NY Times: “California Has No Seasons” Debunked
Fit to Print…
The New York Times correspondent Mike McPhate – a third-generation Californian who lives in Davis – repeated the oft-stated refrain, “California has no seasons,” in California Today, last Friday, then debunked it.
CLICK HERE to read Mike’s column.
Before and After: Color During The Storm
As I begin to type this post, the wind is whistling past my office in El Dorado Hills. Dramatic clouds float overhead and I look out across the rolling contours of the Sierra Nevada foothills, brightened with spots of color.
Reports so far have been that the color is holding firm on most trees, despite gusting winds. So, we’re hopeful that, come Monday, there’ll still be lots of peak color to enjoy in the Eastern and Northern Sierra and Shasta Cascade.
Regardless, CaliforniaFallColor.com expresses thanks to those color spotters who contributed photos taken before and after this past week’s storm.
Wednesday…
Darrell Sano reported that he’d spent a wonderful day beginning with sunrise at Minaret Vista, then he drove to Devil’s Postpile National Monument. On the one-lane road, “there were vistas of color, full trees at peak.
He found Devil’s Postpile to be other worldly “in the chill of fall morning (31 F). The hexagonal columnar basalt was verdant with lichen.
Sotcher Lake was serene. Symmetric reflections on the water were so transfixing, that he “could have stayed for hours.”
A Reds Meadow, he found beautiful horses in a nearby field, then hiked to lower Rainbow Falls for more exhilaration where water splashed upon the rocks, nurturing color on the banks.
Thursday…
Sharon and Bill Peterson followed our advice to find lovely color filling the Hope Valley.
Rainbows teased travel writer Janet Fulwood all the way home, as she drove from the Carson Valley through Lake Tahoe on her way back to Sacramento. At moments, “it was too windy to even open the door.”
Nancy Wright spent two and a half days in the Mammoth Area, concluding that Friday’s heavy winds and rain “really started stripping the aspen of their leaves.”
Friday…
Carol Novacek was driving south from June Lake on US 395 on Friday, writing she’d expected to see a lot less color, since it had been so windy and rainy the previous day, but was impressed by the beauty still seen from the highway, now accented with peaks dusted with snow. At Convict Lake, the stands were “glorious at full peak” and as she sped past Tom’s Place, Carol captured caught a blurred image of golden aspen still surrounding the community.
Saturday…
Mono County color spotter Jeff Simpson writes that “despite intense wind, we still have plenty of color to be seen.” He visited June Lake and Lundy Canyon, yesterday, returning with these images. And as his photo of Conway Summit attests (top of post), even trees that have lost leaves can provide a beautiful picture.
Mono County: Double Rainbow
Jeff Simpson drove throughout Mono County yesterday and found the colors to be “unbelievable” before the storm. This morning, he returned across the same route and was pleased to see that despite last night’s rain and wind the color, “was still there,” and he was “very surprised to see a good majority of leaves still on the trees,” despite severe wind the previous night.
Earlier this autumn, we wrote about the abcission layer which develops in autumn, preventing the leaf from being nourished. “Eventually, like scissors, the abscission cells close the connection between leaf and branch and the leaf falls,” we reported.
Wind is the biggest nemesis to autumn leaves, but if the leaves are still being nourished by the tree and the abcission layer isn’t yet fully closed, they may stay attached to branches, even though colorful and near ready to fall. That is likely what happened in this case.
The joy Jeff felt about fall still continuing in Mono County, regardless of the storm, was doubled when he spied a double rainbow arcing over Conway Summit.
Conway Summit, Mono County – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW!
A Morning, Well-spent, in Bishop
Drive around your town, as Gigi deJong did this morning in Bishop, and you’ll find trees full of color poking out from above rooftops and gathering in front yards, like neighbors catching up on the latest gossip.
“Did you hear a storm is coming?” “No! Really?”
“Yup. It’s supposed to last through the weekend.”
Then, Gigi drove slowly along West Line St. – the route you take to get to Bishop Creek Canyon – and found an assortment of fall colors. “Just beautiful,” she wrote.
“Izaak Walton Park is lovely any time of day,” she commented, “and the ‘mini’ forest on the corner at Reata Road has a wonderful radiance.”
Gigi turned toward the Eastern Sierra to see a dark sky descending over the snow-capped range. It added drama to her morning well-spent discovering fall color in Bishop.
One Last Look
Daniel Stas took our advice and headed to June Lake today for one last look before the storm arrived. Here are the wonders he found.
Not Giving Up Hope
Debbi Waldear of Alpine County says color spotters should not give up hope. Though higher areas of the Hope Valley are past peak, she sends these shots, taken today.
Hope Valley – Peak to Past Peak – YOU ALMOST MISSED IT!
Verdict: Shasta Cascade Guilty of Having Fall Color
Lorissa Soriano sends this shot of the Modoc County Courthouse with a brace of peaking color.
Lassen Volcanic National Park guide Shanda Ochs advocates that the willows around Manzanita Lake near the northwest entrance are “mostly golden, some still holding light green.”
She doesn’t expect many leaves to remain after this storm. In its defense, our experience is that leaves that have not yet turned are still sturdy enough to stay on branches, but those at peak fly away to parts unknown.
[wunderground location=”Alturas, CA” numdays=”4″ showdata=”daynames,icon,date,conditions,highlow” layout=”simple”]
A cottonwood beside the Ranger Station is peaking and the short walk around Manzanita Lake is not only a delight, but splattered with color there.
Our verdict? The Shasta Cascade is guilty of having fall color.
Modoc County Courthouse – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW!
Lassen Volcanic National Park – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW!
Northern Owens Valley Burnished With Orange
Color spotter Gigi deJong drove southeast of Bishop toward the Owens River and the Buckley Ponds in search of color, today.
