained cold snap (day and night lows), snowfall and local wind for lessening the luster of leaves at a few locations that were on their way toward epic displays (e.g., Lundy Canyon).

Some groves, in locations that were well established or whose fall color had stalled, somehow avoided those environmental effects (Summers Meadow, McGee Canyon) and appear to be progressing normally.

(Click photo to enlarge)

In the past week, overcast and snowfall occurred on some (not all) days and in not all Mono County locations. As a result, Lundy Canyon – which was on its way to a beautiful display – is now lackluster. Further, Summer’s Meadow and the June Lake Loop have survived. They should be beautiful this weekend.

What this means is that this report (compiled by knowledgeable Eastern Sierra color spotters with our input) is your best guide to currently the finest fall color viewing experiences, not necessarily to places that a few days ago looked like they would be the best.

WALKER / COLEVILLE / TOPAZ

Monitor Pass (8,314′) – 100% – Peak to Past Peak – GO NOW, You Almost Missed It. – This should be good for only a few more days.
West Walker River, Walker, Coleville and Topaz (5,200′) – Patchy (10 – 50%) – Just getting going. The Antelope Valley should be best during the last week of October.
Sonora Pass (9,623′) – Past Peak, You Missed It.
Lobdell Lake Road (9,274′) – Past Peak, You Missed It.

BRIDGEPORT / VIRGINIA LAKES

Twin Lakes (7,000′) – Near Peak (50 – 75%), Go Now! – Twin Lakes is closer to 50% and should get better as the week progresses, and beyond.
Conway Summit (8,143) – Peak (75 – 100%) GO NOW! – The brilliance in the leaves have dulled slightly, but it’s worth stopping when driving along US-395. Go Now, as it won’t last another week.
Summers Meadow (7,200′) – Peak (75 – 100%), GO NOW! – This road has been good for two weeks and remarkably, it’s still at full peak and brilliant. Colors cascade down hillsides along three to four miles of dirt road. AWD/4WD vehicle is recommended.

*Lundy Canyon (10/10/21) Alicia Vennos | Mono County Tourism*

LEE VINING

Tioga Pass (9,943′) – Past Peak, You Missed It.
Lee Vining Canyon (6,781′) – Near Peak (50 – 75%), Go Now. – Much of the canyon is still green, although several groves of peaking aspen are found along the road. This area will be perfect in the middle of the coming week.
Lundy Lake & Canyon (7,858′) – Near Peak (50 – 75%), Go Now. – This is a tough one to recommend. Reports of beautiful color have been submitted this past week, though some groves have suddenly turned past peak, others are still green, and still others have lost their luster. The best color is now found around the campground and closer to US 395. A report was received today of a color spotter who, upon arriving at Lundy, noticed that cars were leaving soon after arriving, because their passengers were disappointed by the fall color. A few days ago Lundy was glorious and primed for an epic weekend.

BENTON & 120 EAST

Sagehen Summit (8,139’) – Past Peak, You Missed It.

JUNE LAKE LOOP

DRIVE OF THE WEEK – June Lake Loop/Hwy 158 (7,654′) – Near Peak (50 – 75%), Go Now. – The Loop is still green to lime-green in many locations, but nice color is found down canyon and around Silver Lake. A few good groves are peaking around Grant Lake. This should be best in 10-14, conditions permitting.

Mammoth Lakes, Mono County (10-13-21) Liz Grans

MAMMOTH LAKES

Mammoth Lakes Basin (8,996′) – Near Peak (50 – 75%), Go Now. – Having trouble getting going here this year, but still plenty of color to see.

CROWLEY LAKE/McGEE CREEK/CONVICT LAKE

HIKE OF THE WEEK – McGee Creek Canyon (8,600’) – Peak (75 – 100%), GO NOW! – McGee has increased in its brilliance, down canyon, over the last few days.
Around Crowley community (6,781′) – Near Peak (50 – 75%), Go Now. – Great color can be found around the community and along old US 395.
Convict Lake (7850′) – Near Peak (50 – 75%), Go Now. – It’s closer to 50% but should be great this weekend.

