Color spotter Dan McKernan of Big Bear Lake provides this first report of autumn from the San Bernardino Mountains, above Los Angeles.
15 – 30% – Big Bear Lake – The color surrounding Big Bear Lake is now between 20 and 25% change. This area often turns quickly. So, peak could arrive anytime during the coming two weeks. Keep checking back for reports from Dan and look for local spotter reports on Facebook.
Red is starting to appear in Shasta Cascade urban forests (9/27/13) Shae Garrett
Color spotter Shae Garrett provides this roundup of color for the Shasta Cascade Region. Some areas of this vast region of northeast California are beginning to show color, though it’s still two to three weeks from significant displays. As in other areas of the state, red seems to be the theme of this autumn.
Indian Rhubarb, Cascade Trail, Spanish Creek, Plumas County (9/27/13) Richard McCutcheon
Spanish Creek, Plumas County (9/27/13) Richard McCutcheon
0 – 15% – Plumas County – Color spotter Richard McCutcheon recommends following the Cascade Trail along Spanish Creek for spots of orangey-red Indian Rhubarb. Other spotters in Plumas County predict the color will begin appearing in mid October. Here’s a link to upcoming events: http://plumascounty.org/
Bidwell Park, Chico (9/27/13) Shae Garrett
15 – 30% – Butte County – It’s still too early to make a trip to Chico for fall color, though it is always a great place to visit. For the moment, Chico is mostly green as seen in this photo taken at Bidwell Park. The best color in Chico will be seen there, on the Chico State University campus, along the Highway 32 corridor, and up the Highway 99 corridor in mid October. Chico is known as a city of trees with a spectacular mature canopy in its parks and along its boulevards. The agricultural fields and orchards surrounding Chico have impressive displays of nut and fruit trees in mid October. Here are some upcoming Chico events:
Chico State Canopy (9/27/13) Shae Garrett
The Fourth Annual Chico Experience Week, Oct 4 to Oct 13. Chico Experience Week brings Chico State students, alumni, parents, and friends together for 10 days of fun, education, and re-connection on the campus and in Chico.
Surveyor’s Meadow, Bishop Creek Canyon (9/26/13) Krisdina Karady
Now is the optimal time to travel US 395 to Bishop and tour the Bishop Creek Canyon. Almost all areas of the canyon are at full peak. Peak color will continue at lower elevations in coming weeks, but not much longer at higher elevations. Photos are showing that wind is beginning to brush turned leaves from trees, so GO NOW!
Jared Smith provides this report from Parcher’s Resort in the Bishop Creek Canyon.
GO NOW! – 75 – 100% – Overall Conditions above 8,500 ft – The higher reaches of the canyon is going off right now with many areas peaking, some areas nearing peak and a few of the highest areas past peak. There is still a fair amount of green along the roadside between Mt. Glen Campground and Willow Camp but the aspen everywhere else is showing big time color. We did have some serious wind this week along with a little snow which stripped a few exposed groves but the majority of the color survives and is going strong.
GO NOW! – 30 – 50% – Overall Conditions below 8,500 ft – Quite a bit of color showing between Bishop Creek Lodge and Table Mountain Camp but there still a whole lot of green showing as well. Below the lodge the green is beginning to turn to a bright lime but very little yellow is showing. On the middle fork, Aspendell and Cardinal Lodge are lightening quite a bit but most of the brilliant color is above Aspendell.
Location Specific Reports
GO NOW! – 75-100% – South Lake Rd above Mt. Glen Camp (8,600 ft) – Most of this stretch is nearing or at peak color with the green remaining mostly along the road. The next 7 days will likely be the best bet for these groves.
30 – 50% – Mountain Glen Campground (8,400 ft) – Quite a bit of color developing here but the best is definitely yet to come. This area is closer to 30% than 50% color.
30 – 50% – Mist Falls and the groves above Bishop Creek Lodge (8,350 ft) – This area is certainly changing but is progressing slower than many of the other areas, good news for those planning to visit over the next two to three weeks. The majority of the yellow is just above or to the right of the waterfall.
GO NOW! – 50 – 75% – Groves above Cardinal Village & Aspendell (8,550 ft) – The groves above Cardinal Village are fully turned and look spectacular with the crest in the backdrop. The lower lying aspen around Cardinal Village and Aspendell still contain a lot of green but most have started to turn from a dark green to a bright lime green.
