Win an 18 x 24″ canvas wrapped print of your winning fall color photo and a $149 Cotton Carrier G3 Harness, by uploading your best fall color photos to www.CottonCarrier.com.
The winning photo will be voted upon by Cotton Carrier’s website users (your friends and our readers included). One photo may be entered per week, per photographer. Deadline Nov. 15. Photographers retain the rights to their work.
The promotion brings attention to Cotton Carrier’s new camera harness that secures DSLR and mirrorless cameras to a breathable, ergonomic frame for all-day comfort.
The new G3 holster uses a patented locking system to secure camera to a backpack strap for hands-free accessibility while strolling city streets or navigating mountain trails. New features include a quick release safety tether, belt attachment and new colors.
Let’s vote for a CaliforniaFallColor.com photographer to win.
If you enter, send a .jpg of your shot, where it was taken and your name to: editor@californiafallcolor.com. We’ll post all photographs here and encourage readers to vote for them. Photos do not need to have been taken recently, so past photographs are eligible.
Jennifer Roeser rides her mule, Pearl, in McGee Creek (9/28/15) Alicia Vennos/Mono County Tourism
After 36 frustrating hours, CaliforniaFallColor.com is back in the saddle again.
This website crashed after too many backups filled the server and overloaded it. That required the host to remove the backups (a slow process) in order to provide room on the server so that the site can function properly.
I cannot thank our loyal readers enough for expressing concern and attempting to reach me, and I apologize if going dark disrupted your travel planning.
The server crashed Wednesday night as I was attempting to post photographs from a scouting trip through the Hope Valley, Monitor Pass, US 395, Bishop, Bishop Creek Canyon, Pine Creek, Round Valley, Rock Creek, McGee Creek, Convict Lake, Mammoth Lakes, June Lake loop, Sagehen Meadows and Conway Summit.
During that sojourn, I took many photos (produced a few videos) and was sent many others by contributors, which I’m just now receiving (the server crashed my email account, as well). I plan to post them today and over the weekend.
In the meantime buckaroos, saddle up for some great fall color. As, Peak has arrived in the Eastern Sierra.
http://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.png00John Poimiroohttp://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.pngJohn Poimiroo2017-10-06 14:48:242017-10-06 15:55:07Back in the Saddle Again
Table Mountain Group Camp, S. Fork Bishop Creek (10/3/17) John Poimiroo
Bishop Creek Canyon is a mix of every level of peak, from Just Starting, to Patchy, to Near Peak, to Peak, to Past Peak, some occurring at the same location.
North Lake is a puzzle. It’s lime, yellow, orange and gone, all at the same place.
Peak color is near the lake with green aspen far above. We rate it Near Peak, though it’s peaking in areas, nowhere close in others and past peak, too.
Sabrina is topsy turvey. The higher you go, the less consistent the color is. Intake II (at the lowest elevation) is Near Peak, while Sabrina Approach (higher up) is Patchy.
Aspen at the center of the Groves Above Cardinal Village were past peak and surrounded by a ring of patchy, though mostly green aspen. Aspendell has hardly any color, though that’s not unusual. It’s often the last to peak.
We were there to sort it out and ran into dozens of color spotters and photographers who were shrugging their shoulders in confusion. Seeing me trying to find some color along a stream at Sabrina Approach, one photographer turned and said, “I did the same thing, and came to the same conclusion… not yet there. Still, I’m glad to be here.”
Those of us who were there this week, were certainly glad to be in Bishop Creek Canyon searching for fall color, as there were moments of breathtaking wonder.
Travel writer/photographer Lee Foster and I found it in a dazzling display along the South Lake Road. From Parchers down to the Mist Falls at Mountain Glen the hillsides are lit with pink, orange, yellow and lime aspen.
While several of South Lake’s groves could technically be rated as “Patchy,” Oh!, how beautiful they are in the midday sun. No one photographing them was disappointed. That’s why it gets rated as peaking. GO NOW!
Southern Inyo County
Whitney Portal (8,374’) – Patchy (10 – 50%)
Onion Valley (9,600’) – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW!
Big Pine Creek (7,660’) – Patchy (10 – 50%)
Mt. Whitney Fish Hatchery (4,000’) – Just Starting (0-10%)
Alabama Hills (4,534’) – Just Starting (0-10%)
South Lake
Weir Pond (9,650’) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW!
Parchers Resort(9,260′) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW!
Willow Campground (9,000’) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW!
Table Mountain Group Camp (8,900’) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW!
Surveyors Meadow (8,975’) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW!
Mountain Glen (8,500′) – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW!
Mist Falls and the groves above Bishop Creek Lodge (8,350’) – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW!