A smattering of yellow decorates the Bishop Country Club which is otherwise “still beautifully green” and is likely a “late starter.” She predicts it will approach peak in a few days to a week, depending on how much wind lashes the East Side, this week.
There are large and small cottonwood trees dotted all across the northern Owens Valley floor. Some are loners, others in groves. The smaller trees range from fully yellow with burnished orange tips to an overall bronzed orange.
She writes, “The larger trees are just beginning to turn yellow on the tops and edges. Deep red leaves on creeping vines appear as if on fire as they curl around gnarled old wood of dead trees alongside the creeks.
“A high point along Eastside road that runs along the base of the White mountains provides a panoramic view of the Owens River valley and the Sierra Nevada beyond. Early morning and sunset are always beautiful out here.
“The creek, marshes and ponds along Buckley Ponds road have abundant birdlife and the reeds are a shimmering copper color.
“There are large individual trees in many spots in and around Bishop that are almost iridescent yellow. There’s a large grove almost directly opposite my cottage and I’ll go out early tomorrow morning and try and get a few good shots.”
Owens Valley – Patchy (10-50%)
Mono Peaking Everywhere – Don’t Delay – GO NOW!
“Everything, everywhere (in Mono County) is peaking right now, including the June Lake Loop which is glowing and brilliant especially ‘down canyon’ from the Double Eagle Resort to Grant Lake,” reports color spotter, Alicia Vennos.
If you can get there today, GO NOW! As, it may not be there in a day or two. Darrell Sano visited on 10/12 and plans to continue photographing on 10/13, right up to the point when the scene might be gone with the wind.
Alicia advises that a storm is expected on Friday (10/14), with a break Saturday (10/15), and potentially more precipitation on Sunday (10/16). The storm could close Tioga and Sonora passes, though the freeze is expected to be very high.
Tip: During and immediately following an early winter, the scene is spectacular as trees, heavy with fall color, are dusted with snow.
Alicia suggests that anyone traveling this weekend should consult the weather forecast and road conditions (1-800-427-7623) before heading to the East Side in order to avoid road and pass closings.
Iconic locations at peak include the June Lake Loop, Convict Lake, Conway Summit, Walker Canyon, McGee Canyon, Twin Lakes and Summers Meadow.
Areas near the end of peak and likely to transition to past peak this weekend include Monitor Pass, Sonora Pass, Lobdell Lake (4WD high clearance vehicles only) and Parker Lake.
WALKER / COLEVILLE / TOPAZ
Monitor Pass – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – You’ll see color from top to bottom right now. Check road conditions before attempting to cross this pass.
Lobdell Lake – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – Still some brilliant colors but most leaves will be blown off by the end of the weekend. For 4WD high clearance vehicles only.
Walker Canyon – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW! – Lots of yellows around every bend working all the way up to Sonora Pass. Still a few days short of full peak.
Towns of Walker & Coleville – Patchy (10-50%) – Just getting started but those iconic cottonwood trees will be perfect next weekend.
Sonora Pass – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – An incoming storm this weekend may close the pass and the fall color door on this location. Check road conditions before attempting to cross this pass.
BRIDGEPORT / VIRGINIA LAKES
Twin Lakes – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW! – Still a little green around Upper and Lower Lakes and through the campgrounds of Robinson Creek. Hike the Horsetail Falls or Barney Lake trails for peak colors.
Virginia Lakes – Past Peak YOU MISSED IT!
Conway Summit – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – Still slightly green in some spots but will be perfect later this weekend, conditions permitting, especially on the south side of Conway near the Mono Lake overlook. Check this location post storm for snowy mountains in the background and fall color in the foreground.
Green Creek – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – Past peak in the upper elevations, especially on the hike to Green Lake. Colors around the road and campgrounds are at peak color.
Summers Meadow – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – This location will be gleaming with color the next 10 days
LEE VINING
Tioga Pass & Lee Vining Canyon – Near Peak (50-75%) Go Now! – Lee Vining Canyon is just getting going while the colors around Tioga Pass and Saddlebag are past peak. Check road conditions before attempting to cross this pass.
Lundy Lake & Canyon – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! Lundy Canyon and around the beaver ponds are at full peak while colors around the lake and campground are still spotty.
BENTON & 120 EAST
Sagehen Meadow – Past Peak YOU MISSED IT!
JUNE LAKE LOOP
June Lake Loop/Hwy 158 – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! Groves of brilliant yellow, gold and red in some locations while others are still patchy. The drive around the June Lake Loop (Hwy. 158) is especially gorgeous down canyon from the Double Eagle Resort to Grant Lake.
Parker Lake – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – Colors are still unbelievable at Parker Lake. Take the Parker Bench Trail from Silver Lake Resort for a more difficult but worthy fall color experience.
Little Walker Lake – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! –Little Walker Lake is finally starting to shine and should be perfect over the next 5 days.
MAMMOTH LAKES
Lakes Basin – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – Colors around the Mammoth Lakes Basin are at full peak.
Mammoth Creek Road – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – Take the drive around Sherwin Creek for the best chance for peak fall color.
CONVICT LAKE
Around resort/campgrounds – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW! Still slightly green the closer you get to US 395 but still plenty of color.
Convict Lake & Canyon – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! Colors around the lake and up Convict Canyon are brilliant right now! Take the short and easy hike around the lake for the best fall color experience.
CROWLEY LAKE/McGEE CREEK
McGee Creek Canyon – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW!Great color around the pack station and campground right now!
Around Crowley community – Patchy (10-50%)
ROCK CREEK CANYON
Around Rock Creek Lake – Past Peak YOU MISSED IT!
Along the road – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – Colors along the road and in the campgrounds are at peak while the higher elevation locations are at past peak.