Fall Color Report – Page 126 – California Fall Color

Snow, Rain and Wind Set Bishop Creek Back a Week

Willow Campground (9/17/15) Jared Smith

Plenty of color is showing at elevations above 8,500′ in the Eastern Sierra’s Bishop Creek Canyon, though a dusting of snow, light rain and wind early this week, set the show back a week, reports color spotter Jared Smith. The light storm knocked aspen leaves that had already turned from their branches, though “thankfully most of the color has yet to peak,” says Jared, and there’s “some great stuff to look forward to.”

Below 8,500′, the show is just starting with lots of deep green, some lime and a few small patches of yellow. Jared says it will still be a week to two before the lower elevations are approaching peak.

Patchy (10 – 50%) – Weir Pond (9650ft) – The road is still open all the way to Weir Pond and the color is looking quite good on the hillside above the pond. The aspen surrounding the pond are still lime green so things will likely look much more impressive next week.

Sabrina Campground (9/17/15) Jared Smith

Patchy (10 – 50%) – Sabrina Campground (9000ft) – The aspen along the road are still brilliant yellow, orange and a touch of red, but some of the trees in were stripped of their color by the wind. The campground itself is still mostly green with just a few hints of yellow.

Patchy (10 – 50%) – Parchers Resort (9260ft) – Quite a bit of yellow is blanketing the hillsides around the resort, but some of the scrub aspen here was stripped by the wind. Plenty of green still around and we’re looking forward to more change before the next report.

Patchy (10 – 50%) – Willow Campground (9000ft) – The canyon walls above the campground are looking pretty impressive but the lower lying aspen within the campground have only touches of color and lime green hues. The granite wall across from the beaver pond just below the campground has some gorgeous color.

Patchy (10 – 50%) – Table Mountain Camp (8900ft) – Some color is showing above the campground and a few aspen along the stream have started to turn but we’ve still got a ways to go.

Surveyor’s Meadow (9/17/15) Jared Smith

Patchy (10 – 50%) – Surveyors Meadow (8975ft) – This area is probably the furthest along but hasn’t changed much since Sunday…in fact its actually displaying a bit less color thanks to the wind. It will be interesting to see how the cooler weather will affect the transformation.

Patchy (10 – 50%) – Lake Sabrina (9150ft) – Some great color on the east side of the lake with some color starting to develop near the back of the lake as well. I’m predicting some very nice color here by next weekend if not before.

North Lake Road (9/17/15) Jared Smith

Patchy (10 – 50%) – North Lake (9255ft) – Some gorgeous yellow, orange and red is showing along the road as you approach North Lake. Not much going on around the lake itself though. Look for this area to go off next week.

Patchy (10 – 50%) – Stiny Loop above Mt. Glen Camp (8600ft) – Some yellow along the stream but mostly green hues dominating at present.

Just Starting (0 – 10%) – Mist Falls and the groves above Bishop Creek Lodge (8350ft) – One yellow tree and the rest is all green. This tends to pop later in the season, probably around the first week of October if I had to guess.

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

Groves above Cardinal Village (9/17/15) Jared Smith

Patchy (10 – 50%) – Groves above Cardinal Village (8550ft) – There is a lot of color still above Cardinal Village but some of the aspen are unfortunately naked already from the wind. Tons of green still around so we’ve got plenty of color yet to develop in this area.

Just Starting (0 – 10%) – Four Jeffries (8000ft) – Nothing but a few yellow branches showing right now.

Patchy – (10 – 50%) – Intake II (8000ft) – The aspen surrounding the lake are still hosting their summer shade of green although the scrub aspen growing up the mountainside are showing some yellow….at least the ones who still have their leaves are.

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

September 17, 2015/4 Comments/by John Poimiroo

Fall Color Report, High Sierra

Mono County Begins to Pop

Hilton Creek (9/14/15) Trapper Felt

Mono County color spotter Alicia Vennos reports that color is developing quickly. She forecasts that near peak will happen next week at highest elevations and peak will descend for the following month. Here’s her report.