ROCK CREEK CANYON

Rock Creek Road (9,600’) – Peak to Past Peak, GO NOW, You Almost Missed It. – Upper rock Creek Road is past peak at the lake and beyond, has good color in the upper-middle half of the road and Just Starting in the Lower Rock Creek Road section.

October 13, 2021/by John Poimiroo

Lundy Sunday

Sunburst over Lundy Canyon (10/10/21) Steve Arita

Sunday was sunny and time for a marathon. Not the running kind. The color-spotting kind.

Steve Arita looked to the skies and didn’t see a cloud in them. Normal people would be happy. Photographers aren’t. They want clouds. Not overcast, clouds. The kind that add texture and interest to the sky, that allow colors to get reflected from their misty forms.

On Sunday, Steve would drive from his home near Sacramento to the east side and back, including a rigorous hike up an alpine canyon. I’d call that a marathon. For his effort, he returned with gold. Not a medal, but lots of gold fall color.

Lundy Canyon, Mono County (10/10/21) Steve Arita

*Lundy Falls, Lundy Canyon (10/10/21) Steve Arita*

Lundy Falls, Lundy Canyon (10/10/21) Steve Arita

At Lundy Canyon, Steve found the falls running at a good clip, given the recent storm, and leaves throughout the canyon were still pretty intact, other than over the first quarter mile or so up from the trailhead whose aspen had lost their heads.

Beaver Pond, Lundy Canyon (10/10/21) Steve Arita

As he began his climb up into the canyon, he passed a lot of lime green trees that kept company with others dressed in bright yellow and orange. Steve conjectures that over the coming week those limeys will turn and it should all be dazzling by the weekend.

Hiking early on a Sunday morning meant that Steve was the only person in the parking lot and canyon, and it wasn’t until 7:45 a.m. or so before he saw another hiker overtaking him. “Kinda weird,” he wrote, “no one else along the road or in the parking lot.” Though by the time he returned to his car at half past noon, the area was packed.

June Lake Loop (10/10/21) Steve Arita

Steve drove the June lake loop from the back side next and is the first to report that, “the colors are coming out fast with lots of trees close to peaking, although many others are still lime green.”

He hiked about a mile along Rush Creek, where some of the colors are close to peak, figuring them to be “about 75% or a little more with areas that were already in full fall color mode.”

Steve hiked along the creek to Silver Lake before turning around and heading home. Many of the trees he photographed are mostly green intermixed with bright yellow. He estimates the June Lake loop will be fully peaking this weekend.

What he saw was beautiful, “especially given the clear, sunny day. While not as intense as seen in past years, it was still great to drive through and walk among these groves.”

June Lake Loop, Looking Toward Mono Lake (10/10/21) Steve Arita

A day later, the scenes Steve captured were blanketed with a wet snow.

To the south in Mammoth Lakes that day, Angie Plaisted hiked along the Multiuse path at Snowcreek Meadow where she captured these images. The snow has melted since, though the vibrance of the color contrasting with the snow was intense.

*Multi-use Path, Snowcreek Meadow, Mammoth Lakes (10/11/21) Angie Plaisted*

Lundy Lake (7,858′) – Patchy to Near Peak (10 – 75%) Go Now.
June Lake Loop (7,654′) – Patchy to Near Peak (10 – 75%) Go Now.
Rush Creek (7,654′) – Near Peak (50 – 75%) Go Now.
Mammoth Lakes (7,881′) – Near Peak (50 – 785%) Go Now.

October 12, 2021/by John Poimiroo

Eastern Sierra, Fall Color Report

It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like … Winter

East Fork Campground, Rock Creek Rd, Mono County (10/12/21) Sarah Wallock

As Sarah Wallock traveled south of Mammoth Lakes to Rock Creek, McGee Creek and Convict Lake this morning, she began humming “It’s beginning to look a lot like … winter.”

A dusting of snow had provided beautiful contrast to the fall color seen on quaking aspen and black cottonwood, and she was in a good mood.