GO NOW! – 75 – 100% – Sabrina Campground (9,000 ft) – Tons of color popping here still. Along the road there is still quite a bit of red, orange and yellow. The campground is turning now as well.
0-15%% – Forks, Four Jeffries, Big Trees & Bishop Park Camgrounds (8,000 ft – 8,300 ft) – No yellow to speak of in these areas but the aspen are certainly turning to lime green in most of these areas. These areas tend to peak quite a bit later than the higher reaches of the canyon so look for these areas to start looking their best around the end of the month or early October depending on the weather.
GO NOW! – 50 – 75% – Table Mountain Camp (8,900 ft) – There has been quite a transformation here over the past week with much of this grove going from lime green to hues of orange, yellow and red in just a few days. There are still some beautiful lime green aspens mixed in with the brilliant fall color making for a great contrast of colors.
GO NOW! – Peak Color – Surveyors Meadow (8,975 ft) – This area is currently in full peak color. Some of the highest aspens were stripped due to wind this week but the majority of the aspen are absolutely brilliant right now including the trees along the road and along the stream. It’s unclear how long this area will hold onto the peak color but we’re hoping at least a week more. Some really cool red hues are showing on the hillside just above the meadow looking towards the Tyee Lakes Ridge.
GO NOW! – 50 – 75% – Willow Campground (9,100 ft) – The color along the road is finally starting to pop while the grove on the mountain above the camp and to the south of the campground are fully turned. Plenty of green still left here which brings the overall rating down to the current mark.
Parcher’s Camp (9/26/13) Krisdina Karady
GO NOW! – 75 – 100% – Parchers Camp – While some green persists on the resort grounds, hills all around are lit up with yellow, orange and a tad bit of red. The wind did strip one grove clean but the majority of the aspen survived.
GO NOW! – 75 – 100% – Weir Pond (9,700 ft) – The grove above the pond was mostly stripped by the wind but there is still color there. Having said that, the aspen all around the pond and along the road are really popping and look amazing. There is still some color left to turn but it’s pretty dang close to peak color here.
Sabrina Approach, Bishop Creek Canyon (9/26/13) Krisdina Karady
GO NOW! – 75 – 100% – Lake Sabrina (9,150 ft) – The aspen at the lake have actually peaked or are at peak while the groves just below the dam are looking super bright and quite stunning. The slow moving creek below the dam provides excellent reflections of the color during parts of the day.
North Lake Road, Bishop Creek Canyon (9/26/13) Krisdina Karady
GO NOW! – Peak Color – North Lake (9,255 ft) – North Lake consists of varied elevations and groves which pop at different times making this a difficult area to rate. The grove above the lake have already peaked and some of the grove has been stripped by the wind. However, the aspen surrounding the lake, below the lake and along the road are in full peak color and look amazing. Still some green left to turn along the dirt road section before the pack outfit turnoff so it should be great for a while yet.
30 – 50% – Intake II (8,100 ft) – The groves above the lake have fully turned and the groves on the far side of the lake along the shoreline are starting to turn quite nice. The aspen in the campground and on the west shore are still quite green with just a little yellow turning.
Pine Creek Canyon, Inyo County (9/23/13) Bart Godett
Pine Creek Canyon – Good Depiction of 15 – 30% Change (9/23/13) Bart Godett
Pine Creek Canyon, Inyo County (9/23/13) Bart Godett
15 – 30% – Pine Creek Canyon (7,000 ft) – Color spotter Bart Godett sends photos of orange and yellow appearing in Pine Creek Canyon at Upper Mine and near lower Morgan Lake, north of Bishop. This is the first report we’ve received from Pine Creek. Thanks, Bart! If you spot color in an area not seen on this site, take a picture and send it with a report to editor(at)californiafallcolor.com.
Pie in the Sky (9/21/13) Alicia Vennos
Mono County color spotter Alicia Vennos sent a little whimsy along with today’s report of fall color… a humorous shot of someone spotting a slice of fall color at Pie in the Sky along the Rock Creek Road.