Hilton Creek (9/14/15) Trapper Felt

Patchy (10 – 50%) – Rock Creek Road/Hilton Creek Road – Colors towards the top of Rock Creek Road are starting to really go off! The lower elevations are still lime green to yellow in patches, but the higher end of Rock Creek Road and the trail to Hilton Creek are moving towards peak fairly quickly. Make plans within the next 10 days AT THE MOST to see this area in all its brilliance. Pie in the Sky Café – a must stop for color spotters – will be open with their famously delicious homemade pies through October 12 (Columbus Day long weekend) this year. The Rock Creek Pack Station has kept a few horses in the stable for anyone wishing to see the colors by horseback in the next week or so. Please contact asap to reserve.

Virginia Lakes Road (9/16/15) Alicia Vennos

Patchy (10 – 50%) – Virginia Lakes/Green Creek Road/Bridgeport – Many aspen groves just off US 395 near Bridgeport, are turning golden, orange and red… but many are still completely green. Some have shed their leaves (likely the result of black leaf spot, as reported earlier). This wide range seems to follow the same pattern each year which means there should be color to see at one section or another within the next two and even three weeks. Conway Summit is still lime green for the most part, but sections of Virginia Lakes Road are golden, as are some of the groves along Green Creek Road, which is well-maintained and graded. Summer’s Meadow is also still at the lime green stages. DUCKS UNLIMITED DINNER: October 17.

Lundy Canyon (9/16/15) Alicia Vennos

Patchy (10 – 50%) – Lundy Canyon – The popular waterfall viewpoint is still lime green and only slightly yellow, as are the aspens that line the Lundy Canyon Road and surround the west side of Lundy Lake. However some aspens along the dirt road extension to the beaver ponds are yellow. We still estimate there to be about two weeks before the color is really spectacular.

Patchy (10 – 50%) – Lee Vining Canyon – 10-50%. Colors are just starting to ramp up in the Lee Vining Canyon area but we are a couple of weeks away from peak in that area. The Log Cabin Road, however, tends to go off more quickly — plan for the next week to 10 days.

Green Creek Road (9/16/15) Alicia Vennos

Just Starting (0 – 10%) – June Lake Loop – The Loop is usually one of the last places to turn and will be showing off her colors in approximately two weeks, all things being equal! WRITERS/POETS: You are invited to join in on a workshop called “Inspired by Nature: A Writer’s Retreat” on September 25, 26, 27. Contact 310-450-9606 for full details. May the magic of autumn in June Lake inspire equally brilliant writing! CRAFT BEER ENTHUSIASTS: On October 10th, June Lake Brewing is hosting the 3rd Annual June Lake Autumn Beer Festival at Gull Lake Park.

Just Starting (0 – 10%) – Convict Lake – The gorgeous aspens at the west end of the lake are still green. It’s still early for any significant color in the canyon. There is only a scattering of yellow as you drive up to Convict Lake. Around the lake the leaves have just started their change over to their fall colors. Plan to visit within the next 2 or 3 weeks. Convict Lake’s fall fishing derby, “Ambush at the Lake,” continues through Nov. 15. with $6,000 in resort prizes. A $2,000 Cash Bonus Weekend runs on Oct. 30 – Nov. 1. Fall Lodging Specials starting at $379+tax (Sunday thru Thursday – 2 Nights for 2 Persons). Includes $100 Restaurant Credit & Full Day Motor Boat Rental.

Patchy (10 – 50%) – McGee Creek Canyon – McGee Creek has some gold and yellow aspens happening now! Visit within the next week to 10 days. McGee Creek Pack Station is open for fall color rides into the back country through September.

Just Starting (0 – 10%) – Walker/Coleville – The underbrush and willows are golden or gone now but the aspens are turning lime-green with some yellow patches, particularly along the West Walker River. Up in the higher elevations, up by Golden Gate Mine and Mill Canyon Road, color is starting to erupt. Plan to come within the next few weeks! BIRDING & HIKING THE VALLEY event is this weekend — Still time to sign up. Please call (530) 208-6078 to join in on a weekend of birding, hiking and learning about the amazing geology of the Walker/Coleville/Topaz area. And the annual Deer Hunter Barbecue is coming up on October 3 in Walker — deep pit barbecue with delicious (and secret) Antelope Valley Lions Club sauce, with all the fixings and homemade desserts! Call (530) 208-6078 for more info. Also — the Leavitt Meadows Pack Station is open through mid-October for fall color horseback rides in the Sonora Pass area.