Four Jeffrey Campground (8,000’) – Patchy (10 – 50%)
Sabrina Lake
Lake Sabrina (9,150′) – Patchy (10 – 50%) to Peak (75-100%)
Sabrina Approach (9,050′) – Patchy (10-50%)
Sabrina Campground (9,000’) – Patchy (10 – 50%)
Groves above Cardinal Village (8,550’) – Patchy (10 – 50%)
Aspendell (8,400’) – Just Starting (0 – 10%)
Intake II (8,000’) – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW!
Big Trees Campground (7,800’) – Just Starting (0 – 10%)
North Lake
North Lake Road – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW!
North Lake (9,255’) – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW!
Upper North Lake Road – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW!
Round Valley/Pine Creek
Pine Creek Pack Station – Peak GO NOW! – A small grove of aspen is at peak near the trailhead and pack station.
Pine Creek Rd. – Patchy (10-50%) – The black and Frémont cottonwood along Pine Creek will be gorgeous when they peak.
Round Valley – Patchy (10-50%) – Landmark black cottonwood grow throughout the Round Valley, often near old weathered cabins. They are now crowned with yellow and will be beautiful at peak.
Lower Rock Creek Rd. – Patchy (10-50%)
Owens Valley/Bishop
Owens Valley – Just Starting (0-10%)
Bishop – Just Starting (0-10%)
Here’s a fun gallery of snaps taken at various unidentified Bishop Creek Canyon locations.
(Mono County – 10/4/17) – Peak is approaching at several viewing locations in Mono County, Jeff Simpson reports. We visited prime areas throughout Mono County today to find great color in the higher canyons.
Sagehen Meadows (10/4/17) Daniel Danzig
To the east of US 395, on a mountain area area that gets less water than the Sierra Nevada, Sagehen Meadows is at Peak and glorious. If you’ve not visited this remote place, take CA-120 (south of Mono Lake) 14 miles east to Sagehen Summit. Turn onto Sagehen Meadows Rd. and continue three miles south along a dirt road to Sagehen Meadows.
A dirt parking area at Sagehen can hold four cars and there’s a fairly steady stream of dusty cars pulling in for the view of venerable hot-red, flame orange and yellow-flecked aspen. They’re so old, they look as if they were there when the Sierra were made.
To the west, snowy peaks within Yosemite National Park are seen. It’s a great place for contemplation, inspiration and a picnic.
Elsewhere in Mono County, Rock Creek Road, McGee Creek Rd., Convict Lake, Laurel Canyon Rd. (OHV), Conway Summit, Summers Meadow Road and Lobdell Lake Road are all transitioning from Patchy to Near Peak. They should all be increasingly brilliant each of the coming 7-10 days.
Many areas like the West Walker River, Lee Vining Canyon, Lundy Canyon and the June Lake Loop are just getting started but still have sections of great foliage and are worth visiting this weekend.
Sagehen Summit (8,139’) – Peak (75-100%) Sagehen Summit has been at peak color for the last 5 days and is rapidly nearing past peak. You’ll still find sections of good color with dark crimson, reds and oranges, while other areas are going Past Peak. Sagehen Summit will still be great for the next few days but it will likely be gone after the coming weekend. GO NOW!
Lower Rock Creek Rd. (7,087′) – Patchy (10-50%) – Towering black cottonwood along Lower Rock Creek Rd – leading to and beyond the Mono/Inyo County line and into Round Valley – are crowned in gold and should continue to glow for the next three weeks.
Rock Creek Road (9,000′ to 10,300’) – Patchy to Near Peak (10-75%) – There’s wonderful color to be found along the lower section of Rock Creek Rd., with sections of great yellows and oranges, though the tale of all Sierra color areas is that large stands of Just Starting and Patchy aspen are there, too. The areas along Rock Creek Lake are best in midday light. Aspen in the Little Lakes Valley are peaking. GO NOW!
McGee Creek Campground (10/4/17) John Poimiroo
McGee Creek Canyon (10/4/17) Terry Rightmire
McGee Creek Canyon (8,600′) – Patchy to Near Peak (10-75%) – The aspen and cottonwood along McGee Creek Rd are crowned with golden color, providing for a stunning show. Hike Of The Week: walk a mile beyond road’s end toward the peaks beyond to pass through golden aspen groves and a mountain hillside that is painted with chartreuse majesty (as seen in Terry Rightmire’s image). GO NOW!
Convict Lake (7850′) Patchy (10-50%) – Willows and aspen ringing the lake are patchy with large areas of emerging golden color. The aspen at the end of the lake are about 25% turned, so the show will continue to improve at Convict Lake for another two weeks. Take the 2.5 mile “Convict Lake Loop Trail” around the lake for a close up view of the leaves and different angles of Mt. Morrison.
