Sugar maple, Taylorsville (10/10/19) Michael Beatley
Grover Cleveland likely was President of the United States when this maple was planted near Taylorsville.
Today, it is a beautiful reminder of the 1890s.
Bucks Lake, Plumas County (10/10/19) Michael Beatley
Yesterday, after visiting Bucks Lake, Plumas County color spotter Michael Beatley drove west from Quincy towards Greenville and the Indian Valley. Shortly before the turn off to Taylorsville, at Dixie Canyon Rd., he pulled over, to enjoy the brilliant orange color of the tree.
He was on his way to Youngs market in Taylorsville, which Michael describes as serving the “best hamburgers in Northern California … honestly.”
Now, having traveled widely in search of California fall color, I’d nominate the Walker Burger in Walker (US 395) as having the best burger, but then I haven’t yet tasted the Youngs burger.
I suppose the debate can only be settled by driving to Taylorsville to see the tree for myself and have a burger.
Taylorsville (3,547’) – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW!
http://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.png00John Poimiroohttp://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.pngJohn Poimiroo2019-10-11 18:22:342019-10-13 17:29:28Over 120 Years of Beauty
Pleine air at Surveyor’s Meadow, S Fork Bishop Creek (10/9/19) Steve Shinn
A golden rain has been falling in the Eastern Sierra and color spotter Steve Shinn was there to capture it.
He writes that, “North Lake (Bishop Creek Canyon) is about peaked out and after the wild winds, ‘who knows?’ Still, there are lots of green leaves that are hangin in there, waiting for the gold. Sabrina is similar and getting blasted.”
Golden rain drops, Bishop Creek Canyon (10/9/19) Steve Shinn
Weir Pond, S Fork Bishop Creek (10/9/19) Steve Shinn
Sabrina Lake, M Fork Bishop Creek. (10/9/19) Steve Shinn
Pleine air painters, Surveyor’s Meadow (10/9/19) Steve Shinn
Surveyor’s Meadow, S Fork Bishop Creek. (10/9/19) Steve Shinn
North Lake, N Fork Bishop Creek. (10/9/19) Steve Shinn
On Tuesday (Oct. 8), there were very few leaves on the ground, but by 3 p.m. the winds had come up and “golden rain was starting up.”
As we have reported repeatedly, many groves are still Just Starting or Patchy. That means they have green, lime or yellow-lime leaves that will not drop because of wind.
That means peak color will continue to appear in coming weeks.
Maple and clock tower, HSU, Arcata (10/9/19) Michelle Pontoni
Maple, HSU, Arcata (10/9/19) Michelle Pontoni
PG&E’s power shutdown has closed businesses and institutions across Northern California, but it hasn’t stopped fall color.
Michelle Pontoni walked a deserted campus at Humboldt State University to find the wind that had shut down Northern California’s energy generators was also generating “delightful leaf showers.”
Maples that hadn’t dropped leaves were glowing with a “brilliant lime,” while others were “full green with tips just beginning to turn.”
She’s hopeful that Humboldt County, at the northernmost end of the storm, will be one of the first counties to have its power restored.
So, what to do with the extra time not spent in class or the library? Out enjoying fall color which hasn’t been turned off.
Humboldt State University, Arcata – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW!
Aspen, Thompson Lake, Plumas County (10-10-19) Michael Beatley
The Shasta Cascade scores its first peak with this report from Michael Beatley.
He was there when the morning sunlight crests Sierra peaks and hits the far side of the lake, which faces east. Aspen pop, their golden reflections streaming across the still, dark water.
Michael recommends being there between 8 and 8:30 a.m., though it remains good until 10.
The lower road to Bucks Lake, Big Creek Rd, is in full bloom with ruby mountain ash, vermillion Pacific dogwood and yellow bigleaf maple at their best.
From Bucks Lake, take the road to the dam. Thompson Lake is just feet off the road.
Quincy has power, the area has beautiful weather, little to no wind and many beautiful fall locations.
Mountain ash, Thompson Lake (10/10/19) Michael Beatley
http://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.png00John Poimiroohttp://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.pngJohn Poimiroo2019-10-10 14:36:592019-10-10 14:37:16Peak at Thompson Lake
There is brilliant color throughout Mono County this week with full peak at Lobdell Lake Rd., Sonora Pass, Rock Creek Rd., McGee Canyon, Upper Summers Meadow, Lobdell Lake Rd. and Sonora Pass.
