Inyo County’s fall color developed rapidly over the past week with Peak color racing its way up Eastern Sierra slopes at Mt. Whitney, Weir Pond and the north slope of North Lake.
Large stands of Quaking aspen remain green, though this was the week to heed admonitions to GO NOW! Those who did were dazzled with color and those who didn’t are kicking themselves for waiting for perfection.
It’s still great, but further delay just ignores what’s happening, as Bishop color spotter Betsy Forsyth’s photos show. Peak is now down to 8,500′.
It’s always uplifting to see a new perspective from a photographer. The following two images from Clayton Peoples provide new looks at oft-photographed locations.
In his first shot of Lake Sabrina, Clayton shows the detail of multi colored leaves seen on distant slopes while framing and filling an empty foreground. In the second, he visits the aspen, while including distant peaks.
California Fall Color was asked if either shot was manipulated. No, we wouldn’t knowingly publish a manipulated photograph. What Clayton does is scout a location to find a new way of looking at it. While doing that, he often hikes to points most photographers ignore. That’s one of the tricks of capturing one-of-a-kind images.
Southern Inyo County
- Whitney Portal (8,375′) Peak (75-100%) GO NOW!. – Higher up on the trail it is Past Peak.
- Mt Whitney Trail (8,360′ to 14,505”) – Past Peak, You Missed it.
- Onion Valley (9,600′) – Peak (75 – 100%) GO NOW!
- Big Pine Creek (7,660′) – Patchy (10-50%)
- Big Pine (3,989′) – Just Starting (0-10%)
Bishop Creek Canyon
Bishop Creek Canyon is now peaking at its higher elevations and will be beautiful for the next couple of weeks. Though there are TONS of yellows, several expansive green groves have yet to turn.
South Fork, Bishop Creek
- South Lake (9,768′) – PEAK (75-100%) GO NOW!
- Weir Pond (9,650′) – PEAK to Past Peak – Go Now, You Almost Missed It.
- Parcher’s Resort (9,260′) – Near Peak (50-75%) Go Now.
- Willow Campground (9,000′) – Near Peak (50-75%) Go Now.
- Surveyor’s Meadow (8,975′) – Near Peak (50-75%) Go Now.
- Table Mountain Camp (8,900′) – Patchy (10-50%)
- Stiny Loop. Mt. Glen Camp (8,850′) – Patchy (10-50%)
- Mist Falls and the Groves Above Bishop Creek Lodge (8,350′) – Patchy (10-50%)
- Four Jeffries (8,000′) – Patchy (10-50%)
Middle Fork, Bishop Creek
- Lake Sabrina (9,150′) – PEAK (75-100%) GO NOW!
- Sabrina Approach (9,100′) – PEAK (75-100%) GO NOW!
- Sabrina Campground (9,000′) – Near Peak (50-75%) Go Now.
- Groves Above Cardinal Village (8,550′) – PEAK (75-100%) GO NOW!
- Aspendell (8,400′) – Patchy (10-50%)
- Intake II (8,000′) – Patchy (10-50%)
- Big Trees Campground (7,800′) – Just Starting (0-10%)
North Fork, Bishop Creek
- North Lake (9,225′) -PEAK (75-100%) GO NOW! – The north side of the lake will be gone by the weekend.
- North Lake Rd (9,000′) – Near Peak (50-75%) Go Now.
Bishop
- Bishop (4,150′) – Just Starting (0-10%)
- Buckley Ponds (4,150′) – Just Starting (0-10%)
- Rawson Ponds (4,150′) – Just Starting (0-10%)
- Owens Valley (4,000′) – Just Starting (0-10%)
Northern Inyo County
- Lower Rock Creek Rd ((7,087′) – Patchy (10-50%)
- Round Valley (4,692′) – Patchy (10-50%)
- Lower Pine Creek Canyon (7,000′) – Patchy (10-50%)
- Pine Creek Pack Station (7,.400′) – Patchy (10-50%)