*Rock Creek Rd. (10/12/21) Sarah Wallock*

For someone from Mammoth Lakes, a little snow on the pavement isn’t an inconvenience. It’s a morale booster. Combine winter’s white with autumn’s orange and the Mammoth Lakes area, right now, is pinch-yourself beautiful.

Nevertheless, Sarah cautioned that the road to Rock Creek Lake needed an AWD/4WD vehicle this morning, though by the afternoon the dusting had been sunburned away. There are some wind-swept sections in the canyon, but nothing that would prevent getting to enticing vantage points.

*Upper McGee Creek Canyon (10/10/21) Clayton Peoples*

*McGee Creek Canyon (10/12/21) Sarah Wallock*

At McGee Creek Canyon, the color was vibrant with still Patchy to Near Peak trees down at the campground. The higher you go, the better it is.

Clayton Peoples was there on Sunday and thought it to be the best area north of Bishop Creek Canyon, for the moment. He wrote, “McGee Creek was stunningly beautiful. The peaks in the area were coated in snow, but areas around the creek were glowing in bright yellow and orange (with a bit of green mixed in). The creek has both aspens and cottonwood, which results in an extra burst of color. Really a beautiful place–and, again, the snow just added to the beauty.”

Convict Lake is beginning to attract photographers and fall color hikers. The lake trail varies from Patchy to Near Peak and should continue to improve through the following week.

*Mammoth Lakes (10/12/21) Sarah Wallock*

In Mammoth Lakes, the Lakes Basin is Near Peak and will be full Peak within hours, minutes, seconds. Gorgeous, lush orange fills its trees with just a hint of green.

Mammoth Lakes (10/12/21) Sarah Wallock

Last week, CaliforniaFallColor.com took a good-natured jab at Sarah’s bosses at Mammoth Lakes Tourism for having winter/ski images on its car and overlooking autumn. They never replied. Then we saw this different view of the car (above). CaliforniaFallColor.com stands corrected and apologizes. MLT, your car’s graphics couldn’t be better designed. We’d follow you anywhere.

Crowley Lake Community (6,781′) – Patchy (10 – 50%)
Lower Rock Creek Rd (7,087′) – Patchy (10 – 50%)
Upper Rock Creek Rd (9,705′) – Peak (75 – 100%) GO NOW!
McGee Creek Campground (7,600′) – Patchy (10 – 50%)
Upper McGee Creek (8,600′) – Peak (75 – 100%) GO NOW!
Convict Lake (7,850′) – Patchy to Near Peak (10 – 75%), Go Now!
Mammoth Lakes (7,881′) – Near Peak (50 – 75%) Go Now!

October 12, 2021/by John Poimiroo

Eastern Sierra, Fall Color Report

Insanity

North Lake Rd, N Fork Bishop Creek (10/9/21) Gary Young

At North Lake this past weekend, “The amount of photographers were insane. Counted 48 cars on the road and that is not counting the parking lot,” reports Bishop color spotter Gary Young.

North Lake Rd, N Fork Bishop Creek (10/9/21) Gary Young

Overnight lows are in the teens and twenties, intensifying what color is developing up Bishop Creek Canyon. This is definitely a GO NOW! situation for the canyon where 10 mph winds prevail.

*Mist Falls, S Fork Bishop Creek (10/9/21) Gary Young*

Bishop Creek Canyon (all areas above 8,000′) – Peak to Past Peak, GO NOW, You Almost Missed It.
Bishop Creek Canyon (below 8,000′) – Patchy to Peak (10 – 100%), GO NOW!

October 12, 2021/by John Poimiroo

Eastern Sierra, Fall Color Report

North Lake Finale

North Lake, N Fork Bishop Creek Canyon, Inyo County (10/9/21) Jan Arendtsz

Bishop Creek Canyon’s North Lake is experiencing its final days of peak. The aspen are deep orange, yellow or bare, at this point.

North Lake (9,225′) – Peak (75 – 100%), GO NOW!

