Hot car + hot color at Bishop Creek Canyon on (10/2/16) = a hot photo by Daniel Stas
So sorry for the delay in posting. The readers of CaliforniaFallColor.com are so fanatical about seeing the best fall color that high traffic crashed our site for nearly 24 hours.
Whew! As soon as I can, I’ll be posting photos again. In the mean time, here’s a sugarplum of a shot taken this past week in Bishop Creek Canyon by Daniel Stas.
Keep those cards, letters, and fall color photos coming in to editor@californiafallcolor.com. We love hearing from you and sharing what you’ve seen.
http://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.png00John Poimiroohttp://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.pngJohn Poimiroo2016-10-06 11:46:082016-10-07 07:12:22We're Back Up and Rolling!
Color is appearing all over California, even in Los Angeles.
Mark DeVitre posted this harlequin-toned tree in The Big Orange, only this tree had purple, blue, yellow, red, green, orange… you name it.
Los Angeles has a long way to go until peak, but individual trees, like this one, will peak on their own timetable. L.A. is normally, a November peak. So, we’ll declare Angeltown to be Just Starting.
http://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.png00John Poimiroohttp://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.pngJohn Poimiroo2016-10-04 18:47:002016-10-06 17:37:22Color Everywhere, Even in LA
Big Trees, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park (10/3/16) Max Forster
Bigleaf maple are near peak among the coastal redwoods (sequoia sempervirens) of Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park along the upper Redwood Highway, reports color spotter Max Forster.
Big Trees, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park (10/3/16) Max Forster
Leaning Maple, Corkscrew Creek, Redwood Highway (10/3/16) Max Forster
Lost Man Creek, Redwood Highway (10/3/16) Max Forster
Bigleaf Maple, Redwood Highway (10/34/16) Max Forster
He writes, “While we may not see the uniform display of color seen last year, most bigleaf maple are near peak throughout the redwood forest.
“Northern Humboldt County isn’t thought of as being a fall foliage destination, though this is one of the finest times of the year for photography in the forest.
“Mostly green scenes can now be punched up with flourishes of yellow from the bigleaf and vine maples. The summer crowds have left the national and state parks, leaving many trails practically empty.”
Bigleaf maple is one of a few showy autumn plants along the North Coast, the others being western poison oak (crimson), vine maple (yellow), black cottonwood (gold) and red alder (yellow).
Forster continued, “This is rutting season and Roosevelt elk are very active, as the bulls contest for the harems. Keep an eye out for signage along trails where the bulls have been seen, recently.
“You don’t have to venture far from your car, as some of the best color can be seen from Drury Parkway or the road to the Lost Man Creek picnic area.”
Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park & Redwood National Park – 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 Poimiroo2016-10-04 14:50:442016-10-04 17:05:04Bigleaf Maple Near Peak on the Upper North Coast
Black oak were at all stages of change in Ventura County’s Los Padres National Forest this past weekend, where Naresh Satyan captured these images.
He found a stand of black oaks along the Thorn Point trail at 5000′-5500′ in the Sespe Wilderness on Saturday. The stand is patchy and Naresh was unsure whether they’d change at once or in waves.
He recommends the 3.46 mi. hike to the Thorn Point fire lookout when it is not hot, as it gains 2,632 ft in elevation. There’s a good dirt road to drive to the trailhead, though it has a couple of spots where high clearance helps (one in his party made it in a Prius). They found lots of bear scat and, of course, it’s rattlesnake country.
The Thorn Point trail is 20 mi. southwest of Frazier Park, 90 mi north of Los Angeles.
The U.S. Forest Service describes Los Padres National Forest as “one of the most botanically diverse National Forests in the United States.” The Sespe Wilderness includes the Sespe Condor Sanctuary within its boundary.
The hike to Parker Lake is absolutely breathtaking, states Mammoth Lakes’ Josh Wray. “With a short climb at the beginning, it’s a perfect warm-up for the 1.8 mile hike to the lake.”
He continues, “After the short uphill section you’ll be hiking along the creek that flows from Parker Lake and the aspen groves along the creek are gorgeous.
“Bring along a hammock or another way to sit and rest, so that you can spend the day by the creek or lake.
“Upon arrival at Parker’s outlet and the main viewpoint, pull out your zoom lens because you’ll want to capture the colors across the far side of the lake. This spot is at full peak so go as soon as you can.
“Also, it is a busy trailhead on weekends. So, if you go this weekend be sure to arrive early, to get one of the few parking spots available, and for early solitude on the trail to Parker Lake.”
http://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.png00John Poimiroohttp://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.pngJohn Poimiroo2016-10-03 18:43:302016-10-03 18:44:32A Perfect Hike to Fall Color Perfection: That's Parker
Sometimes you just want to hang out. That’s what Scott Turner did this past weekend, opting to explore McGee Creek Canyon, “as opposed to a mad dash to different color spots.”
He reports McGee Creek Campground is just starting, but “Further up canyon from the trailhead to the bend in the canyon (about 1 mile), the color along the creek is patchy; most of the cottonwoods have turned, but the aspens are a mixture of orange, yellow, and lime.
“Along the trail, shrub aspen that climb the hillside and surround the creek crossing are Peaking or slightly Past Peak, following this weekend’s snow and wind.
“The color gets really good (at Peak, or slightly approaching Peak) at the beaver pond. The color up the hillsides and in the groves surrounding the pond are all at peak with a variety of warm shades turning the entire canyon gold.”
Scott added that the lower reaches of Lee Vining Canyon are just starting. Some aspen along the June Lake Loop look to be turning too, but are still Patchy – somewhere around 25%. Finally, he heard that Fern Lake is peaking.
McGee Creek (10/1/16) Becky
Upper McGee Creek, Mono County – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW!
Middle McGee Creek, Mono County – Patchy (10-50%)
McGee Campground, Mono County – Just Starting (0-10%)
http://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.png00John Poimiroohttp://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.pngJohn Poimiroo2016-10-03 11:00:332016-10-04 17:09:16Hanging Out at McGee Creek
http://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.png00John Poimiroohttp://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.pngJohn Poimiroo2016-10-02 20:51:172016-10-02 20:51:17Need We Say More?
Photographer Elliot McGucken knew to GO NOW! and traveled to Bishop Creek Canyon over the past few days to capture these glorious images of the canyon at peak color.
If you’ve done similarly, email your best photos to: editor@californiafallcolor.com
We’ll post them for those to enjoy who can’t GO NOW!.
Surveyor’s Meadow 9/30/16) Elliot McGucken
Surveyor’s Meadow, Bishop Creek (9/30/16) Elliot McGucken
Quaking Aspen, Bishop Creek Canyon (10/1/16) Elliot McGucken
South Fork, Bishop Creek (10/1/16) Elliot McGucken
Quaking Aspen, Bishop Creek Canyon (10/1/16) Elliot McGucken
Kevin Lennox was at Parker Lake yesterday and reports the hike from the parking lot to the lake (2 miles) was past peak, but once he reached the lake, a rolling peak was occurring where some aspen were still green or lime, while others were yellow and orange. He estimates another week of peak color at Parker Lake, though don’t delay as “conditions are progressing fast.”
http://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.png00John Poimiroohttp://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.pngJohn Poimiroo2016-10-02 12:32:512017-07-21 10:31:09Parker Lake: Don't Delay or You Might Miss It.
