CaliforniaFallColor.com apologizes to our readers for the recurring Internal Server Errors, which have kept users from seeing the site, off and on.
We’ve been working hard to find the cause of the problem and suspect it may be our graphical theme.
So, for the next few days the familiar black and orange theme of the site will be removed and replaced with another look in order to see if that could be what’s creating the problem.
We hope to have our theme colors back up, as soon as possible. In the meantime, keep looking for fall color!
Remembering Lake Sabrina at Peak (10/1/14) Jared Smith
June Lake (9/28/14) Nicholas Barnhart
North Lake Road (10/1/14) Jared Smith
Lundy Canyon (9/28/14) Alicia Vennos
Aspen, Kirkwood Lake Rd (10/5/14) John Poimiroo
Fremont Cottonwood (10/5/14) Nick Barnhart
Conway Summit (10/11/14) Susan Holt
Aspendell (10/16/14) Steve Wolfe.
40th Ave., Sacramento (10/25/14) John Poimiroo
The Redwood Highway (10/26/14) Walter Gabler
Methodist Church, Quincy (10/28/14) Mike Nellor
Shasta-Trinity National Forest, Mt Shasta (11/4/14) Cory Poole
Napa Valley (11/6/14) Marc Hoshovsky
Bigleaf maple (11/11/14) Alena Barnhart
Valyermo (11/16/14) Frank McDonough
Lake Silverwood (11/16/14) Nicholas Barnhart
Cook’s Meadow, Yosemite NP (11/23/14) Susan Taylor
Autumn 2014 didn’t live up to its predictions.
Back in August, when leaves first began to turn, some forecast that California’s third year of drought would diminish the show of fall color.
Instead, as Jared Smith’s photograph of Lake Sabrina shows, it was spectacular.
Here’s how autumn shaped up:
CaliforniaFallColor.com’s first “fall color report” was published on August 13, a week later than in 2013.
Our first GO NOW! alert was reported on September 17, also a week later.
Our first Peak was reported on Sept. 23, five days later than last year. That first peak coincided with the first day of autumn (Autumnal Equinox).
So, 2014 was not the earliest of shows, but it defied early critics and became remarkable for its long-lasting and breathtaking color. If the third year of record drought in California had any effect, it was to stress trees in specific and limited areas, resulting in drier leaves that dropped more quickly, but that was an exception.
The drought’s dry weather continued through autumn, meaning that California had mostly clear, sunny days and cold nights, with little wind or precipitation. Those were ideal conditions for development of great fall color.
Look back through our archives and you’ll see why CaliforniaFallColor.com claims California to have the longest-lasting, most diverse and most spectacular autumn in America. No other area of the country compares.
The photographs submitted by amateur and professional photographers support that claim. If you happen to like a particular photograph you’ve seen on this website, look for the photographer’s link at left or Google them. Many sell their photographs.
Today, although autumn continues until Dec. 21, CaliforniaFallColor.com pulls back its reporting. We stop sending weekly updates and photographs to California meteorologists, travel and outdoor writers, because we’ve learned, over the years, that even though autumn continues for several more weeks, public interest in autumn wanes after Thanksgiving Day.
Nevertheless, if you happen to see some beautiful fall color, send a photo to us at editor(at)californiafallcolor.com or post it on our FB page.
There is still a lot of beautiful fall color to be seen in San Francisco, down the San Francisco Peninsula, in the South and East Bay, in California’s vineyards, in the historic mining towns of the Gold Country, in the Central Valley, throughout Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties, and in the Deserts.
Fall color will continue to warm the landscape and our hearts well into December.
http://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.png00John Poimiroohttp://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.pngJohn Poimiroo2014-11-26 10:13:012020-11-24 21:08:59Giving Thanks and Looking Back at 2014
Great fall color photographers are patient. They’re willing to wait past sunset for the alpenglow or get up early for the morning light. They don’t quit when everyone else says peak has passed. They go to unexpected places and find glory.
