Fall Color Report – Page 125 – California Fall Color

What A Difference Three Days Makes

Crab Park, Eel River, Loleta (9/28/15) Crys Black

Three days ago, Mendocino County color spotter Crys Black had decided to report fall color as Just Starting north of Willits on U.S. 101, but when she drove The Redwood Highway this morning, “the color was beautiful and I have to bump it up to 10-50% with the best location just north of Willits.”

Oriole in Yarrow, Crab Park, Eel River, Loleta (9/28/15) Crys Black

Crys says Mendocino County received two inches of rain recently, nourishing beautiful orange, yellow, “even some purple… wildflowers.”

The fall color along 101 is Patchy, with a lot of yellow and some oranges and reds. Most of the yellow comes from bigleaf maple, the orange from alder, chartreuse from climbing wild cucumber and splashes of red from poison oak, Toxicodendron diversilobum.

There is no poison in poison oak. What creates its irritating, painful rash is contact with urushiol oil, a potent allergen found on the plant’s leaves. Unfortunately for those affected, poison oak is California’s most prevalent woody shrub. That prevalence, for those of us who appreciate red fall color, has the positive aspect of brightening woodlands with crimson in autumn.

U.S. 101 North of Willits (9/28/15) Crys Black

Crys says the vines are showing pretty color around Asti and Geyserville, though it’s Just Starting. Crush arrived early this year, though fall color will develop as in previous years.

Donna Hufford a color spotter at Elk Meadow Cabins in Orick reports that alder and bigleaf maple beside U.S. 101, north of Orick, are now coloring Redwood National and State Parks with bright patches of orange and yellow. Roosevelt Elk bulls, the largest in North America, are in full rut as they trumpet and fight one another for mating rights to harems of elk cows.

Just Starting (0-10%) – North Coast Vineyards

Patchy (10-50%) – U.S. 101 – Willits to Klamath

Just Starting (0-10%) – U.S. 101 – Klamath to Crescent City

September 28, 2015/1 Comment/by John Poimiroo

Mono County Gets Hot – GO NOW!

Summer’s Meadow from Green Creek Rd (9/24/15) Alicia Vennos

In what she describes (we concur) as some of Mono County’s nicest photos so far this season, color spotter Alicia Vennos updates us on how her county has suddenly gotten hot with fall color.

A VW Camper patrols Virginia Lakes Rd. for fall color (9/24/15) Alicia Vennos

Dunderberg Meadow Rd near Virginia Lakes Rd (9/24/15) Alicia Vennos

Lower Twin Lakes (9/25/15) Misti Sullivan

Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW! – Virginia Creek Rd/Dunderberg Meadow Rd. – Groves of aspen near the Virginia Lakes currently range from bright red, to orange, to gold and lime-green, with a few completely denuded stands (our bet is those that lost their leaves were due to black leaf spot fungus, not the change of seasons).

Patchy (10-50%) – Green Creek/Summer’s Meadow – Green Creek/Summer’s meadow is about to pop and should be peaking within a week. This is one of the most beautiful areas of the Eastern Sierra and one that few photographers and leaf peepers ever visit. A vehicle that doesn’t mind a dirt road (Rats! I just washed my car… oh, well) that’s bumpy in places is best to make this trek. And, if you happen to have a SUV, well use it as it was designed to be used… off-road.

Near Peak (50-75%) – Twin Lakes, Bridgeport – Most of the Twin Lakes area is glowing and by next week should be peaking. The Twin Lakes are tucked against an escarpment of Sierra peaks in the southwest corner of the Bridgeport Valley, a broad, grassy mountain basin that in summer is covered with hundreds of grazing cattle. The town of Bridgeport is the capital seat of Mono County with a photogenic 1880 Italianate county courthouse that is still being used. It even has a cannon sitting in front of it.