Hilton/Davis Trail, Rock Creek Lake (9/21/13) Alicia Vennos
Float Angler on Rock Creek Lake (9/21/13) Alicia Vennos
GO NOW! – 75 – 100% – Rock Creek Lake – Alicia writes, “Undaunted by recent wind and snow, the color shines on at Rock Creek in southern Mono County, particularly the upper section of Rock Creek Road at Rock Creek Lake where the red and orange hues are dazzling.”
Convict Lake (9/25/13) Alicia Vennos
10 – 20% – Convict Lake – The canyon is starting to show a few small pockets of gold and the yellow has increased. The aspens along the lower creek and in the campground are still showing green with a modest amount of yellow. The back of the lake and up the canyon is also showing signs of yellow but no brilliant colors to date. Still some time before Convict Canyon will be at its peak.
Early Snow on Aspen at Virginia Lakes (9/21/13) Alicia Vennos
GO NOW! – 75 – 100% – Virginia Lakes – The early snowfall on Saturday, Sept. 21 created the perfect backdrop to the fall color along Virginia Lakes Road.
Green Creek Road, Red Aspen (9/21/13) Alicia Vennos
Green Creek Road, Red Aspen (9/21/13) Alicia Vennos
Colorful Aspen leaves in the Snow, Green Creek Rd. (9/27/13) Donna Mercer
GO NOW! – 75 – 100% – A stand of astonishingly red aspen are to be viewed along upper Green Creek Road. Take Virginia Lakes Road from the top of Conway Summit (US 395 between Lee Vining and Bridgeport) and watch for the sign to Green Creek Road to the right/north. Green Creek is a wide dirt road in excellent shape and the color is magnificent right now. 75% at upper elevations; 30% at lower elevations.
Conway Summit (9/24/13) Alicia Vennos
0 – 15% – Conway Summit – Still hovering at 15%, though keep track of reports, as this beautiful area can turn quickly once it begins to flush. Alicia Vennos provides the above photo of what she describes as a “staggered” timing of fall color. There’s lots of green, but also lime, yellow and just over the ridge to the west is Green Creek Rd. with prolific reds and oranges.
Ducks on Silver Lake (9/22/13) Alicia Vennos
0 – 15% – June Lake Loop – The spectacular June Lake Loop is just starting to get into the spirit of the season — still mostly lime green and yellow — but colder temperatures in coming nights should act as the perfect catalyst to nudge the June Lake area along. A dusting of snow on high peaks surrounding Silver Lake and the other June Lakes promises to provide some incredible scenes in coming weeks as the color turns below.
The Sherwins, Mammoth Lakes, Eastern Sierra (9/23/13) © Susan Morning
High peaks surrounding Mammoth Lakes were dusted with a couple of inches of snow this past weekend, as an early storm passed over California. Color spotter Christie Osborne says the snow did little to change the steady progression of color at Mammoth Lakes, which has now begun to descend from the high country. She reports, “More color is starting to show in Mammoth Lakes at the base of the Sherwin’s, in Town and at resort levels. Also look for color starting to break at the base of the Sherwins and near Sherwin Creek Campground, and expect to see more yellow flowing down canyons.” This week, at higher elevations, above 8,500, look for orange and yellow colors to be at full peak.
Mammoth Lakes (9/23/13) © Susan Morning
Mammoth Lakes (9/23/13) © Susan Morning
30-50% – Elevations Above 7,000
Sierra Crest with Cardinal Mine Grove and Middle Fork, Bishop Creek (9/19/13) © Jared Smith
Fall color is early and big up Bishop Creek Canyon, with an exceptional display of orange and red appearing. We spoke with color spotter Jared Smith of the Parcher’s Resort, today, who said “I can’t recall a year when the fall color peaked this early.” His latest report (following) and photos tell it all. Note the number of fly fishermen and women either floating or standing in various streams (look closely). What incredibly beautiful places to go fishing!
Quaking Aspen (9/19/13) © ShaleAnn Cluff
GO NOW! – 75 – 100% – Overall Conditions above 8,500 ft – Things are progressing quickly in the higher reaches of the Bishop Creek Canyon. There is still a lot of green along the road and in most of the parking areas however the canyon walls are really exploding with color. We typically see a lot of yellow, but this year it seems there is more brilliant orange and red than usual. It’s hard to say how long the higher color will stay but if the weather stays good, these areas will still around for a bit. This is the earliest we can remember the color being this far along this early. Many areas are still well below 75% but the majority of the higher canyon walls are at least 75%.
