The following is an account from seasoned color spotter and professional photographer, Philip Reedy. Reedy took a trip last week around Hope Valley and popular areas in the Eastern Sierra. What he found supports what we have been seeing for the most part this season – early colors and peak conditions in areas that usually last at least a week longer. Phil’s report is below.
My trip Tuesday through Thursday (Oct. 6-8) took me along highway 88, over Monitor Pass, and along 395 as far as Whitney Portal. Let me just summarize my impressions for each location I visited.
As John Poimiroo reported, the Hope Valley peaked at least a week or two sooner than usual. For the previous 10 years I could set my calendar by the color changes there, so this was very surprising.
In fact, the only location that seems to be on schedule is June Lake Loop.
Summers Meadow is at peak now and looks great with a variety of different colored aspens.
Conway Summit is also at peak, so GO NOW!
Lundy Lake Road is a bit of an anomaly. It ranges from peak color to bare trees to large stands of green aspens. So there should be more color coming in the next week or two.
Convict Lake Road really doesn’t have a lot of aspens, but there are some colorful trees at the lower section.
June Lake Loop seems to be right on schedule for the most part. It usually peaks during the third week of October. I would guess it is at 50% now, with some brilliant colors along with many stands where trees are just beginning to change. The next two weeks should be nice.
Rock Creek Lake road has some color but also many bare trees. There are nicer places to focus on nearby, especially June Lake.
And of course, there is North Lake. It is another early bird at peak and past peak. There are still plenty of yellow aspens, but no green ones left and many bare trees as well. The north shore of the lake still looks great, but it won’t last long.
The road to South Lake is my pick of the trip. There are some beautiful groves of multi-colored aspens, especially at Mist Falls and just up the road from there. That was the prettiest place I found on my travels, so go soon.
Whitney Portal is one place I had never visited. But as I wanted to photograph Mobius Arch nearby, I decided to check it out. This is definitely not a stellar drive for color, as I didn’t see a single aspen until I reached the end of the road. However, I did discover a hidden gem in Portal Falls right next to the picnic area. It is still flowing even this late in the year and there are yellow aspens surrounding it.
Finally, on the trip back I decided to drive up highway 108 over Sonora Pass. At the pass and on both the east and west sides, I saw nothing but bare trees. When I last visited there on October 14, 2020 the trees around the pass were at peak color. The only color I found along the highway was along Leavitt Creek about 5 miles east of the pass. Leavitt Falls looked beautiful as always. I didn’t photograph it this time as the midday light could not do it justice. It is best seen in late afternoon around 5 as the sun is off of the water but illuminates the trees perfectly. What really makes this spot great is that the trees come in green, yellow, orange and magenta. I have included a photo from 2020 for those who might want to check it out. These trees are at peak, so you would need to go ASAP.
