More Mono Images
Silver Lake (10/13/13) Rachel Jackson
Here’s a selection of nice photos taken this past weekend in Mono County by Rachel Jackson.
June Lake Loop (10/13/13) Rachel Jackson
Silver Lake (10/13/13) Rachel Jackson
Archive for month: October, 2013
Freeway Foliage
While driving along US 101, the Redwood Highway, the green forest beside the road will often light up suddenly in yellow or crimson. Color spotter Sandy Steinman reports he took the route this past weekend, from Arcata to the Bay Area and experienced just that. He writes, “The trees in northern California have turned quite a bit in the last several days. The Maples and other deciduous trees around the Avenue of the Giants to Willits are mostly showing their fall yellows. I would guess they are now about 80 percent turned. There is also still lots of red from poison oak growing on the redwoods. There are also planted trees in towns and private property showing other fall colors as well. Just remember this area is mostly conifers and patches of fall color are usually not large or widespread.”
As Sandy drove south of Willits, he found “the best fall color was the vineyards. Some are in full color showing a lot of yellow and red while others are still mostly green.” That’s the thing about the vineyards. One will be deep red, another unturned and the next a mix of yellow, orange, red and lime.
GO NOW! – 75 – 100% – U.S. 101, The Redwood Highway – Spots of yellow bigleaf maple and crimson poison oak decorate the otherwise evergreen redwood forest from Willits north to Arcata.
GO NOW! – 50 – 75% – Mendocino and Sonoma County Vineyards – A mix of fully peaked vines of various bright colors (deep red, orange, yellow, lime) can be near one that hasn’t even considered turning color. That’s October in the vineyards. Still, we issue a Go Now alert for wine country as spots will be good throughout the remainder of October and early November.
The Face of Fall – LA Times
Aspen Grove, San Bernardino National Forest (10/12/13) Lisa Wilkerson-Willis
When compiling a photo gallery of the Face of Fall Around the World, Catherine Hamm, travel editor of the Los Angeles Times, asked us if we’d contact Lisa Wilkerson-Willis to obtain her permission for the Times to post Lisa’s fabulous picture of aspen lit with golden light in San Bernardino National Forest. Of course, we were delighted to do so. We’d do that for any color spotter or photog who lets us show their work. Lisa’s photograph joins other images of autumn around the world, taken by some of the world’s greatest photographers. Way to go, Lisa! To see what the LA Times posted, CLICK HERE.
Biblical Revelation – The Burning Bush
Dogwood, Yosemite National Park (10/4/04) John Poimiroo
Could Moses’ burning bush actually have been fall color? That’s the revelation Joe Willis proposes in his blog, Black Oak Naturalist. It seems Joe was exploring (no surprise, he’s constantly searching for magical discoveries) when he came upon a flame red dogwood in a brown wood absent of other color. It glowed so red hot, that the “godwood” appeared to be burning. There is wonder in the woods, as John Muir so often told us. We have only to walk in reverie to find its magic.
Mammoth/June – Simply Lovely, Losing It Higher Up
Mammoth Creek, Sunday Evening (10/13/13) Susan Morning
Color spotter Edina Ingram reports that the Mammoth Lakes area is closer to full peak in lower elevations. Jaganath Achari seconds her assessment and reports, after visiting Mammoth and June Lakes this past weekend that, “it was busting in colors all over the place.”
He added, “You really have no idea how many times I refresh your home page every day this season… Now eagerly waiting for your Napa/Sonoma and Shasta Cascade reports!” OK, Jag, you’ve challenged us. We’ll put out a report on the wine country this week. From photos we’ve seen, some Sonoma County vineyards – it’s always spotty there- are 50%.
Getting back to Mammoth/June, here’s the latest:
Convict Lake (10/12/13) Jaganath Achari
Gull Lake (10/13/13) Jaganath Achari
Aspen, Lundy Canyon (10/12/13) Jaganath Achari
Conway Summit (10/12/13) Jaganath Achari
GO NOW! – 50-75% – 7,500′ Elevation and Below – Mammoth Creek and areas off Sherwin Creek Road in Mammoth Lakes are approaching or at full peak.
GO NOW! – 75-100% – 8,000′ Elevation and Above – Similar to what’s happened at Rock Creek and Bishop Creek, areas above 8,000′ are beginning to die off with trees showing half their leaves. You’ll find color leading up to these elevations, though increasingly less color the higher up you go.
GO NOW! – 75 – 100% – June Lake – Full Peak.
GO NOW! – 50 – 75% – Conway Summit – Broad swaths of yellow aspen are turning orange, as Conway Summit continues to lag behind nearby canyons (Lundy, Virginia Creek, Twin Lakes).