September 25, 2015/1 Comment/by John Poimiroo

Fall Color Report, High Sierra

Sherwin Lakes Brightly Beautiful

Sherwin Lake (9/24/15) Josh Wray

The trail to Sherwin Lakes Sherwin Lakes (9/24/15) Josh Wray

Fly fishing at Sherwin Lakes Sherwin Lakes (9/24/15) Josh Wray

Sherwin Lakes (9/24/15) Josh Wray

Aspen along the trail to Sherwin Lakes (9/24/15) Josh Wray

Sherwin Lakes (9/24/15) Josh Wray

It’s an invigorating hike to the Sherwin Lakes above the town of Mammoth Lakes, though the reward is worth the effort.

The trail passes through colorful brush and the lakes reflect fall color that rings the lakes. And, once at the lakes, dip your fly to catch and release native trout.

Here’s what color spotter Josh Wray found with some friends when they hiked there, yesterday.

Patchy (10-50%) – Sherwin Lakes – Brush paint the trail to the Sherwin Lakes above Mammoth in shades of gold and buff. At the lakes, a mix of green, lime, yellow and orange aspen are reflected in the lake’s still waters.

September 25, 2015/by John Poimiroo

Fall Color Report, High Sierra, Peak of the Week

High Sierra Surprise: Full Peak – GO NOW!

Weir Pond (9/24/15) Jared Smith

After posting Mono County’s report this morning, I anticipated the arrival of Jared Smith’s report from Bishop Creek Canyon in the Eastern Sierra. I sensed he would report Near Peak at Surveyor’s Meadow, but was blown away by the news that color has changed rapidly in the past few days, pushing all areas above Mt. Glen Campground to full Peak.

Therefore, CaliforniaFallColor.com is issuing its first GO NOW! alerts of autumn (just a day after the autumnal equinox). When we issue these alerts, do not delay getting to the locations identified as Near Peak or Peaking, as the turned leaves are very fragile and can be blown away. In this instance, there is such a mix of color that it should last a while, though our advice is… GO NOW!

Here’s Jared’s report:

Overall Conditions Above 8500ft Elevation

Surveyor’s Meadow (9/24/15) Jared Smith

Peak – GO NOW! (75% – 100%) – What a difference a week makes! Color has exploded up Bishop Creek Canyon at higher elevations, with Lake Sabrina, North Lake and anything on the South Fork above Mt. Glen Campground peaking.

Jared says he’s noticing some odd transitioning occurring. “Where usually entire groves change together, instead a really cool mix of yellow, orange and red are appearing simultaneously with quite a few stubborn green aspen in the mix.” The color variation is gorgeous though he is rating these areas at Full Peak or at the high end of Near Peak, “as by the time those stubborn green trees turn, the others may have given up their color. We’re certainly in the “Go Now!” zone. If the weather plays ball, the next 7 days will be excellent in the higher reaches of the canyon…hard to say beyond that.”

Overall Conditions Between 7500ft & 8500ft Elevation – Patchy (10% – 50%) – Quite a bit more yellow than last week but still mostly green in areas that we’ll see go off later in the autumn. I would rate this area just above 10% but barely. Some brilliant yellow patches below Mt. Glen Campground, Cardinal Village, Intake II and Mist Falls, but below those spots we’re looking at mostly green.

Weir Pond (9/24/15) Jared Smith

Peak – GO NOW! (75% – 100%) – Weir Pond (9650ft) – Weir is about as good as its going to get this season with brilliant yellow and a bit of orange reflecting off the glass pond. The aspen along the road are still mostly green so there is still a little left to change, but this is pretty much peak photo time if you want to catch the yellow on the hillside and near the inlet.

Sabrina Campground (9/24/15) Jared Smith

Peak – GO NOW! (75% – 100%) – Sabrina Campground (9000ft) – This area is hard to call because even areas close to one another change at slightly different times, but there is peak color right now in large areas along Hwy 168 and just above the campground on the North Lake Rd. Still some green within the campground itself but there is peak color surrounding it.

Peak – GO NOW! (75% – 100%) – Parchers Resort (9260ft) – Yellow pretty much surrounds the resort on all sides with the groves above Rainbow Meadow on the old trail to South Lake taking the cake as the most brilliant. Groves below the resort in between Parchers and Willow Camp are also looking spectacular.