Mono County color spotter Jeff Simpson blushed with excitement when describing Upper Summers Meadow Rd. (Bridgeport) as the best he’s ever seen at that location, because of an impressive grove of red aspen that is splashed across the hillside amidst layers of yellow, lime and orange.
Approaching peak but with areas of patchy color are: Monitor Pass, the West Walker River, Bridgeport, Twin Lakes, Bridgeport, the upper sections of Lundy Canyon, Tioga Pass, the June Lake Loop and Convict Lake. Although these locations boast hot spots of yellow and orange leaves, they are still a week from peak.
Conway Summit, Lee Vining Canyon, and Crowley Lake are still pretty green at this point and will be Near Peak next week.
Don’t bother looking for color at Virginia Lakes, Sagehen Summit or the Mammoth Lakes Basin, as they’re Past Peak.
West Walker River (10/8/19) Jeff Simpson
Lobdell Lake Rd. (10/8/19) Jeff Simpson
Lobdell Lake Rd. (10/8/19) Jeff Simpson
Rock Creek Lake (10/6/19) Alicia Vennos
Convict Lake (10/6/19) Liz Grans
Conway Summit (10/7/19) Jeff Simpson
Twin Lakes, Bridgeport (10/8/19) Jeff Simpson
Rodriquez Flat Trailhead (10/4/19) Jeff Simpson
Horse Creek Trail, Twin Lakes (10-10-19) Ann Hale-Smith
Here’s Jeff’s report from south to north.
Rock Creek Lake (9,600’) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – Rock Creek Lake is approaching Past Peak. Don’t delay. Peak color has dropped to 8,500’ with Near Peak and Patchy the further down the road that you are.
Crowley Community (6,781’) – Patchy (10-50%) – Color up the hill behind the community, but green in town.
McGee Creek Canyon (8,600’) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – Brilliant colors. Satisfaction guaranteed.
Convict Lake (7850′) – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW! – Sections of nice color around the lake with some green on the back side still waiting to turn. Some sections are past peak and still a ways to go in others.
Mammoth Lakes Basin (8,996′) – Past Peak, YOU MISSED IT!
June Lake Loop/Hwy 158 (7,654′) – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW! – This is one of the prized areas to photograph in the Eastern Sierra, because of its lakes, surrounding peaks and lush groves of aspen. June Lake Loop barely topped 50% to qualify it for a Near Peak rating, as half the forest is still green. Nonetheless, there are brightly yellow stands along the loop with some sections that qualify as Past Peak. Given what’s now appearing and what is left to change, the June Lake Loop should be good for two more weeks.
Sagehen Summit (8,139’) – Past Peak, YOU MISSED IT!
Tioga Pass (9,943′) – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW! – Sections of nice color with a mix of green and past peak depending on location. This area might not fully develop and could be past peak next week, due to its high elevation.
Lee Vining Canyon (6,781′) – Patchy (10-50%)
Lundy Lake & Canyon (7,858′) – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW!Green around the lake and campground but peaking at the beaver ponds and up Lundy Canyon at the waterfalls.
Conway Summit (8,143’) – Patchy (10-50%) – Nice patches of yellow but still mostly green.
Twin Lakes (7,000’) –Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW! – Nice bright orange colors in sections while others will still take another week.
Dunderberg Meadows (7,200’) – Patchy (10-50%)
Summers Meadow (7,146’) – Patchy (10-50%)
Upper Summers Meadow (10,300’) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – As good as it gets and rated best ever seen, Red aspen. Must see.
Lobdell Lake Road (8,600′) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – This area is looking spectacular with red groves. It also has lots of green which means it will last another week, perhaps two!
Sonora Pass (9,623′) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – Great color near the Leavitt Pack Station and at the top of the pass.
Walker Canyon, Walker, Coleville and Topaz (5,200′) – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW! – This is one of the earliest peaks for the Antelope Valley in memory. There’s still lots of green throughout the valley, though a beautiful mix.
Molybdenite Creek Trail (7,865’) – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW! – Drive the Little Walker River Rd. to hike Molybdenite Canyon and see peak colors (Hike of the Week). Rodriquez Flat and Mill Canyon are also at Peak.
Sweetwater Mountains (5,000 to 11,654’) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – If you’re an angler, combine fishing with peak fall color along the East Walker River.