These hashtags lead to fall color reports #SierraFallColors, #Autumn, #FallColor.

September 17, 2015/by John Poimiroo

Fall Color Report, First Report, High Sierra

Off-Road to Laurel Lakes

Off-roading on the Laurel Lakes Road, south of Mammoth Lakes (9/13/15) Josh Wray

Turned and unturned apsen in Laurel Canyon (9/13/15) Josh Wray

Laurel Lakes Road (9/13/15) Josh Wray

Laurel Canyon (9/13/15) Josh Wray

Laurel Lakes Road (9/13/15) Josh Wray

Mammoth Lakes color spotter Josh Wray drove his 4 x 4 into the High Sierra to score a report from Laurel Canyon, and what a find!

CaliforniaFallColor reported about Laurel Canyon a few years ago, but we were early and missed the show. So, we’ll give Josh color spotter creds as the first to post a complete report with photos from the Laurel Lakes Road that travels up into the canyon.

As seen in his beautiful photographs, the area is dazzling. Josh advises, however, that the road is driveable only by a 4WD vehicle with high clearance, making it impossible for an average vehicle to drive. He drove off-road with friends and “stumbled upon the beautiful colors that are filling mountainsides and valleys.”

He writes that bright “orange and yellow are flowing down from higher elevations and meeting up with the lush dark green pine and aspen of the valley floor. It really is incredible right now… and we expect to see the colors become even more glorious in the next week or two.”

Note that many of the aspen are lush and deeply green, while others have turned or are in the transition of turning.

Patchy (10 – 50%) – Laurel Canyon – Deep green pines offer contrast to multicolored aspen with orange-yellow willows and bright yellow rabbitbrush accenting the scene. The contrast of red rocks, firey skies and blazing color will only get better in the coming weeks. Getting off road to scenes like this is why you visit Mammoth Lakes.

Twin Lakes – A mix of turned, green and black leaf spotted aspen – (9/14/15) Josh Wray

Patchy (10 – 50%) – Twin Lakes – Bright green is starting to turn yellow surrounding Twin Lakes in Mammoth Lakes.

Lake George (9/14/15) Josh Wray

Patchy (10 – 50%) – Lake George – Orange is now present, which was a fast transition from last week’s developing color. Josh recommends driving to the Mammoth Lakes Basin up Old Mammoth Road until it connects with Hwy 203. Changing aspen are visible starting at Snowcreek Golf Course all they way to the Lakes Basin.

September 15, 2015/1 Comment/by John Poimiroo

Fall Color Report, High Sierra

Bishop Creek Right On Schedule

Parcher’s Resort (9/12/15) Jared Smith

Overall Conditions Above 8500ft Elevation

Patchy (10% – 50%)

Bishop Creek color spotter Jared Smith of the Parcher’s Resort reports there is “a LOT of color showing on the canyon walls, especially from Mt. Glen Campground on up to the end of the road (which is currently below South Lake due to some construction there). Especially colorful are the higher aspen above Willow Camp, Surveyor’s Meadow, the Tyee Lakes Trailhead and Parchers Resort.”

Most importantly, he states, “There is enough color already to make the trip worth it, but things should get even better over the next couple weeks, if the weather cooperates.”

Cooler weather is predicted to arrive this week, which Jared says, “could really get the color going. So, we’re looking forward some stunning views by next weekend.”

As reported yesterday, smoke from several wildfires across California are affecting areas with developing fall color. In the Eastern Sierra, the Rough Fire was dirtying the air, though, Jared reports, this “was much less of an issue this week due to a change in the wind direction.” Nevertheless, afternoon haze still diminishes fall color viewing. This is one autumn that could use some rain. Here’s Jared’s report:

Overall Conditions Between 7500ft & 8500ft Elevation

Just Starting (0% – 10%)

Noticeable lightening of the aspens is occurring in many of the lower reaches of the canyon, but very little color is showing.