Near Peak – GO NOW! (50% – 75%) – Willow Campground (9000ft) – The campground is really starting to change but the canyon walls above the to the south of the beaver pond are already exploding with color. I’m still guessing next week will be the best.

Peak – GO NOW!(75% – 100%) – Table Mountain Camp (8900ft) – Lots of color now showing all around the campground as well as below the campground. There is still some green yet to change along the roadway but it likely won’t the best will be seen over the next 7 days tops.

Surveyor’s Meadow (9/24/15) Jared Smith

Peak – GO NOW! (75% – 100%) – Surveyors Meadow (8975ft) – This is probably the most brilliant view along South Lake road with lots of yellow and touches of orange. We’ve lost a little color from those scrub aspen that popped early, but the larger aspen are now showing brilliant color and have brought this area into the “Go Now” zone. I’d expect the next 7 days to be the window for this location to be at its best.

Sabrina Lake (9/24/15) Jared Smith

Peak – GO NOW! (75% – 100%) – Lake Sabrina (9150ft) – Spectacular views at Lake Sabrina now. This may be closer to the 75% mark than the 100% mark, especially as the approach to the lake still has some ways to go, but not for long. Some rosy red, orange and yellow blanket the shoreline as well as the canyon wall near the lake’s main inlet. Breathtaking morning reflections off the lake despite the lower than normal water level.

North Lake Road (9/24/15) Jared Smith

North Lake (9/24/15) Jared Smith

Peak – GO NOW! (75% – 100%) – North Lake (9255ft) – This was an area difficult to grade as areas of the north shore of the lake, the approach to the lake, and the aspen grove near the upper parking lot are all fully peaking. Still yet to peak however are the road just past the lake (one of my favorite views), and the aspen along the west shore. It’s hard to say whether or not this area will have color all at once so I consider this a “go now” scenario as there is peak color to be had and whether it will get much better is hard to say.

Near Peak – GO NOW! (50 – 75%) – Stiny Loop above Mt. Glen Camp (8600ft) – We’re getting pretty close to a peak color situation here with tons of yellow mixed in with lime green.

Groves Above Cardinal Village (9/24/15) Jared Smith

Just Starting (0 – 10%) – Mist Falls and the Groves above Bishop Creek Lodge (8350ft) – I almost wanted to call this patchy but alas, only a few yellow trees and some obvious lightening of the aspen at the very crest of the waterfall. This location is always photo-worthy, but not like it will be in 7 to 10 days from now.

Just Starting (0 – 10%) – Aspendell (8400ft) – Very few signs of color here right now.

Patchy (10 – 50%) – Groves above Cardinal Village (8550ft) – This area actually lost some color over the last report as far as the yellow that was blanketing the east wall of the canyon below Cardinal Pinnacle. The aspen surrounding and below Cardinal Village are starting to lighten up considerably with some nice yellow patches in the mix. Looking for this to get really good in the next week or so.

Just Starting (0 – 10%) – Four Jeffries (8000ft) – Nothing but a few yellow branches showing right now. The aspen have lightened considerably though over last week.

Patchy – (10 – 50%) – Intake II (8000ft) – Much of the yellow on the canyon wall is gone, but the color is just starting to develop around the lake with bright lime greens mixed with some patchy yellow.

Just Starting – (0 – 10%) – Big Trees Campground (7800ft) – Nothing but green here right now.

September 24, 2015/7 Comments/by John Poimiroo

Fall Color Report, High Sierra

Mono County “Weekend Best Bets”

Rock Creek Lake (9/20/15) Alicia Vennos

CaliforniaFallColor.com kicks into high gear today, with autumn officially arriving yesterday. Each Thursday, during autumn, we’ll be issuing weekly summaries to media throughout California and posting the latest extended report here.

Today’s report is from Mono County color spotter Alicia Vennos who says, “Color is really kicking it up a notch in the Upper Rock Creek area, especially near the top of the road and around Rock Creek Lake. Lower down at East Fork, for example, (where there is a lovely hiking trail up to Rock Creek Lake), the aspens are still on the verge.