Monitor Pass (8,314′) – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW! – Monitor Pass is still pretty green, but orange and yellow enough to be classified as Near Peak. The pass can, however, change quickly so getting there soon is advised.
http://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.png00John Poimiroohttp://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.pngJohn Poimiroo2019-10-10 09:00:092019-10-10 14:18:32Mono County Blushes Red
Martis Creek Cabin, CA-267 (10/9/19) Clayton Peoples
Aspen, Martis Creek, CA-267 (10/9/19) Clayton Peoples
Anticipating that PG&E would shut down power in El Dorado Hills, CaliforniaFallColor.com relocated to Lake Tahoe yesterday (Oct. 9) and will post from Agate Bay until power is restored in the Sierra foothills.
True to its word, PG&E cut the power in El Dorado Hills at 1 a.m. Wednesday morning and we took off that afternoon, after dealing with food spoiling, cat sitting and odd jobs around the house.
The drive to Lake Tahoe provided the opportunity to record fall color glimpses that are occurring along the route. (Note: “glimpses” is the operative word, as large stands of trees are seen infrequently along I-80.)
Here’s what’s to be seen:
El Dorado Hills (768’) – Patchy to Near Peak (10-75%) GO NOW! – Specie related – a mix of native and exotic trees.
Cisco Grove, I-80 (5,620’) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! Aspen, Martis Creek, CA-267 (10/9/19) Clayton Peoples
Cisco Grove, I-80 (5,656’) – Patchy (10-50%) Fremont cottonwood.
Rainbow Rd., I-80 (5,807’) – Near Peak (50-75%) – Quaking aspen and cottonwood.
Truckee, I-80 (5,925’) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – Aspen.
Martis Valley, CA-267 (5,925’) – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW – Aspen.
Northstar, CA-267 (6,060’) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – Aspen.
Northstar, CA-267 (6,175’) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – Aspen.
Senator Paul J Lunardi Turnout, CA-267 – Peak (75-100%) – Aspen.
Martis Creek Cabin, CA-267 (6,709’) – Peak to Past Peak – GO NOW, YOU ALMOST MISSED IT! – Color spotter Clayton Peoples reports, “The aspen groves near the parking area and near the cabin are at full peak. Although a few clusters of trees have already lost their leaves–likely the trees that had blight, as reported here some weeks ago–the rest of the trees are full of vibrant yellow and yellow-orange leaves. This might be the best color I’ve seen there in a number of years. Go now before it’s too late! (Note: I visited after the wind event Tuesday night-Wednesday morning, and the leaves are still hanging on!)”
Kings Beach, Lake Tahoe (6,225’) – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW! – Aspen, cottonwood, red maple.
Agate Bay, Lake Tahoe (6,225’) – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW! – Aspen.
For all the fears of strong winds, induced by the PG&E power shutdown, winds have been fairly light and few leaves have fallen, so far. Although what wind has blown has shut down power to 2 million people, it has not shut down the fall show.
Aspen, Martis Creek, CA-267 (10/9/19) Clayton Peoples
Aspen, Martis Creek, CA-267 (10/9/19) Clayton Peoples
Here’s a location by location update on the Hope Valley (CA-88) from Philip Reedy, who passed through on his way to the Eastern Sierra.
As Philip was reporting on the run, there was not enough time for him to submit photos, but he’ll do so when he returns.
“Hope Valley and the surrounding area is looking great. I can’t believe how much has changed in the 5 days since I was last there. The trees above Caples Lake are looking good now where they were green last Friday.
At Red Lake, Forest Service Road 31013 which heads south from the lake has come alive. There are still some green trees, but most are yellow and orange right now and the area looks wonderful. I hiked up the hill to the west for a nice view of the Hope Valley in the distance. The grove right at Red Lake by the old red barn still has some time to go, but it should be great within a week.
Aspen behind Red Lake Creek cabin and across the highway went crazy over the past few days and are definitely at peak. The cabins looks beautiful as always and there is much more color this week. This entire area is a definite Go Now!
From the cabin to the West Carson is looking great as well. The meadow east of the ranch is mostly turned on now, with more green in the groves above the meadow on the mountainside. Should be great over the next week.
Down by the bridge over the West Carson, a grove to the NE has suddenly colored up as well. There are yellow, orange and red trees, as well as some still green and others bare. The trees to the north where CA 89 heads to Tahoe is still mostly green, and it is usually the last to change in the area.
Just west of Sorenson’s the trees look amazing on both sides of the highway. Another Go Now!
The drive from Sorenson’s to Woodfords is full of yellow trees, as is the drive from Woodfords to Markleeville. Beautiful yellow and orange aspens.
There is a lot of color as well along the East Carson river from Markleeville south to the cutoff to Monitor Pass. Ditto along 89 east to the junction with 395. Nothing but color.
The large grove at Monitor Pass has completely changed and is already losing leaves. Go Now!
