Snow dusted high peaks across the Shasta Cascade today, but has left lower elevations still peaking.
Color spotter Jeff Titcomb found this contrast between snow atop Indian Head, a peak along Keddie Ridge in the northern Sierra Nevada and black oaks peaking near Greenville in Plumas County.
At Indian Falls near the Feather River, Jeff found willows still vibrant yellow.
With snow blanketing high points throughout the Eastern and Northern Sierra, as Mono County color spotter Alicia Vennos reports, “most areas are now past peak.”
Poole Plant Rd, off Tioga Rd. (11/3/15) Alicia Vennos
Lower Tioga Pass Rd. (11/3/15) Alicia Vennos
Lower Tioga Rd. (11/3/15) Alicia Vennos
June Lake Loop (11/3/15) Alicia Vennos
June Lake Loop (11/3/15) Alicia Vennos
Silver Lake (11/3/15) Alicia Vennos
Silver Lake (11/3/15) Alicia Vennos
Gull Lake (11/3/15) Alicia Vennos
Exceptions are northern Mono County where Walker, Coleville and Topaz in the Antelope Valley “are absolutely gorgeous, right now.” and the Owens Valley.
These territories are, as Alicia describes, a “combination of pastoral ranch lands surrounded by rugged snowcapped mountains, populated with golden poplars, willows, elm and aspen, and rivers running running through it all.”
At the north end of US 395, it’s the West Walker River canyon and Antelope Valley. To the south, it’s the Owens River and Valley. Both will continue to show nice fall color for the next week or two.
This week’s snow has closed several roads and passes, including Tioga Pass (CA-120), Sonora Pass (CA-108), Monitor Pass (CA-89) and roads to Red’s Meadow, Devil’s Postpile, Lake Mary and the Mammoth Lakes Basin.
Those closures also indicate that skiing and snowboarding is about to begin. Sure enough, Mammoth Mountain has announced it will be opening a week earlier than anticipated, with lifts operating, starting on Thursday (Nov. 5).
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As long as we’re desert-minded, color spotter Patricia Costa visited Borrego Springs this past weekend for the first time and reports she was “pleasantly surprised.”
Most people bypass Borrego Springs for Palm Springs, she writes, which is why “this place is sooooo nice!”
Chamber’s Park, Julian (10/31/15) Patricia Costa
Patricia, we’ll forgive you for telling the world… or at least our readers… of the quiet beauty to be found in this special corner of Southern California, and we promise – as you requested – to “let’s keep this low, so just a few people enjoy.”
Did you read that folks, BORREGO SPRINGS! It’s BEAUTIFUL!! and UNCROWDED!!! and… Oops! We’re supposed to be keeping it low. Sorry, Patricia… we just got carried away.
Anyway, Patricia took State Highways 78 and 79 through Julian where she says there are “some very good colors already.” Between Julian and Decanso there’s more color, though give it a week or two to near peak.
Chamber’s Park at Lake Cuyamaca in Julian is showing peak yellow and red on exotics along shore, though other nearby trees are still patchy.
For those looking to drive a scenic backroad, we recommend the Sunrise Highway (S1) southwest of Julian through the Cleveland National Forest and passing Mt. Laguna, where black oak are often glowing in early November.
This is a scenic country drive in the high desert of San Diego County, not too curvy and 40 mph average along the route. You’ll find refreshing stops in Mt. Laguna and Julian. If you go, send us pictures and a report.
Patchy (10-50%) – Julian and Borrego Springs – Give it a week.
Humboldt Redwoods SP, Avenue of the Giants (11/2/15) Max Forster
Max Forster seems to find the unlikely places for fall color, and that’s why we so like his contributions.
Last autumn, he photographed Death Valley. This November, it’s the Avenue of the Giants (US 101) in Humboldt County.
Turkeys, Humboldt Redwood SP (11/2/15) Max Forster
He even sends a shot of five turkeys evading being Thanksgiving Dinner by trotting into Humboldt Redwoods State Park.
Bigleaf maple, Prairie Creek Trail (11/2/15) Max Forster
Poison oak, Mattole Rd, Humboldt Redwood SP (11/2/15) Max Forster
Drury Pkwy, Prairie Creek Redwoods SP (11/2/15) Max Forster
Drury Pkwy, Prairie Creek Redwoods SP (11/2/15) Max Forster
Drury Pkwy, Prairie Creek Redwoods SP (11/2/15) Max Forster
Drury Pkwy, Prairie Creek Redwoods SP (11/2/15) Max Forster
Redwood National Park (11/2/15) Max Forster
While this doesn’t qualify as a First Report – since we’ve published photos and reports of this route previously – it’s pretty dang close, as Max’s photos are the best we’ve seen of The Redwood Highway.