Alicia suggests Rock Creek, Hilton Lakes and Virginia Lakes. Parker Lake, Lundy Canyon, Twin Lakes in Bridgeport, and Sonora Pass area as best bets to see fall color this weekend and notes that the color will transition from patchy to near peak at all these areas within the coming two weeks.

June Lake, Convict Lake, and Conway Summit are just starting and should not near peak for two weeks.

Upper Rock Creek Road (9/20/15) Alicia Vennos

Rock Creek Lake (9/20/15) Alicia Vennos

Patchy (10-50%) – Rock Creek Road/Hilton Creek Road – As seen in photos submitted by Josh Wray earlier this week, Rock Creek and Hilton Creek are best bets for bright fall color this week. Getting there, you’ll pass Rock Creek Lodge, known for its breakfasts – everything, including the jam is homemade. Pie in the Sky Café is another must stop, but just until Columbus Day when it closes for the season. The wranglers at Rock Creek Pack Station have been transporting horses down to lower pastures, in preparation for winter, though a few horses are still stabled there for anyone wanting to see fall colors by horseback. CLICK HERE to reserve your ride.

Just Starting (0-10%) – Mammoth Lakes – Willows are glowing orange-yellow by lake shores in the Lakes Basin.

Patchy (10-50%) – Laurel Lakes Road – Neon lime and bright yellow are painting the aspen beside this rock-strewn 4WD road.

Patchy (10-50%) – Virginia Lakes/Green Creek Road/Bridgeport – Green Creek Road, south of Bridgeport, is a stunner, particularly Summer’s Meadow. Watch for signs leading you to it that divert from the graded dirt road. The area should be at full peak when Bridgeport hosts its Ducks Unlimited Dinner on Oct. 17.

Patchy (10-50%) – Lundy Canyon – This area probably still is a week or two away from peak, though it the beautiful transition from deep green to kelly to lime, with touches of yellow is now showing. This is one of the best hikes on the east side.

Patchy (10-50%) – Lee Vining Canyon – Still two weeks away.

Just Starting (0-10%) – June Lake Loop – Many color spotters ask about this beautiful necklace of lakes to the east of Yosemite National Park. Right now, aspen groves at the north end of the June Lake Loop, high above Grant Lake, are beginning their transition from green to lime to golden yellow and orange. Elsewhere on the Loop (Hwy. 158), color is now just starting to become lime green with some hints of gold. Parker Lake, about a 2-mile hike from the end of Parker Road at the north end of the June Lake Loop, has got some nice lime-green, yellow-orange hues now. June Lake should be Near Peak when June Lake Brewing hosts the June Lake Autumn Beer Festival on Oct. 10 at Gull Lake Park.

Convict Lake (9/20/15) Julie Yost

Convict Lake (9/20/15) Alicia Vennos

Just Starting (0-10%) – Convict Lake – This photo says it all. The color is just beginning around Convict Lake. That’s probably a good thing for people out to see it, as road crews are paving the parking lot area, the accessible trail, and Convict Lake Road, limiting parking. Convict Lakes annual Ambush at the Lake Fishing Derby will continue through the end of the regular fishing season on Nov. 15.

Conway Summit (9/20/15) Alicia Vennos

Just Starting (0 -10%) – Conway Summit – As seen above, the aspen are mostly green with spots of yellow. Golden grasses and bright yellow rabbitbrush provide nice foreground accents.

Patchy (10-50%) – McGee Creek Canyon – There’s gold and yellow to be seen among the aspen. McGee Creek is still a week to 10 days away. If you want to ride the area, the McGee Creek Pack Station remains open just through September.

Just Starting (0-10%) – Walker/Coleville – Aspen have begun turning lime-green with some yellow patches, though the cottonwood throughout the Antelope Valley are still mostly green. The last event to put on your calendar, should you plan trips to this area is Walker’s annual Deer Hunter Barbecue on Oct. 3. Put on by the Antelope Valley Lions Club, this is the place to learn local secrets on where to hunt in the valley or what goes into their famous barbecue sauce. (530) 208-6078 is the number to call for more info. Finally, the Leavitt Meadows Pack Station plans to remain open through mid-October for fall color horseback rides in the Sonora Pass area.