Conway Summit (10/4/17) John Poimiroo
Conway Summit, north slope (10/4/17) John Poimiroo
Conway Summit (8,143′) – Patchy to Near Peak (10-75%) – Some color spotters say Conway Summit is peaking, but with the amount of green still in the aspen groves, it’s a truly more of a mix of High Patchy to Full Peak. Nevertheless the overall impression takes one’s breath away. There are bold stands of yellow and orange while others are patches of lime and green. When you cross the summit, note that the aspen on the south slope have further along than those on the north slope. GO NOW!
Gull Lake (10/4/17) John Poimiroo
June Lake Loop – Patchy (10-50%) – Bright yellow aspen mixed with lime and dark green are seen along the edges of June, Gull, Silver and Grant Lakes, as well as beside the June Lake Loop.
Summers Meadow (7,200′) – Patchy (10-50%) – Much of Summers Meadow is patchy, though some individual stands have brilliant color. The massive elevation change on the mountain means these trees will be peaking at different times over the next two weeks. NOTE: The Summers Meadow bridge sustained significant damage during the spring runoff. The bridge has been reduced to one lane traffic but is currently open to visitors traveling to Summers Meadow.
Summers Meadow (10/4/17) Jeff Simpson | Mono County Tourism
Lobdell Lake Road (8,600′) – Patchy (10-50%) – Lots has changed here from last week but Lobdell Lake is still well short of Peak. You’ll find sections of peak color while other areas are still fully green. This is a perfect spot for portrait photography or anyone wanting to do close ups of isolated sections of trees. Note: Burcham Flat Road to Lobdell lake Road are dirt roads – AWD or 4WD vehicles are recommended.
http://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.png00John Poimiroohttp://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.pngJohn Poimiroo2017-10-04 23:31:072017-10-08 16:24:56Glorious Color Emerges in Mono County
Quaking Aspen, Antelope Lake (10/3/17) Jeff Luke Titcomb
Red Maple, Chester (10/3/17) Kathy Wasson
Quaking aspen at Antelope Lake in Plumas County’s Indian Valley (Northern Sierra) are peaking with bright orange-gold color.
The drive to remote Antelope Lake on the Genessee/Antelope Lake Rd. passes the charming town of Taylorsville (Pop. 154), that has changed little since it was founded in 1852.
Elsewhere in the Shasta Cascade, bright color is appearing in Chester at Lake Almanor, where an exotic red maple stands beside the town’s bicycle rental shop.
http://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.png00John Poimiroohttp://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.pngJohn Poimiroo2017-10-04 21:45:142017-10-04 21:56:56Fall Color Brightens Small Towns
(South Lake Rd., Bishop Creek Canyon – 10/3/17) Although there is lots of green along South Lake Road in Bishop Creek Canyon, the combination of full peak, near peak and patchy color at midday is spectacular and well worth the trip. GO NOW!
(Big Sur – 10/3/17) California’s Central Coast is not known for its fall color, though “the coast-facing canyons of Big Sur contain a nice concentration of bigleaf maples,” reports Leor Pantilat who scores a prized First Report.
In these mountains, the fall color progression is a rolling peak depending on the slope aspect and elevation. For now the best color is at the highest elevations of the Santa Lucia Mountains.
Pantilat states that “the endemic Santa Lucia Fir forest provides a unique setting. Bountiful poison oak is also bright red at the higher elevations.
Leor took these images near Cone Peak on Sunday. He estimates that color will persist in this area for at least a couple more weeks and then progressively move down the canyon where it will mix with redwoods below ~2000 ft into November.
Expect spots of bright color in an otherwise evergreen forest of fir, redwood and live oak.
Ventana Wilderness – Big Sur Hills (3,000 to 5,000 feet) – 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 Poimiroo2017-10-03 21:00:452017-10-04 20:41:56Ventana Wilderness / Big Sur
(Little Lakes Valley Trailhead [10,200’], Rock Creek Canyon – 10/3/17) Hiking from the end of Rock Creek Road on the Little Lakes Valley Trail, quaking aspen were peaking near 10,400’.
http://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.png00John Poimiroohttp://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.pngJohn Poimiroo2017-10-03 20:46:222017-10-04 20:38:32Upper Rock Creek / Little Lakes Valley
(Mist Falls, Bishop Creek Canyon – 10/3/17) The color surrounding the Mist Falls and Mountain Glen is spectacular, particularly when backlit at midday. The mix of green, lime, yellow, orange and red provide a Near Peak palete along South Lake Rd. that is breathtaking.
Win an 18 x 24″ canvas wrapped print of your winning fall color photo and a $149 Cotton Carrier G3 Harness, by uploading your best fall color photos to www.CottonCarrier.com.
