Archive for category: Eastern Sierra

 

The North Lake Road, up Bishop Creek Canyon, is often a destination for photographers, as it was on Sunday for Star Masterton who found the aspen along North Lake Road, North Lake and high areas of Bishop Creek Canyon nearing peak, as seen in her photographs.

Update: I visited North Lake on Monday, though (as color spotter David Senesak communicated by email), the trees are not “synchronized.”

Various groves are in all stages of peak: just starting, patchy, near peak, peak and past peak… all at the same location. Nevertheless, there’s no other way to assess the area than to classify it as Near Peak, because North Lake will continue to peak as these groves turn. And, if we don’t classify it as Near Peak, then many of you who planned to visit will miss it, by waiting for it to get perfect. So, GO NOW!

There is beauty to be found in Bishop Creek Canyon this year, but it takes work to capture it. The Groves Above Cardinal Village are past peak in a huge swath, but other areas are peaking, near peak or patchy. It’s not the big area of turning color we’ve seen in past years.

Regardless, fall can provide a brilliant splashes of color, as seen in the portraiture/fashion photograph at left. Star took it along the North Lake Road where some of the aspen look dried out, but catch the right light and you can get a magical image as Star did.

North Lake Road (9,000′) – Near Peak GO NOW!

North Lake (9,225′) – Near Peak GO NOW!

Groves Above Cardinal Village – Near Peak GO NOW!

This doesn’t seem to be the autumn to be investing in gold, at least up Bishop Creek. As, that commodity – among the aspen – is in short supply.

A call to Jared Smith at Parcher’s Resort this morning was disheartening, at least for the moment. He reported that the snow that fell last week knocked newly turned leaves from the aspen. And, he was “not impressed” by what is left, for now.

If you’ve missed Jared’s reports, its because he hasn’t been able to take pictures, as the battery charger for his Nikon D7000 is missing. So, travel writer/photographer Lee Foster and I will be traveling there on Monday to bring him one and see what we can capture in all the canyons from Bishop north to Mammoth Lakes.

If you’d planned to photograph or visit Bishop Creek Canyon this weekend, don’t put it off. There still will be beautiful color, but probably not up to “Ohmigosh, I can’t believe this is happening” expectations.

The best areas of fall color in Bishop Creek Canyon, presently, are: Lake Sabrina (high above the lake) and at Groves Above Cardinal Village (Near Peak). Most of the upper areas are patchy with muted orange and gold tones. Peak color can also be found near Mono Lake at Sagehen Meadows (use the California Fall Color Map at right for directions).

Though, do not let this limited selection discourage you from traveling. Fall color has progressed in Bishop Creek Canyon from patchy to full peak within a few days. Right now is when it has peaked in recent years, and at least two areas of the canyon are Near Peak, so GO NOW!

So, despite the disappointing reports, I’m not putting off my trip. I’m a Californian and we don’t get discouraged if we don’t find gold the first time we put a pan in the water. We just keep panning, as we know it’s there to be found.

Southern Inyo County

Whitney Portal (8,374’) – Just Starting (0-10%)

Onion Valley (9,600’) – Just Starting (0-10%)

Big Pine Creek (7,660’) – Just Starting (0-10%)

Mt. Whitney Fish Hatchery (4,000’) – Just Starting (0-10%)

Alabama Hills (4,534’) – Just Starting (0-10%)

Northern Inyo County

Weir Pond (9,650’) – Patchy (10 – 50%)

Sabrina Campground (9,000’) – Just Starting (0 – 10%)

Willow Campground (9,000’) – Just Starting (0 – 10%)

Table Mountain Camp (8,900’)- Patchy (10 – 50%) – Table Mountain and Surveyor’s Meadow seem to have the best color along South Lake Road, for the moment.

Surveyors Meadow (8,975’) – Patchy (10 – 50%)

Lake Sabrina (9150ft) – Patchy (10 – 50%) to Peak (75-100%) –Peak color is seen high above Lake Sabrina in groves of aspen growing near 10,000’. However, it has not yet descended to lake level. GO NOW!

North Lake (9,255’) – Patchy (10 – 50%)

Mist Falls and the groves above Bishop Creek Lodge (8,350’) – Just Starting (0 – 10%)

Aspendell (8,400’) – Just Starting (0 – 10%)

Groves above Cardinal Village (8,550’) – Near Peak (50-75%) – The stunted and weathered aspen here are normally notoriously early, but not this year. Presently, they are a deep orange color and should peak in the coming week. GO NOW!

Four Jeffries (8,000’) – Just Starting (0 – 10%)

Intake II (8,000’) – Just Starting (0 – 10%)

Big Trees Campground (7,800’) – Just Starting (0 – 10%)

Fall color is developing rapidly across Mono County following last week’s storm, which dropped six inches of snow in the higher elevations of the Eastern Sierra, reports Mono County color spotter, Jeff Simpson.

