Update: Winds of Change

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Anticipating that PG&E would shut down power in El Dorado Hills, CaliforniaFallColor.com relocated to Lake Tahoe yesterday (Oct. 9) and will post from Agate Bay until power is restored in the Sierra foothills.

True to its word, PG&E cut the power in El Dorado Hills at 1 a.m. Wednesday morning and we took off that afternoon, after dealing with food spoiling, cat sitting and odd jobs around the house.

The drive to Lake Tahoe provided the opportunity to record fall color glimpses that are occurring along the route. (Note: “glimpses” is the operative word, as large stands of trees are seen infrequently along I-80.)

Here’s what’s to be seen:

• El Dorado Hills (768’) – Patchy to Near Peak (10-75%) GO NOW! – Specie related – a mix of native and exotic trees.
• Cisco Grove, I-80 (5,620’) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! Aspen, Martis Creek, CA-267 (10/9/19) Clayton Peoples
• Cisco Grove, I-80 (5,656’) – Patchy (10-50%) Fremont cottonwood.
• Rainbow Rd., I-80 (5,807’) – Near Peak (50-75%) – Quaking aspen and cottonwood.
• Kingvale, I-80 (6,060’) – Patchy (10-50%) – Cottonwood.
• Truckee, I-80 (5,925’) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – Aspen.
• Martis Valley, CA-267 (5,925’) – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW – Aspen.
• Northstar, CA-267 (6,060’) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – Aspen.
• Northstar, CA-267 (6,175’) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – Aspen.
• Senator Paul J Lunardi Turnout, CA-267 – Peak (75-100%) – Aspen.
• Martis Creek Cabin, CA-267 (6,709’) – Peak to Past Peak – GO NOW, YOU ALMOST MISSED IT! – Color spotter Clayton Peoples reports, “The aspen groves near the parking area and near the cabin are at full peak. Although a few clusters of trees have already lost their leaves–likely the trees that had blight, as reported here some weeks ago–the rest of the trees are full of vibrant yellow and yellow-orange leaves. This might be the best color I’ve seen there in a number of years. Go now before it’s too late! (Note: I visited after the wind event Tuesday night-Wednesday morning, and the leaves are still hanging on!)”
• Kings Beach, Lake Tahoe (6,225’) – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW! – Aspen, cottonwood, red maple.
• Agate Bay, Lake Tahoe (6,225’) – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW! – Aspen.

For all the fears of strong winds, induced by the PG&E power shutdown, winds have been fairly light and few leaves have fallen, so far. Although what wind has blown has shut down power to 2 million people, it has not shut down the fall show.

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