15 – 30% – Overall Conditions below 8,500 ft – The vast majority of aspen below 8,500 ft are still mostly green, though a lot of lime green is showing with some pockets of yellow, especially on the So. Fork Bishop Creek above Bishop Creek Lodge.
Location-specific Reports
Table Mountain Camp (9/19/13) © Jared Smith
GO NOW! – 50 – 75% – Mt. Glen Camp to Table Mountain Camp (8,600 ft) – This area is turning fast and is much closer to the 75% mark than the 50% mark. While the roadside aspen is still showing mostly green hues, the hillside to the east is really exploding with bright yellow.
Mountain Glen Campground, above Bishop Creek Lodge (9/19/13) © Jared Smith
30 -50% – Mountain Glen Campground (8,400 ft) – The grove directly above the campground is starting to turn nicely while the aspen down along the creek are still very green. Still another week or so before this area really starts to pop.
Mist Falls (9/19/13) © Jared Smith
15-30% – Mist Falls and the groves above Bishop Creek Lodge (8,350 ft) – Quite a bit of color change on either side of the waterfall but it’s still mostly green around the falls and below the falls. Still a while before this area is at it’s peak.
30 – 50% – Table Mountain Camp (8,900 ft) – This grove tends to pop early but this year it seems to be a little later than the surrounding areas. The aspen along the creek and around the campground itself are showing lime green with a little yellow showing but not much in the way of color just yet.
Surveyor’s Meadow (9/19/13) © Jared Smith
GO NOW! – 75-100% – Surveyors Meadow (8,975 ft) – Quite a surprising sight to see as the hillsides just up canyon from Surveyor’s Meadow are nearing full color. The groves along the creek, along the road, and the two large groves to the west and north of the meadow are still showing a lot of green. I’m guessing the next week to 10 days will be the best views at this location. This is much earlier than we’re used to seeing, perhaps the drought is at work here.
Willow Campground (9/19/13) © Jared Smith
Willow Campground (9/19/13) © Krisdina Karady
30 – 50% – Willow Campground (9,100 ft) – This area is difficult to grade because the aspen along the road and in the campground are only showing lime green and some moderate yellow while the aspen perched in the granite cliff just above the campground are nearly all yellow and looking beautiful. The hillside above Parchers looks incredible from Willow Camp and contrasts nicely with the green aspen along the road.
Parcher’s Camp (9/19/13) © Jared Smith
GO NOW! – 75 – 100% – Parchers Camp – It’s really quite remarkable that while the resort grounds contains mostly green aspen, the surrounding canyon walls have changed drastically in the last week and tons of yellow, orange and even a little red is showing in just about every direction. We haven’t seen any evidence of leaves dropping so we’re hoping the views will remain spectacular for a while here at the resort.
Weir Pond (9/19/13) © Jared Smith
GO NOW! – 75 – 100% – Weir Pond (9,700 ft) – This are is also hard to grade as the groves directly to the west of the pond are fully turning while the foliage surrounding the pond only has pockets of color with a lot of green still showing. Still, I would guess that from a photographer’s standpoint the 7 to 10 days will be the best.
Weir Pond (9/19/13) © Jared Smith
Weir Pond (9/19/13) © Jared Smith
GO NOW! – 75 – 100% – Lake Sabrina (9,150 ft) – The vast majority of the color has already arrived at Lake Sabrina, quite a surprise given how early in the season we area. Some groves at the southwest end of the lake still have more color to offer but the dam, east shore, and the higher groves surrounding the lake are all exploding with yellow, orange and red. How long the color sticks around is anyone’s guess but it’s safe to say that the sooner you make it there, the better. With the lake level down, there is a somewhat limited opportunity for spectacular lake shots this year.
GO NOW! – 50 -75% – Groves above Cardinal Village & Aspendell (8,550 ft) – Quite a change from last week with brilliant yellow blanketing the canyon to the east of Hwy 168 and flowing all the way down towards Cardinal Mine. Still a lot of green surrounding Cardinal Village but the aspen above there is looking fantastic. We’re not too far off from some peak color here.
