Potem Falls, Montgomery Creek (10/23/19) Laura Jean
Hike of the week takes you to Potem Falls, an impressive 60-foot drop along Montgomery creek in Shasta-Trinity National Forest near CA-299.
AllTrails.com describes the trail as a .4-mile, lightly trafficked out & back along Montgomery Creek (Trinity County) that features a waterfall and is good for all skill levels.
The trail is primarily used for hiking, walking, nature trips, and birding and is best from March through October. Dog-friendly.
http://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.png00John Poimiroohttp://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.pngJohn Poimiroo2019-10-26 15:32:372019-10-26 22:57:37Hike to Potem Falls
Hamilton Branch, Feather River (10/26/19) Jeff Luke Titcomb
The Hamilton Branch of the Feather River drops from Dyer Mountain into Lake Almanor.
The designated census area or community of Hamilton Branch has 587 residents beside this stream which is considered to be exceptional for fly fishing.
In late October, Hamilton Branch is edged with firey orange color from oak, willow and maple. Plumas County color spotter Jeff Luke Titcomb scores a First Report for Hamilton Branch, and what a beauty it is.
Hamilton Branch, Lake Almanor (4,505′) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW!
What does a Lassen Volcanic National Park ranger do on her day off? Spends it in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest.
Namely, Shanda Ochs headed to McCloud Falls to hike to the Upper, Middle and Lower Falls of the McCloud River.
If you’re Goldilocks and have a taste for waterfalls, the biggest of them is the middle one, the smallest is the upper one, and the one below is just right.
Waterfalls are often referred to in the plural (falls), but that isn’t always correct. Perhaps we do this because Yosemite Falls and Niagara Falls are so well known.
In fact, a waterfall is a single drop, such as McCloud Middle Fall (seen above). When a waterfall ends with “falls” as in Niagara Falls or Yosemite Falls, it refers to the entirety of waterfalls. In Yosemite’s case, there is an Upper Yosemite Fall, the middle cascades, and Lower Yosemite Fall.
Cascades are created when a stream runs over a series of drops, such as seen beside the Cascade Trail at Spanish Creek in Plumas County.
The McCloud Falls Trail is 1.5 miles one way. Along the path, you’ll see black oak, ninebark, alder, dogwood and by the river, Indian rhubarb that’s just past prime.
McCloud River (10/24/19) Shanda Ochs
McCloud River Trail (10/24/19) Shanda Ochs
McCloud River Trail (10/24/19) Shanda Ochs
California Gray Squirrel, McCloud (10/24/19) Shanda Ochs
Shanda encourages readers to visit Manzanita Lake in Lassen Volcanic for stunning views of Lassen Peak reflected in the lake that is ringed with bright color, but hurry. Lassen Volcanic NP is nearing Past Peak.
McCloud Falls, McCloud (3,271′) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW!
http://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.png00John Poimiroohttp://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.pngJohn Poimiroo2019-10-25 23:33:392019-10-26 07:47:28A Tale of Three Falls
The Hayfork hayride is a fun excursion. It winds along CA-3 in the Trinity Alps area of UpState California, through Hayfork, up Coffee Creek and past Round Mountain.
In autumn, the hayride is a riot of fall color and the perfect byway for a ride on a motorbike, as Laura Beeson (Photography by Laura Jean) shows.
Shoofly Bridge, Indian Creek, Plumas County (10/22/19) Michael Beatley
It’s derelict, but boy is it pretty, especially with fall color reflecting below Shoofly Bridge in Indian Creek.
Plumas County color spotter Michael Beatly shares his images of Shoofly (an old miner’s term meaning “diversion” – also, the Shoofly Complex is a metamorphic rock structure found in the Northern Sierra) which sits at a bend in the creek, which – Michael opines – is probably the reason the old bridge (erected in 1889) is still standing today.
Shoofly Bridge (10/22/19) Michael Beatley
Shoofly Bridge (10/22/19) Michael Beatley
Shoofly Bridge (10/22/19) Michael Beatley
Shoofly Bridge, Indian Creek – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW!
Klamath River, Siskiyou County (10/19/19) Mel Fechter
The Klamath River in UpState California is impressive.
It’s the state’s second-largest river, flowing 257 miles through Oregon and California. At peak flows, the river moves 557,000 cubic feet of water per second toward the Pacific Ocean.
National Geographic described it as the upside down river, because it begins in the high deserts of eastern Oregon and flows toward the mountains.
The Klamath was inhabited as early as 7,000 years ago, with good reason. Salmon, steelhead and rainbow trout had adapted to its unusually high water temperatures and flourish in its waters.