In them, we see the redwood forest at peak with bigleaf maple all golden and the toxic tentacles of rosy poison oak climbing toward sunlight.
He also suggests these routes:
“Humboldt Redwoods State Park – The best maples can be seen along the Avenue of Giants and along Highway 101 when you can catch views of the Eel River. Poison oak creeping up the redwoods can be seen along the Avenue of Giants and Mattole Road.
“Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park – Maple lining Prairie Creek can be seen along Drury Parkway but a better option would be to hike the entire Prairie Creek Trail. As a native New Englander there’s something particularly satisfying about kicking up leaves while hiking through the forest. The Prairie Creek Trail currently scratches that nostalgia itch.
“Redwood National Park – Maple lining Lost Man Creek near Highway 101 are at peak. It’s a pleasant short drive along the road lining the creek with a couple of well placed pullouts. You can continue hiking up Lost Man Creek Trail to find more goodies. I also hiked Redwood Creek this weekend and there are tiny shows appearing amongst the evergreen. The recent rain storm missed northern Humboldt. Redwood Creek continues to be unseasonably low and can easily be forded and hiked. The maple at the northern section of the Tall Trees Grove are impressively large and currently at peak.
In particular, it’s nice to see the Avenue of the Giants going gigantic.
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Trinity County color spotter Jeri Rangel toured the backroads of her Shasta Cascade haunt, this past Halloween weekend, to find crabapples peaking, vineyards nearing peak and horses galloping past peaking cottonwood in spirited celebration.
Bowerman Meadow (10/31/15) Jeri Rangel
Bowerman Meadow (10/31/15) Jeri Rangel
Coffee Creek (11/1/15) Jeri Rangel
Bowerman Meadow and Barn (10/31/15) Jeri Rangel
Bowerman Barn at Covington Mill (10/31/15) Jeri Rangel
Swift Creek, Trinity Center (10/31/15) Jeri Rangel
Alpen Cellars (10/30/15) Jeri Rangel
Anderson River Park, Anderson (10/30/15) Gabriel Leete
Indian Falls, N Fork Feather River (10/30/15) Jeff Luke Titcomb
Bowerman Meadow, Coffee Creek and Swift Creek, all in Trinity County, continue to develop surprising color. Travel Hwy 3 north of Weaverville (Hwy 299) to see it.
Elsewhere in the Shasta Cascade region, Shanda Ochs reports that alder and willows edging Manzanita Lake at the northwest entrance to Lassen Volcanic National Park (Hwy 44) have lost half their peak color.
Gabriel Leete sends these shots from Anderson (Shasta County) and Indian Falls (Plumas County).
Anderson River Park shows a mix of native wild cucumber transitioning from green to lime to chartreuse.
Indian Falls, along Indian Creek leading to the N. Fork of the Feather River, is edged with brilliant orange-red and yellow Indian Rhubarb along with blackberry brambles and pockets of yellow-orange willows.
November is the month for California’s urban forests, arboretums and botanic gardens to peak. Foliage at the LA County Arboretum & Botanic Garden hasn’t forgotten.
Color spotter Frank McDonough sends these shots of early color showing at the Arboretum.
Just Starting (0-10%) – LA County Arboretum & Gardens
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Plumas County color spotter Mike Nellor returned to the Community United Methodist Church in Quincy, yesterday, to take a picture of it using his mobile phone. Seen behind the church, towering black oaks are Near Peak, their leaves turning from green to orange.
Maples, Main St., Quincy (10/28/15) Mike Nellor
Along Main Street in downtown Quincy, maple were glowing in iridescent hues of red, orange, yellow and lime.
Mike says yesterday’s showers brightened the color, though he – like many other color spotters – believes this year’s color lacks the luster seen in previous years. Drought, again, is accused of being the culprit.
Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW! – Quincy, Plumas County
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Lakes Basin Bike Path, Mammoth Lakes (10/29/15) Josh Wray
Mammoth Creek (10/29/15) Josh Wray
Mammoth Creek (10/29/15) Josh Wray
Just when you think it might be over, another set of photos arrives.
This one is from Josh Wray who toured his home town of Mammoth Lakes this morning and found “Go Now!” gold everywhere and snow dusting Mammoth Mountain’s ski runs.