Hwy 168, below Sabrina Camp (9/19/13) Jared Smith
GO NOW! – 50 – 75% – Sabrina Campground (9,000 ft) – The aspen along the road near Sabrina Camp are in peak fall color. Thankfully the large old growth aspen in and around the campground and along the stream are still mostly lime green so more color will continue to develop in the area.
North Lake (9/19/13) © Jared Smith
North Lake (9/19/13) © ShaleAnn Cluff
North Lake Road (9/19/13) © ShaleAnn Cluff
GO NOW! – 50 – 75% – North Lake (9,255 ft) – North Lake has a great variety of color showing right now. The road below the lake is nearing peak with lots of yellow and orange. Along the lake however, there is mostly lime green aspen with just a few touches of yellow. The main grove that blankets the mountain above the lake and reaches down to the west shore is showing a lot of color up high with more green towards the lower part of the grove.
15 – 30% – Intake II (8,100 ft) – The grove above the lake is showing quite a bit of yellow but not much going on with the trees surrounding the lake itself. Look for this area to be at its best in a few weeks
0-15% – Forks, Four Jeffries, Big Trees & Bishop Park Camgrounds (8,000 ft – 8,300 ft) – No yellow to speak of in these areas but the aspen are certainly turning to lime green in most of these areas. These areas tend to peak quite a bit later than the higher reaches of the canyon so look for these areas to start looking their best around the end of the month or early October depending on the weather.
Mono County color spotter Ethan James reports autumn is “in full-swing” well before its official first day (Sun., June 22). And, with cool weather forecast, the color will intensify and pockets of peak color will exist for the next three weeks. Because of this, we are issuing three GO NOW! alerts for Mono County.
15 – 30% – Lower Rock Creek Road – James estimates the of the road to be at 25% with some gold, yellow, lime green and orange emerging. As previously reported, Pie in the Sky Café at the Rock Creek Lake Resort plans to remain open until October 13, serving their world-famous pies, freshly baked from scratch every day.
Rock Creek Lake (9/18/13) © Ethan James
Rock Creek Canyon (9/18/13) © Ethan James
GO NOW! – 50- 75% – Upper Rock Creek Road – The upper reaches of Rock Creek Road, including around Rock Creek Lake are “quite breathtaking with beautiful red, orange and gold aspen.”
0 – 15% – Convict Lake – Charles reporting from the Convict Lake Resort says “It’s still early for significant color in the canyon. There is just a scattering of yellow as you drive up to Convict Lake.” The Convict Lake Resort is offering Fall Lodging Specials starting at $379+tax (Sunday thru Thursday – 2 Nights for 2 Persons). Includes $100 Restaurant Credit & Full Day Motor Boat Rental. Convict Lake’s annual fall fishing derby, “Ambush at the Lake” is happening now through Nov. 15, with $6,000 in resort prizes. A $2,000 Cash Bonus Weekend occurs Nov. 1-3.
GO NOW! – 75 – 100% – The Sherwins (Mammoth Lakes) – The Sherwins above 8,500′ are peaking.
15 – 30% – Mammoth Lakes – Spots of color are to be seen in the Town of Mammoth Lakes, though peak is still two weeks away.
Parker Lake (9/17/13) © Donna Mercer
Parker Lake (9/17/13) © Donna Mercer
Quaking Aspen, Parker Lake (9/17/13) © Donna Mercer
0 – 15% – Parker Lake – Color spotter Donna Mercer hiked to Parker Lake off the June Lake Loop on 9/17 and says that the colors on the trail and at the lake itself are still mostly bright lime-green with some gold, yellow and random splotches of orange.
15 – 30% – June Lake Loop – This magnificent drive (Hwy. 158) is showing signs of color, especially at higher elevations, but still has a long way to go. It should be glorious during June Lake’s Autumn Beer Festival on October 5 at Gull Lake Park.
Virginia Lakes Road (9/13/13) © Carolyn Webb
Virginia Lakes Road (9/13/13) © Carolyn Webb
Virginia Lakes (9/13/13) © Carolyn Webb
GO NOW! – 50 – 75% – Virginia Lakes – Color spotter Carolyn Webb recommends driving up the Virginia Lakes Road for displays of vibrant colors
0 – 15% – Conway Summit – Still mostly lime-green.
