Archive for category: Fall Color Report

Peak has arrived in the Eastern Sierra at Mono County’s Virginia Lakes and Sagehen Summit.

We are declaring the first GO NOW! (for trees) of 2019 with Near Peak conditions at these locations. There likely are other locations in the Eastern Sierra that are Near Peak, as well, and we will report them as confirmation (photography) is received.

Mono County color spotter Jeff Simpson, like the rest of us, was so exasperated by the late start of autumn in the Eastern Sierra (a week to two late) that he punned, “Be-leaf it or not, we have our first peak colors of the season!”

We can excuse the pun, Jeff, considering that it is married to good news. As in the Eastern Sierra, the arrival of peak color had been delayed a week.

However, that delay has not been experienced everywhere. Patchy fall color has been reported in the northern Sierra and Shasta Cascade, which normally don’t have significant color until early October.

Of the following, however, we are certain … all areas are reporting lush foliage with trees carrying lots of leaves – a result of a previous wet winter. So, once the leaves start turning (and now they are), there’s no going back and we expect a long-lasting and spectacular (weather permitting) autumn show.

As for now, head to those areas reporting near peak color, which will only get better as each day passes. Many trees are full of orange leaves, some mixed with wide swaths of green and lime.

Upper Rock Creek just missed being designated Near Peak, as most of the trees below the lake level are still green. Nevertheless, there are sections of peaking aspens above the lake and in the Little Lakes Valley.

Convict Lake, McGee Creek, Tioga Pass, Sonora Pass, Lobdell Lake Road and Monitor Pass are progressing nicely and are worth visiting with patches of tress in full yellow, though the majority of them are green to lime green.

We expect this to progress quickly. Experience tells us that all areas above 9.000′ should be Near Peak on this coming weekend, with full peak next week at the highest elevations.

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• Virginia Lakes (9,819’) – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW! – Yellow and Orange trees along the road and at lake level while others are still pretty green. Take the Dunderberg Meadows Road for more sections of peaking color and better views of aspens in the distance along Virginia Lakes road.
• Sagehen Summit (8,139’) – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW! – Orange and Green are the theme, here. No yellow to be seen but nice large groves of orange trees make this the best spot to go this week. Continue on to Johnny Meadows for more sections of great color. This will be the first place to be in full peak in next week’s report. 
• Lobdell Lake Road (8,600′) – Patchy (10-50%) – Closer to 10% than 50% at this point but you can still find sections of yellow trees if you’re willing to walk around.
• Sonora Pass (9,623′) – Patchy (10-50%) – Still just starting at the bottom of the grade near Leavitt Meadows Pack Station. Yellow and light green trees near the top.
• Tioga Pass (9,943′) – Patchy (10-50%) – Still not fully matured but good progress has been made over the last week. Head down Saddlebag Lake Road for the best viewing spots over the next 10 days.
• McGee Creek Canyon (8,600’) – Patchy (10-50%) – Still green closer to US 395 but developing nicely around McGee Creek Pack Station and further up the canyon.
• Convict Lake (7850′) – Patchy (10-50%) – Great progress has developed here over the last week. Yellow trees are visible up the canyon and just above the lake but mostly green at lake level. 
• Rock Creek Road (9,600’) – Patchy (10-50%) – Some yellow trees above lake level and beyond but still getting going along the road and entirely green in the lower section near Tom’s Place. 
• Monitor Pass (8,314′) – Patchy (10-50%) – Greener than Sonora Pass and Tioga Pass since the top is at a much lower elevation. It’s still going to be 10 days or so before prime viewing. 
• Walker Canyon, Walker, Coleville and Topaz (5,200′) – Just Starting (0-10%) – This location is usually the last to peak in Mono County. We tell people to target this area in the last week of October. To our surprise we are seeing a lot of yellow and lime green leaves in the Walker Canyon and throughout Antelope Valley.  We are still anticipating a late October maturity but keep your eye out for an early peak. 
• Conway Summit (8,143) – Just Starting (0-10%) – One small grove of yellow trees while everything else is very green still. 
• Lundy Lake & Canyon (7,858′) – Just Starting (0-10%) – Green around the lake and up the canyon. Some developing yellows are visible above the waterfalls if you want to hike up the trail from the trailhead. 
• June Lake Loop/Hwy 158 (7,654′) – Just Starting (0-10%) – Green leaves are changing to light green leaves! Still a long way away but the process is under way. Look for peak colors here around the 15^th of October. If you’re in town this weekend hike to Parker Lake or Little Walker Lake for sections of yellow trees above lake levels!
• Mammoth Lakes Basin (8,996′) – Just Starting (0-10%) – Just starting but some yellow leaves are starting to make an appearance.