There is a lot of nice color along 395 to Bridgeport. Looking east toward Dunderberg Meadow and Virginia Lakes looks great. I would have driven up there, but it looked pretty smoky up there. I understand that there is a fire in Yosemite which must be the cause.
The groves above June Lakes looked nice, so I plan to hit that on the way back Friday.
The colors at North Lake were not as striking as last year, and a lot of smoke blew in around 3 today.
I headed along the road to South Lake and the colors there are phenomenal. I shot a lot after the sun was off of the trees and the colors were very rich. I’ll be back there tomorrow.
“It seems that everything is going crazy now so it is definitely time to go. I’m burning through SD cards and batteries, so I will have a lot of shots to choose from when I get home.”
Frémont cottonwood, Big Bear Lake (10/6/19) Trent Vierra
Big Bear Lake is experiencing perfect fall weather with warm, sunny days and very crisp cold nights, causing its trees to shift from Just Starting to Patchy, Trent Vierra reports.
“Many of the decorative trees in town, namely aspen and maple, are brilliant shades of gold (aspen) and red (maple). The native cottonwood is starting to yellow up in some spots and the black oak and willows are taking on a nice lime-green hue. I would expect peak to happen in about two to three weeks.”
Frémont cottonwood, Big Bear Lake (10/6/19) Trent Vierra
American Dipper, Parker Lake (10/5/19) Kathy Jonokuchi
Over the years, Southern California color spotter Kathy Jonokuchi has submitted photographs of wild birds, none more appropriate than the above shot of an American Dipper, Cinclus mexicanus, North America’s only aquatic songbird beside fall color reflected upon Parker Lake.
As, both Kathy and the dipper were singing the praises of fall color in the Eastern Sierra. Between outbursts of joy over the beautiful fall weather, the Dipper was dipping and diving, having a feast on aquatic larvae.
Kathy enjoyed clear skies, light breezes, cool weather and no mosquitoes during her weekend visit, noting that the color at Sagehen Summit is nearly Past Peak, though there was plenty of orange to be seen elsewhere.
Kathy continued to Bishop Creek Canyon on Oct. 6, finding the South Fork of Bishop Creek really popping near Surveyor’s Meadow. This was a weekend to sing its praises.
Surveyor’s Meadow, S Fork Bishop Creek Canyon (10/6/19) Kathy Jonokuchi
Table Mountain Camp S Fork Bishop Creek Canyon (10/6/19) Kathy Jonokuchi
Sagehen Summit, Mono County (10/5/19) Kathy Jonokuchi
Parker Lake, Mono County (10/5/19) Kathy Jonokuchi
Marble Mountains Wilderness Area (10/6/19) Leor Pantilat
Class in Session. So, who here has heard of the Marble Mountains?
No, the Marble Mountains of which I’m speaking are not in Vietnam, nor Southern California. Those are different ranges with the same name. The one I’m thinking of is in Northern California’s Siskiyou County.
Technically, they’re the northwest portion of the Salmon Mountains. Familiar, yet? No?
Maybe this will help … They’re a sub-range of the Klamath Mountains. Did I hear a “Huh!?”
Still cold? Here are some tips: the Marble Mountains area was one of the first four “Primitive Areas” designated in America (1931), became a Wilderness Area in 1953, and the Pacific Crest Trail passes through it.
Believe me. When I first learned of the Marble Mountains I was scratching my head, too. I’d never heard of them.
Images sent today by Leor Pantilat show a range deserving of greater recognition. The problem is, the Marble Mountains are in a state with 352 mountain ranges. So, it’s understandable that you might not have heard of them.
Wikipedia reports that more species of conifer (17) live in proximity there than any place else in the world, including the Brewer’s spruce; incense cedar; Western Juniper; white, subalpine and Shasta red fir; Engelmann spruce; mountain hemlock; Pacific yew; and whitebark, knobcone, foxtail, lodgepole, sugar, ponderosa and western white pine.
CaliforniaFallColor.com has mentioned the Marble Mountains previously, but Leor’s is the first report showing fall color there.
Marble Mountain Wilderness Area (10/6/19) Leor Pantilat
Bigleaf maple are Near Peak and lighting the Marble Mountain Wilderness Area’s remarkable conifer forest with yellow and gold. Dogwood are patchy and grasses from 6,000′ to 7,000′ are colorful. Peak should arrive within a fortnight.
Moving on … So, who here has heard of the Chemehuevi Mountains?
Marble Mountain Wilderness Area (3,000 to 5,000′) – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW! – Bigleaf maple.