The new edition of the Eastern Sierra Fall Color Guide & Map is now in. Call 800-845-7922 for a FREE copy or request one on-line at www.MonoCounty.org/Fall-Color.
Rock Creek Pack Station (9/12/13) © Alicia Vennos
Mono County color spotter Alicia Vennos reports that colors are “starting to brighten the landscape with gold, russet, orange and red, particularly in the Rock Creek Canyon, 20 minutes south of Mammoth Lakes.
Rock Creek Road (9/12/13) © Alicia Vennos
Rock Creek Road (9/12/13) © Alicia Vennos
15 – 30% – Rock Creek – Color spotter Donna Mercer, says about 20% of the trees along Rock Creek Road have turned to varying hues of gold, yellow, orange, with some red. If you’re heading there and have a sweet tooth, Pie in the Sky Café remains open daily through October 13. They’re world-famous for fresh, fruit, home-baked pies. The Café is located at Rock Creek Lake Resort near the top of Rock Creek Road (exit US 395 at Tom’s Place) – drop by and get your slice any time from 10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
0 – 15% – June Lake Loop – Aspen are turning lime green and yellow.
June Lake Beer Festival
On Sat., Oct., 5, the community of June Lake plans its first June Lake Autumn Beer Festival. Festivities include a craft beer garden, live music by the Kalifornia Krauts, Eastern Sierra Master Chili Cook-off, pie-baking and photography Contests, food, crafts, games, raffles and more autumn fun. It all happens at the June Lake Community Center at Gull Lake Park from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and is sponsored by the June Lake Loop Chamber of Commerce. For more info, visit JuneLakeLoop.org or call 213-364-3989. Cost: $25 for 6 beer tastes, one meal, and various discounts from the vendors.
15 – 30% – Lee Vining, Lundy, Virginia Lakes and Twin Lakes Canyons – It’s still early for color up the canyons that stem from US 395 in northern Mono County. Though, aspen are showing signs of approaching brilliance.
0 – 15% – Walker/Coleville/Topaz – If barbecue is your fancy, the annual Deer Hunter’s Deep Pit Family BBQ in Walker/Coleville also occurs on Sat., Oct. 5. Just by attending, you’ll be welcomed as a member of these friendly communities. It begins at 5 p.m. at the Walker Community Bldg., just off U.S. 395. Be prepared to taste fabulous BBQ, prepared by the Lion’s Club using a secret recipe, plus dessert and all the trimmings. Dinner is $12 for adults, $5 for children 12 and younger. There’s a raffle, too, benefiting the Lions Club which does a lot of good work in these isolated communities. CLICK HERE for more info.
Free map/guides to Eastern Sierra Fall Color are available by calling 800-845-7922 or online at www.MonoCounty.org/fall-color.
Spots of color above 8,500′ in elevation are trending toward one of the earliest peaks seen in the Eastern Sierra in recent years. Yesterday, we reported that The Sherwins (Mammoth Lakes) above 8,500 were showing 30 – 50% color. Today, Jared Smith of Parcher’s Resort is reporting some areas of Bishop Creek Canyon already “well above 50%”, including our first Go Now! declarations for Sabrina Campground and Surveyor’s Meadow. Here’s his full report (9/11/13).
Overall Conditions above 8,500 ft
30 – 50% – Lots of green still around but many of the higher elevation areas are now showing a lot of color. A little orange and red but most of the color showing is brilliant yellow and gold. Although most of the aspens along the road are still totally green, the hillsides in the higher reaches of the canyon are really looking impressive. Some areas, surveyors meadow for example, is actually well above 50% of peak color.
Overall Conditions below 8,500 ft
Not much going on yet below 8,500 ft, but there are some little pockets of color developing. We’ve still got another couple weeks before these areas will be in full color.
Location Specific Reports
15-30% – South Lake Rd above Mt. Glen Camp (8,600 ft) – While this area is not in full color and the aspens along the creek are still green, the view up canyon is spectacular and the groves to the east are really lighting up.
0-15% – Mountain Glen Campground (8,400 ft) – Just a handful of aspens turning here with most of the foliage still dark or lime green.
0-15% – Mist Falls and the groves above Bishop Creek Lodge (8,350f t) – Not much going on here yet, just a few trees starting to turn.
