, , ,

Serviceberries at Big Bear

Surrounding the town of Big Bear Lake in the San Bernardino Mountains, the national forest is officially closed, but a forest closure does not mean the trees stop what they do naturally.

Fall color is Patchy (10-50%) at Big Bear Lake, though serviceberry bushes, as local color spotter Trent Vierra found, are Near Peak.

Trent took these from the forest hillside behind his cabin in the Moonridge area. He admits that his “little hillside seems to be much farther along than other areas, probably due to it being north-facing. The serviceberry bushes on the hillside, which are pictured, are very golden, while the one by our deck is more green. Black oak, also pictured, on the hillside are about 40% changed into their beautiful autumn russet color.

“Elsewhere around town, the bigleaf maple and some cottonwood are starting to turn, about 40% or less as well. On the drive up the 330, some willows and ferns are beginning to change and there are cool, shaded pockets, especially after the dam on the way into town, where there is some really great golden color in the deciduous ground cover,” Trent posted in a very thorough and appreciated report.

Serviceberry (Amelanchier), deciduous shrubs within the rose family, have beautifully delicate blossoms in springtime and the Autumn Brilliance variety is rich with deep orange and red in fall. The shrub needs little care or attention, though occasional pruning will accentuate its form and remove dead, crossing or dry stems.

  • Big Bear Lake (6,752′) – Patchy (10-50%)
, ,

You Gotta Love It.

Spectrum News 1 joined up with color spotters Nick and Alena Barnhart to report about fall color in the Oak Glen area of Southern California.

Nick’s comment? “Fall color in California? You gotta like it.”

, ,

A Cornucopia of Color

Liquidambar, Oak Glen (11/18/19) Alena Nicholas

Oak Glen is displaying a cornucopia of color.

Though the San Bernardino Mountains apple-growing area is at an elevation of 4,734′, fall color still looks good and should stay at peak until Thanksgiving Day, SoCal color spotter Alena Nicholas estimates.

She was there on Monday taking pictures and being interviewed by Spectrum News for Californiafallcolor.com.

Oak Glen (11/18/19) Alena Nicholas

Alena reports that Oak Glen’s ponds, woods and orchards are still full of bright color. Deer have settled into the orchards as they wait for the inevitable apple to fall from an upper branch.

Oak Glen was California’s first apple harvest destination. Its farms and shops are famous for their homebaked apple pastries, nature trails, handmade gifts, harvest atmosphere, honest family fun and fresh-pressed cider.

And yes, there’s still time to order a ready-to-bake apple pie before Thanksgiving Day.

  • Oak Glen (4,734′) – Peak to Past Peak, GO NOW, YOU ALMOST MISSED IT.
,

Retreat to Idyllwild

Black oak, Ernie Maxwell Trail (11/4/19) Mark Hanning-Lee

Idyllwild has long been a favorite Southern California retreat.

The San Jacinto mountain town is surrounded by scenic terrain that invites hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing and awe.

Mark Hanning-Lee hiked the Ernie Maxwell Trail and explored the area last week, showing black oak, manzanita and Frémont cottonwood at peak. By now, the areas he photographed with an iPhone X are at the end of peak with lower elevations (Lake Hemet) and northwest-facing areas now peaking.

Mark parked at the Humber Peak trailhead and walked south along the Ernie Maxwell trail. He recommends an afternoon hike, as it is lit from mid afternoon to sunset.

In town, a spindly Frémont cottonwood by the Town Crier office was still full of golden leaves. He then continued north 10 miles on State Route 243 to find Near Peak color along Stone Creek and Lake Fulmor.

  • Idyllwild (5,413′) – Peak to Past Peak, GO NOW, YOU ALMOST MISSED IT.
  • Lake Hemet (4,340′) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW!
, ,

Classic Camping

Classic Shasta Trailer, Lake Hemet, (11/8/19) Chance Gordon

An Indian Summer is extending the camping and fall color seasons in the San Jacinto Mountains where, at Lake Hemet, the days have been warm, the nights cool, and classic trailers even cooler.

Jeff Brown reports from Lake Hemet Campgrounds that wildlife viewing (bald eagles), fishing (rainbow trout) and fall color spotting (cottonwood, black oak) are at their peak in mid November.

  • Lake Hemet – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW!
,

Lake Arrowhead – Not? Hot!

Rabbitbrush and black oak, Lake Arrowhead (11/5/19) Alena Nicholas

Lake Arrowhead is defying expectations. By now, it was supposed to be not. Instead, it’s still hot.

