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Good To Go

Thumbs Up for Autumn, Rock Creek (9/13/18) Josh Wray/Mammoth Lakes Tourism

Rock Creek Lake (9/13/18) Josh Wray/Mammoth Lakes Tourism

Rock Creek (9/13/18) Josh Wray/Mammoth Lakes Tourism

Reports from the Eastern Sierra indicate that autumn color is good to go up the canyons with peak color starting to appear near 10,000′.

It happens quickly in late September, as days shorten and temperatures drop. So, be prepared for possible Near Peak at high elevations there, by the first day of autumn.

Josh Wray, of Mammoth Lakes, drove south to Rock Creek (southern Mono County) to capture what was happening up the canyon, and though it was still Just Starting for most of the canyon, more than enough Near Peak color could be seen along the Hilton Lake Trail at 10,300′.

Aspen, Silver Lake (9/3/18) Cindy Hoover

Willow, Silver Lake (8/31/18) Cindy Hoover

Color spotter Cindy Hoover explored the June/Mono Lake region of Mono County earlier in the week, reporting that Silver Lake is where early color is visible with willows full of gold and singled-out aspen branches bright yellow, while the rest of the trees remain green, but noticeably lighter than a few weeks ago.

Near Mono Lake, Cindy was wowed by a spectacular display of rabbit brush, carpeting the high plains toward a pink-orange sunset.

Krisdina Karady of Parcher’s Resort on the South Fork of Bishop Creek reported that color is still Just Starting, with some aspen branches carrying golden color, but most of the trees remain dark green to lime. A complete report is expected this coming week. 

Near Peak (50-75%) – Hilton Lakes Trail (10,300′)

Just Starting (0-10%) – Rock Creek (9,500′)

Just Starting (0-10%) – June Lake Loop (7,654′)

Just Starting (0-10%) – Mono Lake, South Tufa (6,378′)

Just Starting (0-10%) – Bishop Creek Canyon (Parcher’s Resort – 9,260′)

Rabbit Brush, Mono Lake S Tufa (9/6/18) Cindy Hoover

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Get Ready to Pack Into Mono County

Little Lakes Valley (9/8/18) Liz Grans/Mono County Tourism

Fall color scouting trips by Mono County color spotters Alicia Vennos, Liz Grans and Robert Bernstein returned with promising images of gilding beside high Eastern Sierra trails.

Vennos and Grans visited Lundy Canyon, Green Creek, the Little Lakes Valley and Rock Creek Lake, while Bernstein visited Dunderberg Meadows. Each of their trips showed that color spotters should get packing to see Mono County’s Fall Color.

When these photos were taken a few days ago, the color was just starting to appear, but within the coming week that will change as fall color transition from Just Starting, to Patchy and Near Peak at the highest elevations in the Eastern Sierra. In Mono County, expect Upper Rock Creek and Virginia Creek to show the earliest color.

Click photo to enlarge.

Just Starting (0-10%) – Mono County

Dunderberg Meadows (9/10/18) Robert Bernstein

Dunderberg Meadows (9/10/18) Robert Bernstein

Dunderberg Meadows (9/10/18) Robert Bernstein

Little Lakes Valley (9/8/18) Liz Grans/Mono County Tourism

Rock Creek Lake (9/8/18) Liz Grans/Mono County Tourism

Green Creek Trail (9/9/18) Alicia Vennos/Mono County Tourism

Green Creek Trail (9/9/18) Alicia Vennos/Mono County Tourism

Parker Lake (9/7/18) Alicia Vennos/Mono County Tourism

Parker Lake (9/7/18) Alicia Vennos/Mono County Tourism

Aspen, Parker Lake (9/7/18) Alicia Vennos/Mono County Tourism

Green Creek Trail (9/9/18) Alicia Vennos/Mono County Tourism

Lundy Canyon Trail, Mono Lake in distance (9/8/18) Alicia Vennos/Mono County Tourism

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Eastern Sierra Photo Jamboree This Weekend

An Eastern Sierra Photography Jamboree will provide photographers opportunities for recognition, exposure and cash prizes this weekend in the Bridgeport Valley.

The photo exhibit/contest is open to all amateur and professional photographers with $200, $100 and $50 prizes presented for the top three framed entries in these categories: Bodie, Ranching and Western Life, Wildlife, Hunting & Fishing, and Nature & Landscape photography. A $15 entry fee applies.