September 24, 2015/4 Comments/by John Poimiroo

Fall Color Report, High Sierra

Autumn Begins Today, But Started Weeks Ago

Bear Creek Spire and Pyramid toward Hilton Lakes (9/20/15) Josh Wray

Autumn begins today, though #SierraFallColors have been developing for weeks.

In the Eastern Sierra, that is particularly evident up Rock Creek and Hilton Creek Canyons, south of Mammoth Lakes and Lundy Canyon to the north, where color spotters Josh Wray and Christine Osborne took these photos. The color there is still mostly patchy, though approaching Near Peak.

Josh wrote that he hadn’t heard what was happening up these canyons, so he decided to go check them out for himself, and was very glad he did. He anticipates these canyons will be, “peaking fairly soon,” and promises to keep tabs of them.

Hilton Lakes Rd. (9/20/15) Josh Wray

The road to Rock Creek (9/20/15) Josh Wray

Shaded by aspen (9/20/15) Josh Wray

Rock Creek Lake Road (9/20/15) Josh Wray

Lundy Canyon (9/20/15) Christine Osborne

Right now, you’ll see lots of fluorescent lime, neon yellow and bright orange, though not enough to announce an alert to Go Now!

Still, if you’re heading to the east side this weekend, you’ll find lots to enjoy by continuing up toward Mammoth Lakes and exploring the canyons north and south of it.

Josh describes the Eastern Sierra as where mountain ridges begin to glow as if they’re afire, canyon roads are the “roads to happiness” and the higher you go, the more you see changing. Soon, you witness “trees in every phase of the color shift.”

Patchy (10-50%) – Rock Creek – Gettin’ good.

Patchy (10-50%) – Hilton Creek – Same as Rock Creek.

Patchy (10-50%) – Lundy Canyon – Ditto.

September 23, 2015/by John Poimiroo

Fall Color Report, Shasta Cascade

Surrounded by Color

Mt Shasta (9/22/15) Ashlyn Hollgarth

What do US Forest Service rangers do in autumn? They surround themselves with fall color.

Mt. Shasta Ranger Station (9/22/15) Ashlyn Hollgarth

That’s what color spotter Ashlyn Hollgarth reports from the Mt Shasta ranger station where an exotic, eastern sugar maple is coloring up beside the station.

Just Starting (0-10%) – Mt. Shasta

September 22, 2015/by John Poimiroo

Fall Color Report, Hike of the Week, Shasta Cascade

Shasta Cascade – Fire and Ice (Hike of the Week)

Knotweed, Cliff Lake, Lassen Volcanic NP (9/12/15) Shanda Ochs

This past week, a dusting of snow atop Lassen Peak in Lassen Volcanic National Park closed the park road, but that was short lived, as many of these early dustups tend to be in California.

Park Guide Shanda Ochs sends the above photo of firey red knotweed, photographed of the meadow on the trail northeast of Cliff Lake in the national park on Sept. 12. She reported, “In the past, this color typically holds for quite some time before leaves fall off. I don’t know if this will be the case this year.”

Shanda notes, “It appears that the aspen lost leaves early due to the lack of water. There was a very short period that they were in full color, but lost the leaves quickly. I don’t think we will see the fall color that is typical year after year, based on the lack of water.”

The bright color have encouraged CaliforniaFallColor.com to name the Cliff Lake trail in Lassen Volcanic National Park as our first Hike of the Week in 2015.