Groves Above Cardinal Village (9/11/13) © Krisdina Karady
15 – 30% – Groves above Cardinal Village & Aspendell (8,550 ft) – Just enough yellow showing to be noteworthy but this area still has a ways to go before the color really starts popping.
Sabrina Campground (9/11/13) © Krisdina Karady
Sabrina Campground (9/11/13) © Krisdina Karady
50-75% – Sabrina Campground (9,000 ft) Go Now! – As expected, the groves along the road near Sabrina Campground are the first to near peak color. Plenty of orange, yellow and some read showing along with brilliant lime green. I would expect this area to peak in the next 10 days if not sooner and the grove inside the campground to be a little behind that.
0-15% – Forks Campground (8,000 ft – 8,300 ft) – No color at all developing here yet.
0-15% – Table Mountain Camp (8,900 ft) – Not much color showing yet.
Surveyor’s Meadow (9/11/13) © Krisdina Karady
50 – 75% – Surveyors Meadow (8,975 ft) Go Now! – The aspen above Surveyors Meadow are really lighting up in all directions. The lower aspen along the creek are still mostly green but there is a ton of color on all of the surrounding hillsides.
15 – 30% – Willow Campground (9,100 ft) – The view up canyon from Willow Camp has lots of turning aspen but the majority of the aspen surrounding the campground are still very green. The best color is just past the camp on your right where there are a few dozen trees in full color. Just below the camp near the Tyee Trailhead also has several trees showing color.
30 – 50% – Parchers Camp – Lots of color developing in and around Parchers Camp. Especially brilliant are the hillsides to the east and west of the resort. Still plenty of aspen yet to change but its progressing nicely. The trail from Parchers to Willow is also turning nicely.
Weir Pond (9/11/13) © Krisdina Karady
15-30% – Weir Pond (9,700 ft) – The grove above the pond is really turning yellow while the lower aspen surrounding the Weir still have yet to turn except for a few small branches here and there.
15 – 30% – Lake Sabrina (9,150 ft) – Still a ways to go here but there is quite a bit of color developing around what’s left of the lake. This location will be a little harder to find good photos this year with the water level being so low. Look for the groves below the dam to be one of the best places to capture color when it develops.
North Lake (9/11/13) © Krisdina Karady
15-30% – North Lake (9,255 ft) – The groves above the lake area starting to turn nicely but the majority of the aspen are still green including the aspen along the creek and along the road. The most intense color is just below the lake along the road where some nice read and orange is visible.Closer to 15% than 30%, there is still a ways to go for full color.
The Sherwins, Mammoth Lakes; Christie Osborne; © Mammoth Lakes Visitors Bureau, 9/11/13
Seeing is believing! A week before the first day of autumn, color spotters are reporting 30 – 50% change at high elevations surrounding Mammoth Lakes.
The Sherwins, Mammoth Lakes; Christie Osborne; © Mammoth Lakes Visitors Bureau, 9/11/13
Color spotter Christie Osborne reports that, “The Sherwins above Snowcreek golf course in Mammoth Lakes are showing some fine color at approximately 8,500 feet. Lower, at the 7,500-8,000 foot level just the first hints of color are starting to show, but there is mostly little or no color in town. Fall dessert flowers are also blooming with a show of purple and gold.”
Color spotter Leanne K comments, “… just got back from a long weekend in Mammoth. The high meadows like Agnew, Crater and the meadow between Shadow Lake and Ediza Lake were already gold. The willows and grasses were beautiful in the blue sky. No smoke from the fires. The aspen trees were definitely getting lime and some had begun to change to yellow. It seems like it is a bit early, but really does feel like fall. Other low growing type plants were beginning to yellow.” Leanne wasn’t sure how to assign a %, though Christie suggests:
Mammoth Lakes
0 – 15% in town at approximately 7,500 feet. Some yellow green.
30 – 50% in the Lakes Basin near Twin Lakes at approximately 8500 feet.
30-50% above approximately 8,500 feet along slopes on the Sherwin Mountain Range.
Note: the 30 – 50% evaluation is for high areas in The Sherwins, above 8,500′. There’s still lots and lots of time to see great color at Mammoth Lakes and in the Eastern Sierra.
Only in California – wildflowers blooming in autumn; Christie Osborne; © Mammoth Lakes Visitors Bureau, 9/11/13