The Photo Jamboree is the first of a half-dozen fun events happening this autumn in Mono County, including:

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What One Videographer Saw Last Autumn

Start planning your fall color trips. This autumn oughta be awesome. 

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It’s Beginning To Feel A Lot Like Autumn

Twin Lakes Waterfall, Mammoth Lakes Basin (9/6/18) Josh Wray

As long as we’re in the singing mood, how about turning Johnny Mathis’ classic upside down.

No, it’s not beginning to look a lot like Christmas, but it is beginning to feel a lot like Autumn, Mammoth Lakes color spotter Josh Wray reports. “It’s really starting to feel like the early days of fall in Mammoth Lakes now with summer crowds calming down and temperatures dropping at night.”

He visited the Mammoth Lakes Basin a couple of days ago, “…to see what it’s looking like up there, and it was gorgeous. There were traces of yellow aspen leaves off in the distance but nothing to report on quite yet.”

The color seen in the photo at left are grasses ringing the Twin Lakes. Otherwise, there’s little fall color yet to be seen at 8,500′ in the Eastern Sierra. 

Just Starting (0-10%) – Mammoth Lakes (8,500′)

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Fall Color Detectives

Poison Oak, Briones Regional Park (9/4/18) Darrell Sano

I just love “Who Done Its.” Though, in fall color’s case, it’s more “Where Is It?”

Today, I received reports from Lance Pifer and Darrell Sano who uncovered more evidence that fall is approaching.

1000 Island Lakes, Pacific Crest Trail (9/1/18) Lance Pifer

North Lake, Bishop Creek Canyon (9/1/18) Lance Pifer

Lance visited the Eastern Sierra where he found spots of fall color lighting up the Pacific Crest Trail near 1000 Island Lake and at North Lake in Bishop Creek Canyon, where aspen remain  green and lake grasses are highlighted lightly with gold.

Darrell was a road warrior, exploring far and wide. On Friday (as previously reported) he drove across Sonora Pass, returning via Tioga Pass. About three to four miles after entering Yosemite National Park’s east entrance, he stopped to investigate “a scene that looks like it was planned, meaning so perfect–layered trees, leaves from pink to golden yellow, colors receding into the background, such depth. And it’s peaceful, quiet.” He continued that this area was severely damaged by fire, with at least half of it changed.

The following day, he drove north from the Bay Area to Cloverdale, then along CA 128 to the coast. As expected, there was no color to be seen other than a little in low shrubs, though reminds us that by driving the route he was reminded about how stunning Mendocino county is.

Poison Oak, Briones Regional Park (9/4/18) Darrell Sano

On Labor Day, he stayed near home, taking “a long hike in Briones Regional Park (one of the great East Bay Regional Parks – some of the best managed and most beautiful in California), hiking nine miles while criss-crossing trails. Along his route, he passed “vile poison oak” in toxic profusion, recalling the many times he’s suffered after having been covered in its sap, but noted, “When you see beds of its brilliant red in filtered light, you know 1) don’t go in there 2) enjoy the color from a distance.”

Darrell’s detective work included observing the afternoon light which due to skies, still tinted with wildfire haze, cast a yellow ochre tint that was accented by the lower angle of sunlight, dramatizing the shadows, and noted the dryness of the landscape, observing that despite their parched appearance, thistles and grasses remained beautiful remnants of summer. 

Dry thistles and grasses, Briones Regional Park (9/4/18) Darrell Sano

Briones Regional Park (9/4/18) Darrell Sano

Just Starting (0-10%) – Tioga Pass

Just Starting (0-10%) – 1000 Islands Lake
Just Starting (0-10%) – North Lake
Just Starting (0-10%) – CA 128 (Cloverdale to the Coast)
Just Starting (0-10%) – Briones Regional Park, SF Bay Area
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Sonora Pass Begins to Show Color

Aspen, Sonora Pass (8/31/18) Darrell Sano

Aspen, Sonora Pass (8/31/18) Darrell Sano

East Bay color spotter Darrell Sano didn’t expect to see much autumn color on a Labor Day weekend drive over Sonora Pass (CA 108).

He was out to explore hot springs and other volcanic terrain (of which there are plenty in the Eastern Sierra), when he began to notice patches of aspen turning bright yellow at 8,000′ in elevation on the pass.

He reported, “It was strange that the cluster of trees on the left side of the road already looked peaked and had lost leaves on one side, while across the road there were more, but appeared undamaged by wind. Could this be a small micro-climate area?”