Weir Pond (9/12/15) Jared Smith

Patchy (10 – 50%) – Weir Pond (9650ft)

We were expecting to have walk-in-only access to Weir Pond during the construction at the South Lake parking lot but as of now, they’ve left it open for day use which is great news. Unfortunately a bunch of inconsiderate backpackers continue to park in what is clearly marked “day use only”. Hopefully we’ll see the tow truck up here often over the coming weeks to keep that lot available for photographers over the next couple weeks as the peak of fall color approaches

Sabrina Campground (9/12/15) Jared Smith

Patchy (10 – 50%) – Sabrina Campground (9000ft)

The aspen along the road adjacent to the campground are already starting to pop off big time. Along the stream and within the campground however there is far less color. This spot is worth visiting now, but will get better.

Parcher’s Resort (9/12/15) Jared Smith

Patchy (10 – 50%) – Parchers Resort (9260ft)

Brilliant yellows are developing on the canyon walls all around the resort, and even a few of the aspen on the resort grounds are beginning to turn.

Willow Campground (9/12/15) Jared Smith

Patchy (10 – 50%) – Willow Campground (9000ft)

The canyon wall above the campground has quite a bit of yellow mixed in with bright lime green hues. The lower lying aspen along the stream and within the campground are mostly green still but the change from deep dark green to a lighter lime green has been obvious over the last week. The campground itself is closed for the season, but folks are welcome to walk into the camp to enjoy the color.

Table Mountain Camp (9/12/15) Jared Smith

Patchy (10 – 50%) – Table Mountain Camp (8900ft)

Some color is showing above the campground and a few aspen along the stream have started to turn but we’ve still got a ways to go.

Surveyor’s Meadow (9/12/15) Jared Smith

Patchy (10 – 50%) – Surveyors Meadow (8975ft)

This area is probably the furthest along and is nearing the 50% mark. There is still plenty of color yet to change around the meadow but this location has enough color to warrant a trip now. One of the smaller groves was really ahead of the game and is already losing some leaves – thankfully we’re only observing that in that one grove – everything else looks to be progressing normally.

Patchy (10 – 50%) – Lake Sabrina (9150ft)

No pictures of Sabrina this week but there is patchy color occurring both at and below the lake.

Patchy (10 – 50%) – North Lake (9255ft)

Quite a bit of color showing at North Lake but the best is yet to come.

Patchy (10 – 50%) – Stiny Loop above Mt. Glen Camp (8600ft)

Quite a bit of yellow showing along the stream and on the eastern wall of the canyon. These are smaller scrub aspen but very pretty nonetheless.

Mist Falls and the Groves (9/12/15) Jared Smith

Just Starting (0 – 10%) – Mist Falls and the groves above Bishop Creek Lodge (8350ft)

Mostly dark green holding on here, but this is no surprise as this location is one that usually pops later in the fall.

Just Starting (0 – 10%) – Aspendell (8400ft)

Very few signs of color here right now.

Groves above Cardinal Village (9/12/15) Jared Smith

Patchy (10 – 50%) – Groves above Cardinal Village (8550ft)

Jared wrote he was “really close to going higher with my rating here as there is a ton of yellow blanketing the canyon wall from Cardinal Pinnacle towards the old Cardinal Mine. However, the aspen around Cardinal Village Resort are still green as green can be – but I’d guess that we’ll have almost peak conditions here next week.

Just Starting (0 – 10%) – Four Jeffries (8000ft)

Nothing but a few yellow branches showing right now.

Patchy – (10 – 50%) – Intake II (8000ft)

The aspen surrounding the lake are still hosting their summer shade of green although the scrub aspen growing up the mountainside are showing some yellow.

Just Starting – (0 – 10%) – Big Trees Campground (7800ft)

Nothing but green here right now.

September 14, 2015/4 Comments/by John Poimiroo

Fall Color Report

The Color of Autumn

Ukiah (9/13/15) Walt Gabler

The color of autumn in 2015 is tinted by smoke, as color spotter Walt Gabler saw today looking west from Ukiah at 6 p.m. He reported that smoke from Lake County’s Valley Fire hangs heavy over Mendocino County, all the way to the coast.

Our autumn outing today was into the Sierra foothills of El Dorado County, where smoke from the Butte fire fouled the air and made eyes sting. Pockets of bigleaf maple along Newtown Road, north of Placerville, are beginning to turn yellow. They don’t usually show until October.