Great fall color photographers are methodical. They plan their shots, considering the calendar and locations they discovered previously and have banked away as worth returning to another day.
Great fall color photographers capture scenes others will never get.
Snow blanketed higher elevations in the Eastern Sierra this past weekend. Most fall color photographers packed away their cameras when it had peaked a couple of weeks before, but not Nick and Alena Barnhart. They’re great fall color photographers.
This past week, Nick called to say he and Alena were making one last trip to the Eastern Sierra, and if possible, cross over Tioga Pass to Yosemite. That wasn’t possible, as the pass closed for winter, but they did bring back images few others got. Here’s what they found in Mono County and the Owens Valley as fall and winter collided.
http://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.png00John Poimiroohttp://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.pngJohn Poimiroo2014-11-03 16:08:522014-11-03 16:10:49Eastern Sierra Moves From Fall to Winter
DogTrekker.com is devoted to dogs, their owners and finding companion-filled fun in the great outdoors and on the road.
This week, editor Janet Fullwood described hikes to take in Mendocino, San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, Santa Barbara and Redding, several of which are along fall-colorful trails. Thanks DogTrekker for also giving a nod to CaliforniaFallColor for our fall color reporting.
As reported here previously, CaliforniaFallColor is a proponent of putting “pieds” to path and what better way to do that, than with your pet? Of course, finding trails that are open to dogs, that allow off-leash hiking and that include an uplifting view or destination can require a bloodhound’s nose.
So, before I grab their leash and say to Murray and Ditto, “Let’s go for a walk!”, I turn to DogTrekker.com or ModernHiker.com for good advice on dog-friendly trails.
http://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.png00John Poimiroohttp://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.pngJohn Poimiroo2014-10-22 09:17:562014-10-22 09:33:29Fall Hikes With Your Dog
This autumn has had ideal conditions for development of spectacular color: warm, sunny days, cold nights and very little wind, rain or snow. That’s resulted in lush color throughout California.
Comparing 2014 to 2013, the color is peaking a half week to a week earlier. If drought has had any influence on color development, it may be the reason why areas that were holding as patchy went to full peak within a day or two. However, without wind, the color has held nicely.
Even areas that peaked are dropping leaves slowly, leaving developing color to provide a beautiful show, longer than we’ve seen peaks last, in past years, as seen in this photo posted by Jonathan Jahr of a trail near Spooner Lake (Nevada side of Lake Tahoe) on California Fall Color’s page, today.
Best bets for the coming week include: June Lake, Lower Bishop Creek Canyon, Hope Valley, Lake Tahoe and the San Bernardino and San Jacinto Mountains. Wind is, of course, always a concern and strong breezes on Sunday afternoon may spell trouble for peaked trees. Look for Plumas county to approach peak in the next two weeks.
http://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.png00John Poimiroohttp://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.pngJohn Poimiroo2014-10-12 09:59:192014-10-12 15:46:48Great Weather, Great Color
Steve Wolfe spent his Saturday in Bishop Creek Canyon where he took these photos of the color.
Surveyor’s Meadow (9/27/14) Steve Wolfe
Oak Lake, Granite Bay (9/27/14) John Poimiroo
Sabrina Lake (9/27/14) Steve Wolfe
Heavenly Mountain Resort at Lake Tahoe is reporting three inches of new snow, but the snows appear to have missed the Eastern Sierra, as evidenced by Steve Wolfe’s shots of Surveyor’s Meadow and Sabrina Lake.
At Oak Lake in Granite Bay this liquidambar was indicating the color it usually presents in November.
This past week, Valerie Nellor sent this lovely shot of Indian Rhubarb, which had us reflecting on the great color yet to appear in Plumas County.