Lake Arrowhead (11/5/19) Alena Nicholas

Black oak are still carrying deep orange color in the San Bernardino Mountains surrounding Lake Arrowhead and Lake Gregory, as seen in these snaps sent in by Alena Nicholas.

  • Lake Arrowhead (5,174′) – Peak to Past Peak – GO NOW, YOU ALMOST MISSED IT.
  • Lake Gregory (4,554′) – Peak to Past Peak – GO NOW, YOU ALMOST MISSED IT.
, ,

Goin’ to Jackson

Jackson Lake, Angeles National Forest (11/5/19) Lance Pifer

Johnny Cash and June Carter would surely be “talkin’ ’bout Jackson,” ’cause the fire there’s not gone out. Black oak at Jackson Lake in the Angeles National Forest are aflame with color.

Lance Pifer visited Jackson Lake this past weekend, to find the Wrightwood/Valyermo areas displaying bright yellow and deep orange leaves.

Lance went for a run through the color along a Jackson Lake trail and enjoyed the color near Mountain High ski area near Wrightwood along CA-2. 

Indian summer weather is providing a short-sleeved extension to warm days and late autumn color in and around the lake, Wrightwood and Valyermo. And, it’s not just the weather that’s hotter’n a pepper sprout. So is the fall color. Lance figures it varies from 50 to 80% turned. Considering the late date, we’re classifying it as Peak and recommend to GO NOW!

As, snow will soon blanket the San Gabriel Mountains, and then, big-talkin’ man, you’re gonna snowball Jackson, kinda like the song says.

  • Jackson Lake, Angeles National Forest, San Gabriel Mountains (6,000′) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW!
,

Silverwood Turns Gold

Silverwood Lake in the San Bernardino Mountains is a great recreational destination, popular for water sports and for fishing rainbow trout, largemouth bass, striped bass, Channel catfish and bluegill.

Because the Silverwood Lake is lightly forested, it is not often reported for fall having much fall color. However, Silverwood’s cottonwood, oak and willows are now Near Peak to Peak.

The leading reason to head to Silverwood lake is its recreation, though for the moment, fall color will greet you warmly as it did color spotter Chien-Chang Kyle Chen, today.

  • Silverwood Lake, San Bernardino Mountains (3,356′) Chien-Chang Kyle Chen – Near Peak to Peak (50-100%) GO NOW!
, ,

Right Time For Wrightwood

Rabbitbrush, Wrightwood (10/17/19) Lance Pifer

It’s a good time, you might say the right time to head to Wrightwood.

First developed as a cattle ranching area, Wrightwood became a San Gabriel Mountain winter destination in the late ’40s when a ski area was opened there within an easy drive of Los Angeles. It’s called Mountain High, today.

That seems appropriate, as you get a mountain high from the beauty of autumn in Wrightwood.

Rabbitbrush, black and Fremont oak, bigleaf maple, white alder, creek dogwood, bitter cherry, blue and black elderberry, velvet ash and choke cherry provide a beautiful mix of deciduous color and berries.

Lance Pifer visited and sent back just the right mix for Wrightwood.

  • Wrightwood (5,935′) – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW!
,

Big Bear’s In The Den

Oak Glen (10/15/19) Alena Nicholas

Big Bear has headed to its den for the winter. Peak fall color can still be seen, but more and more leaves are dropping, Alena Nicholas reports from the San Bernardino Mountains.

While Big Bear has begun to hibernate, peak color is appearing elsewhere in the mountains as Indian Summer arrives.

Lake Gregory, Lake Arrowhead and Grass Valley are all dressed in beautiful color.

Lower down, Oak Glen, is Patchy with cottonwood, black oak, aspen, bigleaf maple and apple trees primed for its annual harvest show. Time to order an apple pie!

Grass Valley Lake (10/15/19) Alena Nicholas
  • Green Valley Lake (7,200′) – Past Peak, YOU MISSED IT!
  • Aspen Grove Trail (7,370′) – Past Peak, YOU MISSED IT!
  • Rim of the World (7,000′) – Past Peak, YOU MISSED IT!
  • Big Bear Lake (6,752′) – Peak to Past Peak, GO NOW, YOU ALMOST MISSED IT!
  • Running Springs (6,190′) – Peak to Past Peak, GO NOW, YOU ALMOST MISSED IT!
  • Lake Arrowhead (5,174′) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW!
  • Lake Gregory (4,554′) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW!
  • Grass Valley Lake (5,058′) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW!
  • Oak Glen (4,734′) – Patchy (10-50%)