Josh writes that the Lakes Basin Bike Path, Snowcreek and Mammoth Creek are all at full peak. We believe you, Josh.
Now, why did we ever think it might be ending!? Maybe we oughta read the Fall Color Report posted at the visitor center!
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When we received the above photo of a plethora of peaked aspen oozing across a gully atop Conway Summit, macabre thoughts of haunted forests, delightfully possessed with crimson fall color, came to mind.
After all, it’s the time of year when things go bump in the night, or is it that aspen generate intense color during the night?
Mono County fall color sorceress Alicia Vennos looked into her crystal ball before reporting, “It’s now or never.” She hints that this could be the last weekend to see such color in the Eastern Sierra. By the following weekend, much of it will likely be gone.
If you’re an experienced trick or treater, you know which houses give out the big chocolate bars and which give bags of mini carrots. The same is true of fall color. Some areas are worth visiting, while others, well, the carrots are more tasty.
For those heading to Mono County this weekend, must stops are the June Lake Loop in its entirety, Mammoth Creek, Lower Rock Creek Road and trail, lower Tioga Pass Road, lower Lundy Lake Road, Conway Summit between Lee Vining and Bridgeport, and the West Walker River.
But, hurry, as snow is expected to dust surrounding peaks. That provides a photogenic contrast to the gold, orange and red among the aspen, though it could also trick the trees to drop their leaves. No treat.
Silver Lake (10/27/15) Alicia Vennos
Gull Lake Campground (10/27/15) Alicia Vennos
Gull Lake (10/27/15) Alicia Vennos
June Lake Loop (10/27/15) Alicia Vennos
Mono Lake (10/27/15) Alicia Vennos
Conway Summit (10/27/15) Alicia Vennos
West Walker River (10/27/15) Alicia Vennos
West Walker River (10/27/15) Alicia Vennos
Road to Lobdell Lake (10/27/15) Alicia Vennos
Here’s Alicia’s latest (and perhaps last) report:
Peak GO NOW! (75-100%) – Lower Rock Creek – For a lovely Creekside hike amidst glowing aspens, take the Lower Rock Creek trail. Start from the top parking lot, near the US 395 junction, and walk down for about 2 miles. It’s uphill on the way back, but the different light through the trees makes it equally enjoyable. Road work along Rock Creek Road is finished and the smooth drive through still-lovely color is enjoyable. Tom’s Place holds a Halloween Costume Party on Oct. 31. Lower Rock Creek Road and the mountain bike/hiking trail have some nice spots of color but they are still a week or so before peak.
Peak GO NOW! (75-100%) – McGee Creek, Convict Lake.
Peak GO NOW! (75-100%) – Mammoth Creek/Old Mammoth Road. Mammoth Creek is shining brightly with orange, gold and reds, right now.
Peak GO NOW! (75-100%) – June Lake Loop/Hwy. 158. The Loop should not be missed right now — the color is pretty much perfect the entire way around Hwy. 158.
Near Peak GO NOW! (50-75%) – Lee Vining Canyon/Lower Tioga Pass Road. Poole Plant Road, close to the bottom of Tioga Pass Road, is getting very close to going off. It’s a matter of days now before it is perfect.
Peak GO NOW! (75-100%) – Lundy Canyon, especially lower Lundy Lake Road, around Lundy Lake itself, and at the first waterfall lookout on the trail.
Peak GO NOW! (75-100%) – Conway Summit. This spectacular hillside of aspens shines under snow-covered Dunderberg Peak and some of the groves are literally blood red. This can be seen right from US 395 and the pull-outs but always use caution when exiting and re-entering the highway.
Peak GO NOW! (75-100%) – West Walker River – The river is now lined with mostly golden foliage, and Devil’s Gate, just north of Bridgeport, is perfect, right now. The Burcham Flat Road out of Walker to Lobdell Lake has a few patches of color left, though it’s pretty much past peak. Add this to your bucket list to visit during the first two weeks of October next autumn (can you believe we’re already talking about next year?), as the groves of aspens in this part of northern Mono County are prolific and, backed by an alpine setting, lovely.
Halloween Parties: Tom’s Place (Rock Creek); Heidelberg Inn, June Lake.
Trick or Treating for Kids: The “Trails” neighborhood in Mammoth Lakes is closed to traffic from 5-9 p.m. on Halloween for community trick or treating… Everyone is welcome!