North Lake Anglers (9/21/14) Kimberly Kofala
Red Aspen, Bishop Creek (9/21/14) Kimberly Kofala
And, we had to share two lovely moments that Kimberly Kofala captured a week ago in Bishop Creek Canyon.
http://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.png00John Poimiroohttp://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.pngJohn Poimiroo2014-09-27 19:08:252014-09-27 19:08:25Colorful Week in California
On the last day of autumn, we look back at some of our favorite photographs of 2013, while expressing thanks to all who contributed photos and reports.
Special thanks are expressed to Inyo County, Mono County, Mammoth Lakes Tourism, Redding Convention & Visitors Bureau, Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association, Humboldt County C&VB, and The California Parks Company for making California Fall Color possible. A special nod to Ron Tyler for helping to create this Animoto video.
http://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.png00John Poimiroohttp://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.pngJohn Poimiroo2013-12-20 00:03:512017-10-26 16:04:34California Fall Color Looks Back at Autumn, 2013
This week’s shutdown of federal facilities has not limited fall color viewing on most federal lands. Only areas with gated admission, such as national parks, have been closed. U.S. Forests and BLM lands remain largely open, though services are – for the interim – not available. Since federal offices are closed, it’s not possible to get answers to whether a land area remains open or not. This site and our Facebook page will carry reports of closures, as received.
http://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.png00John Poimiroohttp://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.pngJohn Poimiroo2013-10-02 07:13:062013-10-02 07:13:56How Federal Shutdown Affects Color Viewing
Magnolias, Golden Gate Park (file photo) David Kruse-Pickler
Magnolia denudata (file photo) David Kruse-Pickler
Magnolia campbellii, Darjeeling (file photo) David Kruse-Pickler
Magnolia cambellii (file photo) James Gaither
With a succession of three winter storms lashing Northern California today, it seems appropriate to blog about winter color, though as soon as the storms pass, there’ll still be a few weeks more of fall color to report.
Each winter, one of California’s most distinctive and colorful shows of foliage is seen at the San Francisco Botanical Garden where nearly 100 rare and historic magnolias erupt in a fragrant riot of vibrant pink and white flowers.
This floral spectacle is worth planning a trip to San Francisco to see. Some of the ancient trees reach 80 feet in height and peak from mid-January through March. Visitors to the Garden can take advantage of free Magnolia Walk maps, docent-led tours, special signage and more to celebrate and learn about these magnificent trees.
San Francisco Botanical Garden is home to the most significant magnolia collection for conservation purposes outside China, where the majority of species originated. Its current collection includes 51 species and 33 cultivars, including many prized examples from Asia.
This unique and long-standing collection began in 1939 with Eric Walther, who planted the very first magnolia in the Garden and continued to introduce species and cultivars throughout his tenure as the first Garden Director. One of the most famous species he planted was the cup and saucer magnolia or Magnolia campbellii, the first of its kind to bloom in the United States in 1940, attracting huge crowds of excited and curious visitors who stood in long lines to see the magnificent large pink blossoms of this lovely magnolia that still stands in the Garden today.
The show is best, mid-January to March. The garden is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Jan., 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Feb. and early March, and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. from the second Sunday in March through Apr. Admission is free to San Francisco residents with proof of residence and $7 general, $5 seniors and students (12 – 17) with ID, $2 children (5-11) and free to kids 4 and under. Family passes (2 adults and one or more kids) get in for a flat rate of $15.
http://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.png00John Poimiroohttp://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.pngJohn Poimiroo2012-11-30 08:30:502012-11-30 08:31:47Magnificent Magnolias - A Winter Show
Eastern California Museum, Independence (11/16/12) Jon Klusmire
Jon Klusmire sends this snapshot of a tree whose orange and red leaves have survived recent storms and winds that stripped other nearby trees.
It stands beside the Eastern California Museum in Independence. Splashes of color like this remain to be seen across the Eastern Sierra during one of the most beautiful and long-lasting autumns we’ve recorded.
California Fall Color ends its daily reporting on Thanksgiving Day, though postings will continue as color is reported across California.