Darrell said, the majority of the aspens were green, “but even so, when backlit by brilliant sunshine, the many graduated values of emerald green mixed with gold was all I needed to stir excitement and anticipation. Bring fall on!”

In the Bridgeport Valley along Twin Lakes Road, he passed this classic Western scene of horses grazing on meadow grasses that were warming from yellow to ochre. 

Meadow grasses, Twin Lakes Road, Bridgeport (8/31/18) Darrell Sano

Just Starting (0-10%) – Sonora Pass

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Inyo County Releases New Visitors Guides

11th Visitors Guide to Inyo County

11th Visitors Guide to Death Valley

If you plan to search for California’s first and finest fall color, you’ll be driving along US 395 through Inyo County.

Two guides that should be uploaded to any fall color spotter’s mobile device are the 11th Edition Visitors Guides to Inyo County and Death Valley.

These just-released travel guides are chock full of great tips, fascinating stories and all sorts of invaluable travel planning info. Follow these links to see them:

Guide to Inyo County

Guide to Death Valley

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The Tail End

Willows, Alabama Hills, Eastern Sierra (1/1/18) Bruce Wendler

Fall color is still being glimpsed around California as the tail end of autumn’s show lingers.

Bruce Wendler found willows glowing yellow-orange at the intersection of Movie Road and Whitney Portal Road and commented that “Some of the Primrose Brush and Reeds turn a little red in the winter, so don’t give up on color in January.”

Willows, Turtle Pond, LA County Arboretum, Arcadia (1/4/18) Frank McDonough

Tabeuia impetiginosa, LA County Arboretum, Arcadia (1/4/18) Frank McDonough

Anita Baldwin Statue, Gingko biloba, LA County Arboretum, Arcadia (1/4/18) Frank McDonough

Willows are also providing bright color in Arcadia at the LA County Arboretum and Botanic Gardens. A broad variety of willows grow throughout California, providing the state’s longest display of fall color.

The show has been so long-lasting that willows, gingko biloba and wax trees (Toxicodendron succadeneum – a variety of poison sumac – look but don’t touch) are still holding color while, nearby, pink trumpet trees (Tabueia impetiginosa) are heavy with winter blooms.

If you are dead set on finding fall color in winter, the best opportunities to see it are in locations at the lowest elevations (deserts, islands) and where exotic varieties can be found (arboretums). Otherwise, the show is now mostly past peak.

 

 

 

LA County Arboretum, Arcadia (1/4/18) Frank McDonough

Toxicodendron succedaneum, San Gabriel Mountains, LA County Arboretum, Arcadia (1/4/18) Frank McDonough

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Baldwin Lake, LA County Arboretum, Arcadia (1/4/18) Frank McDonough

Gingko biloba, LA County Arboretum, Arcadia (1/4/18) Frank McDonough

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aloes and Nuxia tree, LA County Arboretum, Arcadia (1/4/18) Frank McDonough

Gingko biloba, Herb garden, LA County Arboretum, Arcadia (1/4/18) Frank McDonough

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aloe Trail, LA County Arboretum, Arcadia (1/4/18) Frank McDonough

LA County Arboretum, Arcadia (1/4/18) Frank McDonough

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Incandescent dusk, LA County Arboretum, Arcadia (1/4/18) Frank McDonough

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Droning On

OK, Fall Color video junkies. While working on our year-end recap video, I ran across these videos of California Fall Color taken in October. All locations are past peak, though they give a glimpse of what was happening, as seen by various videographers and drones.

First up: Peter Mikuljan visited several locations in the Eastern Sierra on Oct. 14. Here’s his video of Big Pine Creek, South Fork Bishop Creek.

Peter’s take on Intake II in Bishop Creek Canyon. This area provided one of the best shows along the middle fork of Bishop Creek.

More of Peter’s crew in Bishop Creek Canyon.

And on a road trip to Aspendell in Bishop Creek Canyon:

Next: Titus Davis was in the Hope Valley in early October and got this zen-inspired video.

Titus also rocked out over the color he found on Monitor Pass in mid October.

Finally: William Thompson also took a road trip to the Hope Valley in mid October.

And, to Yosemite Valley in October (FYI, If you’re shooting commercially in a national park, always follow park rules and apply in advance for a commercial filming permit from the National Park Service. The fines for not doing so are pretty hefty).

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