CaliforniaFallColor.com is reluctant to report that autumn is appearing earlier than usual, because most of the areas reported so far as having dropped leaves or showing early color, were because of localized diseases or conditions (e.g., excessive dryness in a given area). Increasingly however, in specific areas there are indications that this autumn may be arriving sooner than in past years, perhaps in response to our fourth year of drought.

A report will be posted tomorrow from Bishop Creek in the Eastern Sierra that supports this view. In the meantime, breathe easily.

Patchy (10 – 50%) – Newtown Road, El Dorado County – A few pockets of bigleaf maple are showing early color.

Just Starting (0 – 10%) – Mendocino County

September 13, 2015/1 Comment/by John Poimiroo

Fall Color Report, Shasta Cascade

Mt Shasta Begins to Perc

Early Color, Lake Siskiyou, Mt. Shasta (9/8/15) Cory Poole

Color is appearing among shoreline maples at Lake Siskiyou near Mt. Shasta. Cory Poole documented it with this snap.

0 – 10% – Mt. Shasta – Color starting.

September 11, 2015/by John Poimiroo

Fall Color Report

Mammoth Lakes Just Starting

Lake George, Mammoth Lakes (9/7/15) Josh Wray

Color spotter Josh Wray reports that willows are approaching peak and aspen are just starting to color in the Mammoth Lakes area. Seen above is Lake George which Josh reports as 20% turned.

Quaking Aspen, Old Mammoth Road (9/7/15) Josh Wray

Twin Lakes Bridge, Mammoth Lakes (9/7/15) Josh Wray

Josh’s photos show some of the wildfire-created haze that is smothering points throughout the High Sierra. Smoke is dampening the brightness of the color.

0 – 10% – Twin Lakes, Mammoth Lakes – Aspen are just starting to change from deep green to lime green and soft yellow.

10 – 50% – Lake George, Mammoth Lakes – Willows are deep orange-yellow and aspen are starting to show yellow.

10 – 50% – Old Mammoth Road, Mammoth Lakes – At the lower end of the fall color scale, this area’s aspen are now exhibiting yellow and lime.

0 – 10% – Mammoth Creek – Still vibrant green, the aspen here are not yet showing lime or yellow.

September 11, 2015/by John Poimiroo

Fall Color Report, High Sierra, Peak of the Week

Black Leaf Spot Damages Northern Sierra Aspen

Black Leaf Spot Fungus, Quaking Aspen, North Lake Tahoe (9/3/15) John Poimiroo

A road trip to Lake Tahoe, then north on CA-89 from Truckee to Lake Davis weekend was an eye opener, this Labor Day weekend.

Quaking Aspen, Cold Creek Campground, CA-89 (9/6/15) John Poimiroo

As previously reported, the “black leaf spot” fungus that has decimated quaking aspen groves atop Monitor Pass and in parts of the Hope Valley gets worse as you drive north on CA-89. In some locations, aspen have lost all their leaves, while in most groves about half the trees have been affected. This photo shows the contrast of a stand of aspen that has lost nearly all its leaves, near aspen and cottonwood that are full of deep green foliage.

Willows, Cold Creek Campground, CA-89 (9/6/15) John Poimiroo

What this means for the fall color spotter is that in areas where black leaf spot has hit, the show will be reduced by half. Here’s a rundown of locations visited:

Lake Tahoe (6,200′) from South Lake Tahoe (Camp Richardson) and along the west and north shores of Lake Tahoe, aspen are drier than seen in previous years, but the groves were not hit as hard by black leaf spot infestations, as seen at higher elevations south and north of the lake.
CA-267 (Kings Beach to Truckee) – The stand of aspen that surrounds a weathered, one-room ranch house at 6,600′ (a popular photo workshop and wedding photography location) has lost many of its leaves. Some have begun turning. The grove is dry. Willows are peaking orange yellow.
CA-89 (Truckee to Sierraville) – Black leaf spot has hit aspen groves that grow beside the Little Truckee River at several points, with some groves completely denuded of leaves and the aspen look to be dead. The healthiest trees are seen at Cold Creek Campground, though stands of verdant aspen are found near creeks and the river in all the campgrounds.
Lake Davis/Portola – Aspen are dry but severe damage from black leaf spot was not noticed.