GO NOW! – 75 – 100% – Twin Lakes, Bridgeport – This canyon tucked at the southwest end of the Bridgeport basin is often overlooked by leaf peepers and photogs, though it shouldn’t be. Jaganath Achari didn’t miss visiting it on his trip to the East Side this past weekend and provides this panorama of the lakes, fringed with gold and backed by impressive Sierra peaks. It’s worth a diversion, when traveling US 395 through Bridgeport… famous for its rustic cabins and fishing.
- Twin Lakes, Bridgeport (10/13/13) Jaganath Achari
Hiking to Serendipity
Sierra Fall Creek Cabin, US 395, South of Mammoth Lakes (10/11/13) Susan Taylor
Photographer Susan Taylor was hiking south of Mammoth Lakes, off US 395, when she happened upon this cabin among golden aspen by a creek. A talented artist, Susan made the most of the moment, proving again that “seren” is the best kind of “dipity.” CLICK HERE to see more of her work.
San Bernardino Nat’l Forest – Full Peak
Aspen Grove, San Bernardino National Forest (10/12/13) Lisa Wilkerson-Willis
Color spotter Lisa Wilkerson-Willis sends these beautiful photographs of the Aspen Grove near Big Bear in the San Bernardino National Forest. These are the best shots we’ve seen of this lovely forest. Wow! Whoever believed there is no fall color in Southern California, just hasn’t gone leaf peeping near Big Bear. Good goin’, Lisa! Be sure to enter your shots of autumn in Big Bear’s photo contest. For more about this contest, CLICK HERE.
Aspen Grove, San Bernardino NF (10/12/13) Lisa Wilkerson-Willis
Aspen Grove, San Bernardino NF (10/12/13) Lisa Wilkerson-Willis
Ferns, San Bernardino NF (10/12/13) Lisa Wilkerson-Willis
GO NOW! – 75 – 100% – Aspen Grove – San Bernardino National Forest
Lundy Canyon Full Peak
Lundy Canyon, Mono County (10/12/13) Steve Wolfe
Color spotter Steve Wolfe sends this gorgeous shot of full color in Lundy Canyon in the Eastern Sierra (Mono County). Apologies to Steve and all other photographers who emailed photos but didn’t see them posted. I have finally figured out why those emails were getting lost and had 8,000 email messages fill our inbox, this morning! Regrettably, we’ll only be able to post the most recent shots.
75 – 100% – Lundy Canyon – Full Peak
Oaks Peaking in Plumas County
Cottonwood and oaks, Plumas County (10/12/13) Richard McCutcheon
Fall Oaks, Seen from Mt Jura near Taylorsville (10/12/13) Richard McCutcheon
Color spotter Richard McCutcheon sends these photographs of cottonwood and oaks colored up at full peak in Plumas County, near Taylorsville. California’s oaks have lovely, though subtle color at peak. It’s often difficult to catch the oaks all turned at the same time, since they tend to change little by little over the weeks. Richard’s aerial perspective is a new one that shows the full change of the trees, looking down on them. Bravo, Richard.
Plumas County (10/12/13) Richard McCutcheon
Oaks, Plumas County (10/12/13) Richard McCutcheon
GO NOW! – Oak Woodlands – Plumas County –
Redwoods Reviewed
Bigleaf maple and moss, Prairie Creek State Park, Humboldt County (10/13/13) Adam Nilsson-Weiskott
Nature observer Sandy Steinman (see blog at left) took a trip north to Redwood National and State Parks this past week and provides a good guide to the parks. CLICK HERE to read Sandy’s remarks. The national park is closed, due to the shutdown, though most of the parks along the Redwood Coast are state parks and all of them remain open. Fall color is an added reason to visit the redwoods, though it’s not a prime reason to make the trip. Spots of color are seen among the redwoods and in non-redwood forests along The Redwood Highway. Still, this is California’s greatest boulevard and must be driven. We can think of no finer season than autumn in which to see it.
Color spotter Adam Nilsson-Weiskotts sends photos of changing bigleaf maple, alder and bay laurel among the redwood forests of the North Coast, reminding us that “time does not stand still in the Redwoods.” He reports, “The contrast of green moss and fog-shrouded bigleaf maple with their brilliant shades of orange, yellow and brown is truly a sight to behold and at peak, right now. The best colors can be seen along Prairie Creek Trail which is populated with bigleaf maples.
Bigleaf maple, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park (10/13/13) Adam Nilsson-Weiskott
Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park (10/13/13) Adam Nilsson-Weiskott
GO NOW! – 75 – 100% – Redwood National and State Parks – Bigleaf maple, alder and bay laurel are in full color along the drainages within the parks. The state parks remain open, though gated areas of the national parks are closed during the federal shutdown. No worries, as there are far more state park areas to view.