Alder and willow, Manzanita Lake, Lassen Volcanic NP (9/21/15) Shanda Ochs

At Manzanita Lake, the willows beside the lake have turned chartreuse and orange-yellow, though among the alder there is no “stand out color yet, and we may not see that either because of the lack of water.” Shanda notes, “But we still have time there. ”

Bigleaf maple, Plumas County (9/20/15) Jeff Titcomb

Dogwood, Plumas County (9/20/15) Jeff Titcomb

In Plumas County, color spotters Lisa May and Jeff Titcomb reports that bigleaf maple “are just barely getting into color change, but again dry weather is causing browning and falling leaves before they have the chance to change color.” Jeff predicts there will be weeks more of color in the beautiful Indian Valley. About 25% of the dogwood have begun to color their trademark rose to red tones.

Patchy (10-50%) – Lassen Volcanic National Park – Drought has shortened the show among some aspen that have begun to turn, though most of the forest has not and should turn on schedule. Lassen Volcanic NP is one location where looking down is recommended to see fall color juxtaposed to dramatic grand landscapes in the distance, as seen in Shanda’s photographs.

Patchy (10-50%) – Round Valley, Plumas County – About a quarter of the bigleaf maple at the Round Valley Reservoir near Greenville have begun to turn. Some of the big leaves are drying quickly, once they turn. Similarly, dogwood are showing their rosy blush.

September 21, 2015/1 Comment/by John Poimiroo

Central Valley, Fall Color Report, Shasta Cascade

A Long Way To Go Along CA-99

Esplanade Blvd, Chico (11/8/14) John Poimiroo

Driving Highway 99 – the agricultural spine of California’s Central Valley – is a long way to go, though its distance isn’t what we’re referring to in this post. What we mean is that it’ll be a while until the orchards and vineyards beside the highway are showing color.

Yesterday, we drove north, passing through Folsom, Granite Bay, Rocklin, Marysville, Yuba City and Chico to Vina and saw almost no color change along the route, with the exception of the golden highlights fringing the tops of Cottonwood at Mormon Island Wetland and cresting towering sycamore and cottonwood at Bidwell Park in Chico.

In Vina, I spoke with Phil Sunseri of New Clairvaux Vineyard who said their harvest is nearly complete, though crush continues. Phil says this was an unusually early harvest. The quality of the grapes is exceptional.

A favorite autumn outing is this route with stops in Chico at Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. for lunch, visiting art galleries in Chico, enjoying fall color along Esplanade Blvd in downtown Chico (see file photo) and continuing to the Abbey of New Clairvaux in Vina to see what progress is occurring on reconstruction of its 800-year old Chapter House and to taste the wines of New Clairvaux. That trip did not disappoint, yesterday, though the fall color hasn’t yet developed.

Just Starting (0-10%) – CA-99 – This route will not peak for a month. Otherwise, it’s a long way to go for very little, right now.

September 20, 2015/2 Comments/by John Poimiroo

Central Coast, Fall Color Report

Lakes San Antonio and Nacimiento

California Sycamore (historic) Mathias J Alten, University Art Center

Color spotters Debi Wages and Denae Gomez report that sycamore and maple at southern Monterey County and northern San Luis Obispo County Lakes San Antonio and Nacimiento are beginning to show color and the ground is littered with oak acorns. These Central Coast destinations are not expected to near peak until late October.

In late October, oaks and willows along the banks of the Salinas River (US101) show lovely yellow and orange up to King City. If driving north or south, US101 (El Camino Real) is a better bet for fall color than I-5 or CA-99, though the vineyards, orchards and fields in the Central Valley can be beautiful.

Patchy (10 – 50%) – Lakes San Antonio and Nacimiento – Now at the lower end of this scale, the oaks at Lakes San Antonio and Nacimiento will develop slowly, nearing peak in mid to late October.

September 18, 2015/by John Poimiroo

What A Difference Three Days Makes

Mono County Gets Hot – GO NOW!

Sherwin Lakes Brightly Beautiful

High Sierra Surprise: Full Peak – GO NOW!

Mono County “Weekend Best Bets”

Autumn Begins Today, But Started Weeks Ago

Surrounded by Color

Shasta Cascade – Fire and Ice (Hike of the Week)

A Long Way To Go Along CA-99

Lakes San Antonio and Nacimiento

Destination

Check-in date

Check-out date