Weather conditions in late spring and early summer were ideal for the formation of black leaf spot fungus. The U.S. Forest Service reports that, “Epidemic conditions are intensified by abundant rainfall in the spring and summer, possibly followed by warm temperatures for about 1 week.” That is exactly what happened this year.

Autumn blaze maple (exotic), Agate Bay, Lake Tahoe (9/3/15) John Poimiroo

Piled atop this unusual bloom of fungus in Northern Sierra aspen groves is that the effect of four years of drought is evident throughout the forest. Many aspen and alder leaves are dry and have very little flexibility. Ponderosa and Jeffrey pine, Douglass, white and red fir and incense cedar (such as at Alder Creek) appear stressed; bunches of brown needles are seen in many of the trees.

Our experience has been that where trees are healthy and robust, good fall color appears. But, where trees are dry or diseased, the show is short-lived and disappointing. If you enjoy visiting or photographing fall color in the areas mentioned in this report, time your visit when it peaks during a year like this one, when drought and disease have stressed the forest.

0 – 10% – Lake Tahoe – Aspen groves are just beginning to turn color. Most of the groves are drier than usual, with some having lost leaves.

0 – 10% – CA-267 (Spooner Summit) – Willows are at full peak with orange yellow leaves. Aspen have begun to lose leaves, some are beginning to show color change, black leaf spot fungus affects about a third of the stands, which are drier than usual.

0 – 10% – CA-89 (Little Truckee River) – Half the aspen have lost leaves or are afflicted with black leaf spot. The remaining stands appear healthy and with full green foliage that should turn beautifully in early October.

0 – 10% – Lake Davis and Frenchman’s Lake – Aspen are drier than usual with some having been thinned out, though overall color should be good.

September 7, 2015/by John Poimiroo

Fall Color Report

Name That Tree

Indicator #1 (8/29/15) Alena Nicholas

Fall Color Creds to the first person who can name these trees, seen at Big Bear and Lake Gregory.

Indicator #2, Big Bear (8/29/15) Alena Nicholas

Indicator #3, Lake Gregory (8/29/15) Alena Nicholas

The photos were taken by Alena Nicholas this weekend. Alena describes these as ‘indicator’ trees used to mark when autumn has arrived in these San Bernardino Mountain locations.

0 – 10% – Big Bear and Lake Gregory – indicator trees are showing yellow, red and orange.

August 30, 2015/4 Comments/by John Poimiroo

Fall Color Report

Eastern Sierra Shows Early Color

Smoke from the Rough Fire obscured the view of aspen turning yellow on the far side of Lake Sabrina (8/24/15) John Poimiroo

A quick trip to the Eastern Sierra, on Monday and Tuesday (US 50 to CA-89 to US 395), allowed time to speak with locals and visit prime fall color areas, a few of which are showing early color.

Quaking Aspen, Lake Sabrina (8/24/15) John Poimiroo

Jared Smith at Parcher’s Resort near South Lake up the South Fork of Bishop Creek (Inyo County) points to a hillside of struggling, stunted aspen between Table Mountain Campground and Willow Campground that have lit up in mixed yellow and lime. He’s been closely observing seasonal change at Bishop Creek for a decade and says this is one of the earliest appearances he’s seen.

Aspen growing along the banks of the Middle Fork of Bishop Creek that flows out of Lake Sabrina are also starting to show yellow. Though, most of the aspen in Bishop Creek Canyon are deeply green and healthy, indicating that fall color will appear about the same time of year, as usual. The healthiest of the groves are near Four Jeffrey, where very tall and lush aspen grow and in Aspendell whose verdant stands are doing well.

Jared attributes the health of Bishop Creek’s aspen to late spring and early summer rains that irrigated them. In past years, we’ve noted that fall color in healthy forests tends to last longer… that is, unless storms strip the leaves.

Tim Fesko of Meadowcliff Resort along the Walker River at the northern end of Mono County (US 395) says early summer rains extended the wildflower blooms. He drove up to Lobdell Lake atop Mt. Patterson two weeks ago and found it populated with more wildflowers than he can ever recall seeing so late in summer.

Fireweed and Willows at South Lake (8/25/15) John Poimiroo

Willows, North Lake Road, N. Fork Bishop Creek 98/24/15) John Poimiroo

One of the pleasures of early fall color viewing is to find wildflowers blooming just as fall color is beginning to show. This is evident at South Lake where hot pink fireweed is pushing up through fully peaked yellow-orange willows at 9,200′.

