Stunning in Siskiyou
Color spotter Philip Reedy drove 500 miles this week to check out the Upper Sacramento River up to the headwaters at Lake Siskiyou, which is one of his favorite areas in the fall.
He was surprised to find that unlike most years at this time, a lot of trees had already lost their leaves, yet the Indian Rhubarb had just started to change.
“Leaving at 5 am to catch the early morning light, my first stop was Sims Flat on the Upper Sacramento River. At an elevation of only 1,657 ft, the colors usually arrive here a week or two from now. Fortunately, there were enough already to justify some photos. For history buffs, the Sims bridge was built in 1933, the first major project of the newly created Civilian Conservation Corp.”
Next up for Reedy was the Castella Loop at 1,957 ft, in the shadow of Castle Crags State Park. In a normal year, Reedy says the rhubarb would be in full color right now, but like the rest of the river, most are still green. In contrast, he added, many of the trees were already bare, but enough remained to provide some nice color.
“The highlight of the day and by far the best color was the hike to Mossbrae Falls from Dunsmuir at 2,478 ft,” he says. “At the higher elevation, all of the trees are at peak right now, so this weekend would be the perfect time to go.”
A few miles upstream, just below the Lake Siskiyou dam, is a beautiful box canyon. But once again, the rhubarb had just begun to turn while most of the trees had already dropped their leaves. Fortunately for Reedy, his favorite patch of rhubarb had turned its usual bright red.
“My trip ended in the town of Mt. Shasta where there are many great views of the ever-present mountain,” Reedy says. “Unlike last fall, it isn’t covered in snow, but still beautiful when framed by vibrant fall colors.”
Our overall recommendation is to GO NOW to these beautiful locations!