Sagehen Summit is Mono County’s first reported “GO NOW!” peak with vibrant yellows, and oranges. Simpson declares Sagehen Summit as a must-see this week. He estimates it will be photo-worthy for the next 5-7 days.

Color spotter Crys Black drove south on US 395 from Conway Summit to Bishop Creek Canyon just after the dusting of snow this past weekend and found some color along the Virginia Lakes Road, though reported that the yellows were pretty muted. Similarly, Simpson says the upper sections of Rock Creek Road, Lobdell Lake Road and Tioga Pass are worth the trip, but still five days from peak viewing.

 

Convict Lake was starting to light up, though some leaves are spotty and brown. Black predicts the Round Valley to be good next week. Lots of its trees are frosted with yellow.

 

 

Convict Lake (7,850′) – Patchy (10-50%) – Willows are providing bright color around the lake.

Sagehen Summit (8,139’) – Peak (75-100%)  – Sagehen Summit is currently displaying vibrant yellows, and oranges and is a MUST see this week and should be photo-worthy for the next 5-7 days. GO NOW!

Lobdell Lake Road (8,600”) – Patchy (10-50%) – Lobdell Lake Road is still having trouble getting going. Lots of green and lime green with not much change from last week Note: Burcham Flat Road to Lobdell lake Road are dirt roads – AWD or 4WD vehicles are recommended.

Virginia Lakes (9,819’) –Patchy (10-50%) – Yellow and greens around the lake with more color in higher elevations.  For more adventurous leaf peepers with AWD or 4WD vehicles, take the Dunderberg Meadow Road to Sinnamon Meadows and Green Creek for additional aspen groves and views of Conway Summit.

Tioga Pass & Lee Vining Canyon (9,943′ & 6,781′) -Patchy (10-50%) – Color is just starting to show up around the upper elevations of Hwy 120 – Tioga Pass. Take the road up to Saddlebag Lake for the best viewing spots.

Upper Rock Creek (9,600’) –Patchy (10-50%) – Color is starting to show up nicely around Rock Creek Lake but still a bit patchy. Take the Mosquito Flats trail, Hilton & Davis Lakes Trail or Tamarack Bench Trail into higher elevations for more color.

Mono County is posting extended reports at MonoCounty.org and late pictures on Facebook.com/VisitEasternSierra and Instagram.com/MonoCountyTourism.

 

Jeff Simpson tells us that the aspen in Mono County “seem a little reluctant to let go of summer.” Like other areas of the Eastern High Sierra, peak color is delayed about a week.

“There is some lovely color beginning along the upper section of Rock Creek Road, Virginia Lakes Road, Lobdell Lake Road and Sagehen Summit. For hikers, there is some great color about 2 miles up McGee Canyon Trail above the first creek crossing. These locations will be the first to show color and will be perfect in the next 5-7 days,” Jeff reports.

And, while the trees are slow in turning color, lots of wildflowers are still blooming near 10,000′, particularly along creek beds in the Saddlebag Lake/Sawmill Campground area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Virginia Lakes (9,819’) – 10-50% Patchy – The leaves are just starting to turn lime green with the exception of a few early achievers like this grove located near the parking lot of Big Virginia Lake. (And yes, that’s still snow on the mountain from last winter!) For more adventurous leaf peepers with AWD or 4WD vehicles, take the Dunderberg Meadow Road to Sinnamon Meadows and Green Creek for additional aspen groves and views of Conway Summit.

Sagehen Summit (8,139’) – 10-50% Patchy – Sagehen Summit is the closest to a “Go Now” designation in Mono County. Sagehen Meadow is showing a mixture of greens, yellows and oranges with nearby Johnny Meadow equally as close. This will be your best shot at peak colors over the next week.

Upper Rock Creek (9,600’) – 10-50% Patchy – Color is just starting to show up around Rock Creek lake but should be really getting pretty early next week. Take the Mosquito Flats trail, Hilton & Davis Lakes Trail or Tamarack Bench Trail into higher elevations for more color.

Lobdell Lake Road (8,600”) – 10-50% Patchy – Lobdell Lake Road was just getting started on Tuesday with mostly green and lime green foliage. Plan to see the colors here in about 10 days! Note: Burcham Flat Road to Lobdell lake Road are dirt roads – AWD or 4WD vehicles are recommended.

McGee Creek Canyon (8,600’) – 10-50% Patchy – For hikers, there is some great color about 2 miles up McGee Canyon Trail above the first creek crossing. Leaves around the campground and US 395 are still green.

CLICK HERE for a .pdf of the new California’s Eastern Sierra Fall Color Map for Inyo and Mono Counties.