At Lake Sabrina, a hillside of full peak willows runs like an orange ribbon climbing through the aspen near the end of the dam, and at North Lake, willows flank North Lake Road with a cordon of rustling yellow-orange leaves.

Just below the South Fork hillside of early turning aspen that Jared mentioned, bright yellow rabbitbrush line South Fork Road between Four Jeffrey and Mountain Glen.

Rubber Rabbitbrush, June Lake (8/25/15) John Poimiroo

More cadmium yellow rabbitbrush paint the edges of US 395 north of Mammoth Lakes and at Oh! Ridge viewpoint above June Lake.

Time didn’t permit a side trip to visit Mammoth Lakes this trip, but – wow – the view of Mammoth Mountain, the Minarets and Sierra is impressive on the drive north toward Mammoth from Bishop. This must be the most spectacular horizon at a mountain resort in North America!

Orange Willows and Green Aspen, Lundy Canyon (8/22/15) Alicia Vennos

Mono County color spotter Alicia Vennos was hiking this past weekend and found the aspen in Lundy Canyon to be dark green (with one exception beside the trail), but that willows at higher elevations, as seen in Bishop Creek Canyon, have turned bright yellow-orange.

Juniper Berries (8/22/15) Alicia Vennos

She noted that Juniper bushes appear to be blue from a distance, due to the many Juniper berries carried on their branches.

This scouting trip confirmed that the signs are mostly positive that this autumn’s show should be colorful and long-lasting (conditions permitting). The only areas of concern were groves of quaking aspen near the Sorensen’s Resort in the Hope Valley (CA-88 – Carson Pass) and atop Monitor Pass (CA-89) that have been afflicted with a fungus that damages the leaves with brown spots.

John Brissenden at Sorensen’s says some aspen near the resort have lost half their leaves due to the disease.

Fortunately for Sorensen’s and the many color spotters who appreciate visiting the Hope Valley (count me among them), the valley is populated with thousands of aspen, most of which are deeply green and healthy. The healthiest of them are seen along the West Fork of the Carson River, east of Sorensen’s and seen from Hwy 88 in the Hope Valley up to the east side of Carson Pass.

0 – 10% – Bishop – Fremont Cottonwood that populate Bishop are deep green and healthy.

Quaking Aspen, Lake Sabrina (8/24/15) John Poimiroo

10 – 50% – Lake Sabrina, Middle Fork Bishop Creek – On the lower end of this scale, color is beginning to paint slopes from 9,200′ up to 10,000′. Aspen below the dam are speckled with gold.

10 – 50% – South Fork Bishop Creek – A hillside of aspen have turned yellow between Table Mountain and Willow campgrounds. Most of the aspen are deep green and will turn on schedule from late Sept. to mid Oct.

0 – 10% – June Lake Loop – A few aspen are showing spots of color.

10 – 50% – Reverse Creek Campground, June Lake – Approx. 15% of the aspen in the campground have begun to turn.

0 – 10% – Walker River, Walker, Coleville – Frémont cottonwood look healthy and deeply green.

10 – 50% – Monitor Pass – The aspen atop the pass are suffering, partly because this is a windswept area with poor nutrients and due to a fungus that has spotted leaves. Several trees have lost leaves and appear to be struggling.

0 – 10% – Carson Pass – The aspen throughout most of the Hope Valley look healthy and full of green leaves, though a few stands near Sorensen’s Resort have lost half their leaves due to the same fungus afflicting those on Monitor Pass. A new National Weather Service weather station in a meadow near Sorenson’s will provide detailed information on weather conditions there.

August 26, 2015/2 Comments/by John Poimiroo

Snow, Rain and Wind Set Bishop Creek Back a Week

Mono County Begins to Pop

Off-Road to Laurel Lakes

Bishop Creek Right On Schedule

The Color of Autumn

Mt Shasta Begins to Perc

Mammoth Lakes Just Starting

Black Leaf Spot Damages Northern Sierra Aspen

Name That Tree

Eastern Sierra Shows Early Color

Destination

Check-in date

Check-out date