Bishop Wears White
Bishop Creek Canyon wore white today as snow, hail and rain wet the canyon. With temperatures in the high 30s, nothing stuck. But, anytime a storm passes, peak color is lost.
A good deal of that occurred today, but it did not end the development of fall color in the canyon. A lot of peak color remains, particularly on groves that were Near Peak, Patchy or Just Starting. The most telling image in the below package is that of Willow Camp. Compare that to the same view in the report “On The Road Again” posted on 10/9. It shows Willow Camp’s trees loaded with peak leaves.
Fortunately, the storm was a one-day affair and no precipitation is predicted through the coming week.
As seen in Betsy Forsyth’s photographs, cloud cover can act like an overhead softbox that diffuses light, eliminates shadows and enhances color. Though, such light lacks the ability to stimulate intensity and vibrance as seen on a clear day when leaves are backlit with daylight.
One aspect of California Fall Color not found elsewhere is that our wildflower blooming season often extends into autumn and it’s possible to see blue, pink and red wildflowers near the warm oranges, reds and yellows of autumn leaves. So keep your eye open for such a coincidence when hiking trails in the Eastern Sierra, as Betsy did on today’s exploration.
UPDATED 10/11
Southern Inyo County
- Whitney Portal (8,375′) – 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 evolved quickly since this past weekend. All areas above 9,000′ (with the exception of North Lake Rd) are now Past Peak. Peak is now at 8,500′ with the Mist Falls (S Fork Bishop Creek) at its glorious best.
There is a huge grove of Patchy (green and yellow) aspen near Mountain Glen Camp that will continue to develop over the coming week. As will be reported next, Intake II is wonderful – a Near Peak poetic mix of forest green, lime, yellow, orange and red. This is certainly a GO NOW situation for Bishop Creek Canyon, as it all could be gone within a week.
South Fork, Bishop Creek
- South Lake (9,768′) – Past Peak, You Missed it.
- Weir Pond (9,650′) – Past Peak, You Missed it.
- Parcher’s Resort (9,260′) – Past Peak, You Missed it.
- Willow Campground (9,000′) – Past Peak, You Missed it.
- Surveyor’s Meadow (8,975′) – PEAK to Past Peak, Go Now, You almost missed it.
- Table Mountain Camp (8,900′) – PEAK to Past Peak, Go Now, You almost missed it.
- Mountain Glen Camp (8,850′) – PEAK (75 – 100%) GO NOW!
- Mist Falls and the Groves Above Bishop Creek Lodge (8,350′) – PEAK (75 – 100%) GO NOW!
- Four Jeffrey (8,000′) – Near Peak (50-75%) Go Now.
Middle Fork, Bishop Creek
- Lake Sabrina (9,150′) – PEAK to Past Peak, Go Now, you almost missed it.
- Sabrina Approach (9,100′) – PEAK (75 – 100%) GO NOW!
- Sabrina Campground (9,000′) – PEAK (75 – 100%) GO NOW!
- Groves Above Cardinal Village (8,550′) – PEAK (75 – 100%) GO NOW!
- Aspendell (8,400′) – Patchy (10-50%)
- Intake II (8,000′) – Near Peak (50-75%) Go Now.
- Big Trees Campground (7,800′) Patchy (10-50%)
North Fork, Bishop Creek
- North Lake (9,225′) – Past Peak, You Missed it.
- North Lake Rd (9,000′) – PEAK to Past Peak, Go Now, You almost missed it.
Bishop
Towering cottonwood are now crested with gilding in the midday light throughout the Owens and Round Valleys.
- 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′) – Near Peak (50-75%) Go Now.