An interesting variety of deciduous trees grow near the Klamath River, including: Garry’s oak, black oak, Fremont and black cottonwood, numerous alder, ash and dogwood, bigleaf maple, even California walnuts and Klamath plums.
Because of its remoteness, we get few photographs of fall color along the Klamath. Though, when we do, they’re spectacular like Mel Fechter’s shot of the wild river with no sign of structures, roads or mankind … only orange and yellow oaks.
Black oak, Arlington Rd., Plumas County (10/19/19) Jeff Luke Titcomb
Color spotter Jeff Luke Titcomb looks back at his trip along the byways of northern Plumas County and sees nothing but peaking orange black oak.
He drove Arlington Road between Crescent Mills and Taylorsville, in the shadow of Arlington Heights and Mt. Hough, then explored Grizzly and Indian Creeks and finished his tour in the Genessee Valley where a string band was playing at the Genessee Store.
Black oak, Arlington Rd., Plumas County (10/19/19) Jeff Luke Titcomb
Arlington Rd, Plumas County (10/19/19) Jeff Luke Titcomb
Arlington Rd, Plumas County (10/19/19) Jeff Luke Titcomb
Taylorsville, Plumas County (10/19/19) Jeff Luke Titcomb
Taylorsville, Plumas County (10/19/19) Jeff Luke Titcomb
Taylorsville, Plumas County (10/19/19) Jeff Luke Titcomb
Genessee, Plumas County (10/19/19) Jeff Luke Titcomb
Genessee, Plumas County (10/19/19) Jeff Luke Titcomb
Genessee, Plumas County (10/19/19) Jeff Luke Titcomb
Genessee, Plumas County (10/19/19) Jeff Luke Titcomb
Genessee, Plumas County (10/19/19) Jeff Luke Titcomb
Full peak was happening this past weekend, though there is enough color in his photographs that, absent a big blow, enough color could hang in there through another weekend.
String band, Genessee Store (10/19/19) Jeff Luke Titcomb
Northern Plumas County (1,412′) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW!
Cattails, Madrone Lake, Bucks Lake Rd (10/19/19) John Poimiroo
On Saturday, Michael Beatley and I met for a whirlwind tour of fall color in and around Quincy.
I’d intended to post these photos on Sunday, but so many great photos arrived from contributors, that I held off posting this gallery. Then, the website crashed and couldn’t get them up, until now.
Feather Bed Inn, Quincy (10/19/19) John Poimiroo
Oregon splitleaf birch leaves, Quincy (10/19/19) John Poimiroo
Oregon splitleaf birch, Quincy (10/19/19) John Poimiroo
Chinese lanterns, Quincy (10/19/19) John Poimiroo
Thielor sugar maple, Quincy (10/19/19) John Poimiroo
Thielor sugar maple, Quincy (10/19/19) John Poimiroo
Quincy (10/19/19) John Poimiroo
Dame Shirley Park, Quincy (10/19/19) John Poimiroo
Quincy (10/19/19) John Poimiroo
Quincy School, Circ. 1905, Quincy (10/19/19) John Poimiroo
Community United Methodist Church, Quincy (10/19/19) John Poimiroo
Plumas County Courthouse, Quincy (10/19/19) John Poimiroo
Plumas County Courthouse, Quincy (10/19/19) John Poimiroo
Plumas County Courthouse, Quincy (10/19/19) John Poimiroo
Plumas County Courthouse, Quincy (10/19/19) John Poimiroo
Plumas County is gorgeous in mid October. More than beautiful, it is charming with authentic small towns and genuine people.
There’s a sign as you drive into Quincy on CA-80, noting that 5,000 souls live there. The 2010 census had 4,900 people inhabiting it, down 2% in the first decade of this century. It seems even smaller than that.
Michael explained, “Everyone waves here. They even wave to the cops.” A moment later, someone drove past while waving at my car, perhaps because Michael was riding with me.
Lucinda Wood presses apple juice, Quincy (10/19/19) John Poimiroo
Community Appreciation Day, Quincy (10/19/19) John Poimiroo
Community Appreciation Day, Quincy (10/19/19) John Poimiroo
Apple tree, Quincy (10/19/19) John Poimiroo
On Saturday at “Community Appreciation Day,” the Quincy Natural Foods Co-op hosted an event where families could bring apples they’d harvested and press them into apple juice.
No one knew me, but I soon felt a part of the gathering as I watched moms instruct their sons on how to crank the press, little girls get their faces painted with unicorns and rainbows, a vendor selling local honey, a fiddler playing beneath a tree, neighbors chatting and Lucinda Wood chopping and pressing her apples into sweet nectar.
