Ellery Lake – Tioga Pass
Scattered aspen groves survive at windswept elevations just east of the Yosemite boundary on CA-120E.
At the End of the Rainbow
Gold is supposed to be found at the end of a rainbow, and that’s exactly what color spotter Robert Kermen discovered off I-80, on returning to Nevada. Aspen were glittering with gold and lime at Rainbow Lodge.
Further up the highway, approaching Floriston, a grove of aspen, which Kermen calls the “aspen flow” due to the way it flows through a gully, was saturated with gold. Despite Kermen assessing these locations as being 60% turned, I-80 is not yet Near Peak, as many other areas along the route remain Patchy.
Interstate 80 – Patchy (10-50%)
Hope Valley Continues to Improve, Still Patchy
This image by Phillip Reedy about says it all for the Hope Valley. Patchy, though a lot more color than was reported a week ago.
Here’s some of what he saw on this weekend’s scouting trip:
Hope Valley (7,300′) – Patchy (10-50%)
Crush Nears in Sonoma’s Vineyards
Gone is the haze from weeks ago. Today in the Sonoma Valley, Darrell Sano found not a hint of the “film” that for so many weeks had obscured the beauty of its wine country.
Instead, the air was crisp and clear with nothing to tint brilliant morning light. Though the air is clear, fall color has not yet arrived in any significance, Darrell reported. From Arnold Drive and back along CA-12, there are only spots of color and narrow bands of gold on the lower edge of the vines.
Regardless, there is ample fall color to be enjoyed in the heavy clusters of purple grapes awaiting harvest. Similarly in the Sierra Foothills, Pleasant Valley vines are still green, though many have now been picked.
Mid-October is when grape leaves are expected to blush in scarlet, amber, and international orange tones.
Sonoma Valley – Just Starting (0-10%)
Autumn Opens at Tahoe Donner & Truckee
Truckee color spotter Herb Hwang was out and about on the first day of autumn and scored a First Report for Tahoe Donner.
Herb found Peak mountain mule ear at Peak, though the overall impression of the Tahoe Donner area was of Patchy quaking aspen displaying a mix of lime, yellow and orange.
He returned on Sunday to find even more color developing.
Then, Clayton Peoples drove CA-267 over Brockway Summit at North Tahoe and “much to my surprise” found Near Peak aspen surrounding the old shack. That is very early peak color for this area.
He continued, “Although there is still a bit of lime green, most of the aspen trees have already turned yellow/gold (with a few orange leaves mixed in). Conditions are great there at the moment. Given that the leaves there often fall quickly once they’ve reached peak, I’d recommend that people “GO NOW!,” so they don’t miss out.”
With all this early color, I have to ask, “What’s happening along the I-80 corridor?”
Tahoe Donner (6,700′) – Patchy (10-50%)
Hwy 267, Brockway Summit (7,201′) – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW!
Near Peak – Upper Bishop Creek At Peak – Upper Rock Creek
Color spotter Alena Nicholas planned a trip to Bishop Creek Canyon on the day of the autumnal equinox, texting these mobile phone shots of color from Lake Sabrina, Weir Pond and the upper S. Fork where fall color is Near Peak.
Lake Sabrina is demonstrating the family nature of aspen with some stands still green and lime-colored, while others are at full peak in glorious tones of red, orange and yellow. Float fishermen drift across the lake’s wind-brushed surface.
At Weir Pond, between Parcher’s Resort and South Lake and along upper S. Fork, Bishop Creek, aspen now vary from Near Peak to full Peak. A rocky hillside of stunted aspen that forms a backdrop to the shaded pond is a mix of brightly lit yellow and lime. Fly fishing anglers cast for wary trout upon the pond’s still water. (Click photos to enlarge)
Clayton Peoples agreed with Alena Nicholas that Upper Bishop Creek is Near Peak, at least at the highest reaches. He stated, “It all depends on elevation.” On Saturday, he found the color Lake Sabrina and along the road to North Lake. But other areas–including North Lake–have yet to display much color.”
That means Bishop Creek “should remain a great color destination for at least the coming week or two as color works its way down,” Clayton concluded.
He also visited Upper Rock Creek and the trails to Hilton Creek and the Little Lakes Valley, to declare them at full peak and absolutely stunning.
Change happens quickly in the Eastern Sierra and that’s happened within half a week at the highest elevations of these two canyons.
Within a few days, Upper Rock Creek has evolved from Patchy to Peak. While the two areas should continue to improve, you’ve got two weeks at most to see the high areas of these two canyons at peak.
Lake Sabrina is a day or two from being at Peak, and Rock Creek Lake is already there. If these two areas are on your must see at peak list, GO NOW!
Bishop Creek Canyon – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW!
Rock Creek Lake, Hilton Creek and Little Lakes Valley Trail – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW!
Golden Currant Decorate Lassen Volcanic’s Hat Creek
Golden Currant (Ribes aureum) are living up to their name near Hat Creek where they’re at peak color, reports Shanda Ochs from Lassen Volcanic National Park.
The volcanic slopes of the national park are spread with Mountain Mule Ear (Wyethia mollis) and Arrowleaf Balsamroot (Balsamorhiza sagittata) “which have turned rusty orange to brown and are at peak.”
Colorful Drive Along I-80
Flashes of color are being seen along Interstate 80, between Truckee and Cisco Grove, color spotter Robert Kermen reports.
This route can get good at a few locations, though it often involves driving off the Interstate to get near the South Yuba River to see it. Right now, the show is still patchy, though splashed with color.
Robert found such splashes about three miles west of the Sierra County line and across the S. Yuba where yellow aspen are clustering “in small draws. Then near the Cisco Grove River Park, he found a gold tinted alder about halfway through color change.”
Interstate 80 – Patchy (10-50%)
Orange Crush
Some years back, Japanese were asked what came to mind when they heard the word “California.”
You’d think it might be “Hollywood,” “Yosemite” or “Golden Gate Bridge,” but it was Oranges.
Associating orange with California certainly seems right on the first day of autumn. At least, that’s what the editor of Westways, AAA’s legendary SoCal Auto Club travel magazine, must have thought when headlining October’s story about California fall color, “Orange Crush.”
To read Westways‘ effervescent article, CLICK HERE.
While you’re at it, consider joining the auto club. They do a lot of good helping motorists who are out searching for fall color.
Virginia Lakes – GO NOW!
As Bruce Wendler assessed in his message, today, Virginia Lakes is a location when you’re never completely sure it’s peaking or heading toward Past Peak.
That’s because many of the aspen near the lakes are exposed, wind deformed and struggling. It almost looks as if a wildfire came through, though one hasn’t.
He was there at sunrise this morning, to snap stands that are in the 70% range and dropping leaves as soon as they’ve peaked.
Bruce recommends visiting Virginia Lakes soon, as he believes the aspen there are vulnerable to losing leaves quickly.
His photos of Sagehen Summit were more encouraging with lots of orange to be enjoyed and trees yet to develop. The shot at left was taken a half mile up the road from Sagehen Meadow. Also good is Wild Horse Meadow, about a mile away from the summit.
Virginia Lakes – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW!
Sagehen Summit – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW!