Photographer Philip Reedy drove from Davis up along Highway 88 from Silver Lake to Sorenson’s with a friend on Sunday, Oct. 5 and the colors were great.
“As others have been reporting, the change seems to be coming early this year, and Highway 88 and the Hope Valley were no exceptions,” Reedy said. “The area around Red Lake Creek and Hope Valley seem to be a week early this year. A lot of groves have completely turned and are already losing leaves, so this week would be perfect to view the famous Red Lake Creek Cabin and the Hope Valley meadow just east of Blue Lakes Road. As usual, the trees at the valley level are changing first while there are still green groves up the mountainsides.”
According to Reedy, the aspens near Red Lake by the red barn and south along Forestdale road always change later and have only just begun, so that area should be nice in a week or two.
From Red Lake all the way to Sorenson’s the colors are at peak or close to it.
As usual the last trees to change each year are above Hope Valley along Highway 89 to Tahoe. They are still completely green.
“I definitely recommend heading up this week as the majority of trees are at peak color now,” he added.
As a special treat, Reedy and his friend came upon some pumpkins they had come across last fall.
“Last year when my friend and I went to the Hope Valley pasture someone had placed jack-o-lanterns on several fence posts,” Reedy said. “We were amazed to see that they had survived the past year, although as you can see, they now look like something out of a Tim Burton movie.”
Hope Valley (7,000′) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW!
