Archive for category: Shasta Cascade

Sunlight had just peeked over the northern Sierra and was brushing downtown Quincy with a glow when Michael Beatley set out from Meadow Valley to photograph fall color.

Beatley had Quincy to himself. You usually do at dawn on an October morn. Appropriately, fall color has awakened across Plumas County.

The bigleaf maple and sycamore that stand around courthouse square were airbrushed yellow and chestnut by the morning light. Peak has arrived in one of America’s loveliest hometowns, and it’s a welcomed guest that will stay for at least a week, perhaps two.

The northern Sierra’s azure skies reassure that no wildfires burn nearby, none to spoil picturesque orange-red Indian rhubarb being reflected in the black waters of Spanish Creek. The days are autumn-perfect again with crisply cold nights that have the friendly people of Quincy stacking wood for winter and pressing cider.

Michael left this placid scene to drive three miles north to the edge of American Valley to Spanish Creek at Oakland Camp.  Oakland Camp is owned by the city of Oakland as a summer camp for children.

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The pool it contains is edged with Indian Rhubarb (Darmera), now approaching Near Peak. Black oak, California buckeye, bigleaf maple and riparian grasses give it a parklike appearance with trails to hills overlooking Quincy.

From Main street Quincy, take Quincy Jct Road past the high school ’til it ends then turn left onto Chandler road. Cross the single-lane bridge  over Spanish Creek, turn right and drive to the camp.  Then, bear right thru the camp onto the USDA Forest Service road that runs alongside the creek.  

Jeff Luke Titcomb traveled from Greenville to the Genesee Valley, part way to Antelope Lake.

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His route began by stocking a picnic lunch at the Genesee Store, which offers food on weekends; all other days, Young’s Market in Taylorsville.

Jeff said the drive has lots of golden aspen, yellow bigleaf maple and rosy dogwood, which are nearing peak. Scattered black oak are dressing early for Halloween in their orange and black.

A little rain cleared the air, but also discouraged fall color outings. Now cold nights are intensifying the color and attracting color spotters.

• Quincy (3,342′) – Patchy to Near Peak (10-75%) Go Now!
• Oakland Camp, Spanish Creek (4,300′) – Near Peak (50-75%) Go Now!
• Genesee Valley (3,701′) – Patchy to Near Peak (10-75%) Go Now!

Plumas County is primed to be peaking next weekend in Quincy.

Plumas County color spotter Michael Beatley toured prime areas today, reporting that some locations are nearing 75%, though many remain Patchy.

Beatley began his tour on the La Porte Rd into Thompson Valley. He went to see the status of the famous Thompson Valley Ranch sugar maple, an iconic and historic landmark dating back to the late 1800s. 

For once, overcast skies from rain clouds, not from smoke. All fires in the general area have been contained, roads are open and evacuations have been lifted.

In downtown Quincy, many of the maple and sycamores have awoken and revealing their fall colors.  Behind the Plumas Superior Courthouse, vibrant trees were made more so by the grey card hanging overhead.

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From Quincy, he drove to Meadow Valley, six miles west of Quincy on Bucks lake Road, where quaking aspen and cottonwood were showing off. Give it a week, he reported, and Quincy will be in its glory.

Manzanita Lake in Lassen Volcanic National Park (CA-44) offers a postcard view of Lassen Peak and fall color reflected in its still waters.

The trail that rings the lake is an easy hike – just two miles, flat and passing Patchy golden willows, alder and aspen.

Color spotter Michelle Pontoni enjoyed the walk on Friday and recommends enjoying the hike now, when the days are still warm and the fall color is beginning to burst. It should stay good for two more weeks.

The park entrance fee is $30. Though, admission to this national park and 2,000 other federal lands, forests and parks is included with the $80 lifetime “Golden Age” pass sold to seniors. If you are 62 years or older, it’s a great investment that will give you years of access to California’s nine national parks.

Michelle drove north from Reno on US 395 to Susanville, then west on CA-36. Past Susanville, she passed through large Patchy stands of green, lime, yellow and red on 36.

A few aspen are peaking at Aspen Grove in the Eagle Lake Recreation Area, west of Susanville, though aspen and bigleaf maple along the Susan River have a week to two to go. The banks of the Susan River are full of color, at peak, and the river is worth being added to a trip that explores Plumas County and Lassen Volcanic NP.

• Susanville (4,186′) – Just Starting (0-10%)
• Aspen Grove, Eagle Lake Recreation Area (5,100′) – Patchy (10-50%)
• Manzanita Lake, Lassen Volcanic NP (5,900′) – Patchy (10-50%)

To Park Guide Shanda Och’s surprise, Lassen Volcanic National Park had erupted with fall color during recent days when she’d been working inside.

To her delight, she discovered that from Hat Creek Meadow to Kings Creek Meadow, the park landscape had become splashed with “vibrant gold, oranges and even red!,” she exclaimed. That was all happening between 6,500 and 7,500′ in elevation.

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Quaking aspen in the park’s were a blend of full yellow and bright green. And, though dazzling, we rate it as Patchy, with more to come.

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At Dersch Meadows, more red caught her eye. The rosy specimen seen above is Bog blueberry, Vaccinium uliginosum. In North Korea, its berries are used to flavor infused liquor.

A thousand feet higher at Kings Creek Upper Meadow, more of this red beauty competed with meadow grasses and willows for attention.

While, at the national park’s northwest entrance, cottonwood and alder ringing Manzanita Lake (5,900′) are Just Starting; a few Lemmon’s willows are dressed in a leafy lace of green and gold, while most have decided to wear a disappointing brown. And, please don’t insist brown is the new orange. It isn’t.

• Lassen Volcanic National Park (6,500 to 7,500′) – Patchy (10-50%)

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Some years back, Plumas County had a great ambassador, Suzi Brakken, who made sure her county wasn’t forgotten when it came to fall color.

Suzi would struggle, however, with the fact that CaliforniaFallColor.com would be reporting peak color on radio and TV in late September when Plumas’ Peak was still weeks away.

Today, Mark Atkinson demonstrated that if you are observant, brilliant spots of color can be found even well ahead of the main show.

Mark admits it’s “Just Starting” in Plumas County, but then this northern Sierra destination is full of surprises, including this preview of Plumas color.

• Plumas County (3,342′) – Just Starting (0-10%)