October 11, 2021/by John Poimiroo

Eastern Sierra, Fall Color Report

395 Reasons

Conway Summit, US 395, Mono County (10/9/21) Clayton Peoples

US 395 has 395 reasons to travel it to see fall color. From Topaz Lake, south to Whitney Portal the route is glowing with spots of dazzling color.

Reno color spotter Clayton Peoples said he “was stunned by the beauty” when he drove south along it this past Saturday, noting in particular the spectacular contrast of freshly snow-capped peaks behind rolling hills of orange and gold.

He recommends these two locations as worth return trips for their color:

Monitor Pass, CA-89, Mono County (10/9/21) Clayton Peoples

Angie Plaisted sent snaps from her hike up Lundy Canyon through Patchy, though beautiful color. This is perhaps California’s most spectacular fall color hike and it should be glorious in a week.

Lundy Lake (7,858′) – Patchy (10 – 50%)
Conway Summit (8,143′) – Peak (75 – 100%) GO NOW! – Although there are still some green sections, many sections have moved to yellow/orange–and some have already dropped their leaves. Clayton admitted that Conway Summit is not usually one of his favorites, but a recent dusting of snow on Dunderberg Peak made the scene “truly stunning.”
Monitor Pass(8,314′) – Peak (75 – 100%) GO NOW! – The main group of aspens near the summit is already beginning to lose its leaves; but aspen a little further west–with the mountains as the backdrop–are reaching prime color. Again, with the snow-capped peaks in the background, this spot is even more beautiful than usual.

October 10, 2021/by John Poimiroo

Eastern Sierra, Fall Color Report

Tioga Tops Out

Tioga Pass (10/9/21) James Haase

Aspen atop Tioga Pass have peaked. The pass is open (presently), though is icy and subject to closure due to changing weather. Call 1-209-372-0200 (press 1 then 1) for current road conditions.

Tioga Pass (9,623′) – Peak (75 – 100%) GO NOW!

October 10, 2021/by John Poimiroo

Eastern Sierra, Fall Color Report

Elevate Your Color Spotting

Bishop, Inyo County (10/9/21) Walt Gabler

*Virginia Lakes Rd., Mono County (10/9/21) Walt Gabler*

North Coast color spotter Walt Gabler was driving north along US-395 in the Eastern Sierra on his return to Mendocino County, when he stopped at points to illustrate the effect of elevation on fall color.

Walt noted that at 4,150′ in Bishop, he could find only one oak with Patchy color, while at Conway Summit’s 8,143′ elevation all the aspen are at peak or past peak.

Bishop (4,150′) – Patchy (10 – 50%)
Conway Summit (8,142′) – Peak to Past Peak, Go Now You Almost Missed It.

October 10, 2021/by John Poimiroo

Eastern Sierra, Fall Color Report

Whitney Portal

Whitney Portal, Inyo County (10/8/21) Jan Arendtsz

West of Lone Pine (13 mi.) in the Eastern Sierra, Whitney Portal is a heavily wooded canyon flanked by granite cliffs. Its trail leads up the steep eastern escarpment to Mt. Whitney, the tallest peak in the lower 48 states.

The best color is found along Lone Pine Creek. Aspen, alder, black cottonwood, mountain and Rocky Mountain maple, willow and creek dogwood provide yellow, gold, pink, orange and red color.

Whitney Portal (8,374′) – Near Peak (50 – 75%), Go Now!

October 9, 2021/by John Poimiroo

Eastern Sierra, Photography

Bishop Beauty

S Fork Bishop Creek, Inyo County (10/5/21) Jeremy Johnson

Gorgeous scenes like this take effort to find. They’re there in the woods, but not by the side of the road. Jeremy Johnson shares the beauty he found searching hidden places near the South Lake Rd in Bishop Creek Canyon where Peak and Patchy color are juxtaposed, creating breathtaking moments, like this.

October 6, 2021/by John Poimiroo

Snowliage

Lundy Sunday

It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like … Winter

Insanity

North Lake Finale

395 Reasons

Tioga Tops Out

Elevate Your Color Spotting

Whitney Portal

Bishop Beauty

Destination

Check-in date

Check-out date