Above 8,500′, fall color has developed quickly over the past week, reports Jared Smith of Parcher’s Resort, though it’s still not much and arriving about a week later than usual.

Jared sent this report yesterday and noted mostly Just Starting to Patchy color up the canyon. The best of it is at the higher elevations and he anticipates that it should evolve quickly, as overnight temperatures have been in the 30s for the past two weeks.

Every day, there is less and less light, meaning that less chlorophyl is being produced in the leaves, so the color change is inevitable. Its vibrancy is the question. Warm days and cold nights are ideal conditions for vibrant color and that’s what’s happening up Bishop Creek Canyon. As Jared writes, “don’t be afraid to wander up the hill over the next few days, you might be surprised by how quickly the color explodes.”

Below 8,500′ not much is happening with the exception that some scrub aspen near Four Jeffries and Intake 2 campground are showing color. “Aspen are quite literally changing in hue by the day as we see the dark greens lighten to lime. A few yellow branches here and there, but we need another week before the lower sections of the canyon have much eye-catching fall color.”

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Here’s Jared’s latest report:

• Sabrina Campground to Sabrina Dam (9000ft) – Patchy (10% – 50%)
  The groves near Sabrina camp are usually the first aspen to really pop, and this year is no exception. Some orange and red are even visible already. As you wind up towards Lake Sabrina though, things mellow back down to light green. I’m really looking forward to showcasing this area next weekend.
• Willow Campground (9000ft) – Patchy (10% – 50%)
  Beautiful views from the road near Willow Camp, especially of the canyon wall above Parchers Resort & Rainbow Pack Outfit, but the trees along the road, which weather permitting will be gorgeous eventually, are mostly just light green.
• North Lake (9255ft) – Patchy (10% – 50%)
  The yellow has started to develop on the far side of the lake, especially low on the hill near the shoreline. The higher aspen, the aspen lining the now famous road view and the campground still have  a ways to go.
• Weir Pond (9650ft) – Patchy (10% – 50%)
  The yellow is beginning to show on the west canyon wall above this scenic little pond. This spot is notoriously quick to turn and I could tell a difference in the color just between Saturday morning and Sunday afternoon, so I should have some good shots to share next week.
• Parchers Resort (9260ft) – Patchy (10% – 50%)
  The east canyon wall is covered in scrub aspen and the color is coming on, especially looking up canyon from the resort. This is another place which should be blanketed in yellow before too long.
• Table Mountain Camp (8900ft) – Patchy (10% – 50%)
  One of the more stunning groves which parallels South Lake Road, yellow is making it’s move and taking over the green hues quickly.
• Surveyors Meadow (8975ft) – Patchy (10% – 50%)
  This area offers some of the best views in the canyon when it’s lit up, and although it’s not there yet, there is substantial yellow showing and right next to the creek there is even a small patch of orange bursting from the edge of the grove.
• Lake Sabrina (9150ft) – Patchy (10% – 50%)
  Views from the dam will be stunning soon, but as of now just some patchy color, especially along the east shore across from the dam and near the rockslide.
• Mist Falls and the groves above Bishop Creek Lodge (8350ft) – Just Starting – (0 – 10%)
  Typically a late bloomer as far as fall color is concerned, this spot is about where we’d expect it given the conditions throughout the canyon. Look for this to be one of the best stops in mid October if the weather plays ball.
• Aspendell (8400ft) – Just Starting – (0 – 10%)
  Not much going on in this charming little village yet. There’s a single yellow tree just before the neighborhood begins, but by en large we’re still seeing a sea of green.
• Groves above Cardinal Village (8550ft) – Patchy (10% – 50%)
  This was my biggest surprise of the week, having eaten breakfast here 3 times this week. What an amazing difference from a week ago. Lots of yellow has taken over the shrubs on the east canyon wall extending down from Cardinal Peak down to the creekside groves adjacent to the old Cardinal Mine. This area is going to be amazing in another week if things continue on the current path.