Overcast muted fall colors as we walked the Cascade Trail beside Spanish Creek, though as Michael’s photos in the previous post show, it was clear on Sunday. That’s a common hazard. You plan a day to visit a place, then work with what weather is given to you. A day later, it brightened for Diane Keller, as contrasted here.
Indian rhubarb, Spanish Creek (10/21/19) Diane Keller
Indian rhubarb, Spanish Creek (10/21/19) Diane Keller
Bigleaf maple, Cascade Trail, Spanish Creek (10/19/19) John Poimiroo
Black oak, Cascade Trail, Spanish Creek (10/19/19) John Poimiroo
Indian rhubarb, Cascade Trail, Spanish Creek (10/19/19) John Poimiroo
Mountain maple, Cascade Trail, Spanish Creek (10/19/19) John Poimiroo
Indian rhubarb, Cascade Trail, Spanish Creek (10/19/19) John Poimiroo
Cascade Trail, Spanish Creek (10/19/19) John Poimiroo
Indian rhubarb, Cascade Trail, Spanish Creek (10/19/19) John Poimiroo
Indian rhubarb, Cascade Trail, Spanish Creek (10/19/19) John Poimiroo
Indian rhubarb, Cascade Trail, Spanish Creek (10/19/19) John Poimiroo
Michael Beatley, Cascade Trail, Spanish Creek (10/19/19) John Poimiroo
After photographing Spanish Creek, we met members of the Ghandi (Rocklin), Velusami (Roseville) and Govindasamy (Folsom) families who’d been drawn to that spot by a previous report on this site. Later, we passed color spotters Son and Ann Nguyen who’d drive up from San Jose taking our advice to GO NOW!
Quincy and Plumas county were at Peak when I visited. Though Peak reports have continued to arrive from Quincy, it won’t be this good much longer, so GO NOW!
Sugar maple, Thompson Ranch (10/19/19) John Poimiroo
Thompson Ranch (10/19/19) John Poimiroo
West Ranch (10/19/19) John Poimiroo
West Ranch (10/19/19) John Poimiroo
West Ranch (10/19/19) John Poimiroo
We drove the backroads, taking photographs of rusting farm equipment draped with fading fall color or found trees named after whomever planted it … the Thompson sugar maple, Judge Theilor tree, even Spanish Creek itself was named for the two Mexicans who bred horses beside it in 1850.
Bucks Lake Rd (10/19/19) John Poimiroo
Pacific dogwood, Bucks Lake Rd (10/19/19) John Poimiroo
Bigleaf maple, Bucks Lake Rd (10/19/19) John Poimiroo
Cattails and bigleaf maple, Madrone Lake, Bucks Lake Rd (10/19/19) John Poimiroo
Lily pads and bigleaf maple, Bucks Lake Rd (10/19/19) John Poimiroo
Bigleaf maple, Bucks Lake Rd (10/19/19) John Poimiroo
Returning to the Sacramento Valley by way of Bucks Lake Rd. the drive to Bucks Lake Summit from Meadow Valley was full of mixed color (dogwood, bigleaf maple, black oak). The summit and lake were past peak, but on the descent to Oroville, hot yellow flashes of maple and pink dogwood again jumped out, occasionally, between the pines. A final area of fall color appeared at Madrone Lake where cattails and maple edged it.
My thoughts returned to Quincy, as I drove. I concluded that Quincy is a friendly, family affair. It only took a day there to feel welcomed to Plumas County like a long-lost cousin.
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On Oct. 16, we posted aerial photos of Quincy. This past Sunday, Michael Beatley returned to Quincy, but climbed above it to the north and with a 400 mm lens from a mile away, captured these beauties.
Indian rhubarb, Whiskeytown Lake NRA (10/17/19) Laura Christman
Whiskeytown National Recreation Area is big in hope and heart. It’s the second of two NRA’s mentioned today, that were devastated by wildfires last year, and big in hope because of recovering fall color now being seen, big in heart because of the spirit of its people.
I last visited Whiskeytown Lake on the Labor Day weekend and found both the park and its loyal locals to be ashen.
Laura explains that last year’s Carr Fire burned many of the park’s bigleaf maple, though green shoots sprouted from the bases of burned trees.
Bigleaf maple, Whiskeytown Lake NRA (10/17/19) Laura Christman
Like the Santa Monica Mountains NRA, written about earlier today, signs of recovery are occurring at Whiskeytown Lake.
Deciduous plants tend to grow back faster than do evergreens, and the first bright signs of hope are appearing as bigleaf maple and Indian rhubarb are now showing their fall colors.
As the deciduous trees mature, their show will only get better in future years.
Whiskeytown Lake NRA (1,214′) – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW!
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