Squirrels Strip California Black Walnuts
Early in September, along Southern California’s coast, squirrels begin stripping “the sparse but beautiful native California Black Walnut (juglans californica) of their walnuts, Peter Asco reports. They “take full advantage of this crop, stripping the trees of every single walnut in a period of two weeks.”
Exploring “one of BelAir’s undisturbed canyons within the Santa Monica Mountains,” Peter came upon this rarely-shot autumn scene and scored a first report by photographing fall color up Bel Air’s wild canyons.
Patchy to Near Peak (10-75%) – California Black Walnut, Santa Monica Mountains, Bel Air.
Eastern Sierra Photo Jamboree This Weekend
An Eastern Sierra Photography Jamboree will provide photographers opportunities for recognition, exposure and cash prizes this weekend in the Bridgeport Valley.
The photo exhibit/contest is open to all amateur and professional photographers with $200, $100 and $50 prizes presented for the top three framed entries in these categories: Bodie, Ranching and Western Life, Wildlife, Hunting & Fishing, and Nature & Landscape photography. A $15 entry fee applies.
The Photo Jamboree is the first of a half-dozen fun events happening this autumn in Mono County, including:
- Eastern Sierra Photography Jamboree Sept. 15, Bridgeport Ranch, Barns & Terrace
- Mammoth Oktoberfest, Sept. 21-22, at the Village at Mammoth.
- Bridgeport Autumn Harvest Festival and Wrecks & Rods Car Show, Sept. 29, Bridgeport
- June Lake Autumn Beer Festival, Sept. 29, Gull Lake Park in June Lake
- Ridge Rambler Half Marathon, Sept. 29, Twin Lakes, Bridgeport
- Deer Hunter BBQ, Oct. 6, Antelope Valley Community Center, Walker
- Ambush at the Lake Thru Nov. 15 and Morrison’s Bonus Derby Weekend, Oct. 26-28, Convict Lake Resort
Identifying NorCal Plants
With more than 7,000 species of native plants in California, it’s easy to misidentify one. As a journalist, not a scientist, I’ve made more than a few wrong identifications on this site. Hopefully, few misidentifications are still posted here, though – admittedly – I come across one, now and then. When I do, I correct it.
However, when you combine California’s native species to the thousands of non-native (exotic) plants in our gardens, parks and cities, it’s easy to imagine the difficulty involved in reporting accurately 100% of the time.
In order to identify obscure plants, I’ve sent photos of them to naturalists, botanists and foresters who’ve then identified them, but that takes time. So, increasingly, I refer to books and sites for answers. Recent additions to my library are field guides published by Falcon Guides.
In a previous post, I referenced Dr. Eva Begley’s Plants of Northern California. It illustrates, through color photography and text, native plants that grow west of the Sierra Nevada. This area includes the north San Francisco Bay, North Coast, Klamath and Cascade Ranges, and the Sacramento Valley.
In the book, species are organized by color and family, and text describes their blooming period, elevation and habitat, plant characteristics, and other interesting facts. It is particularly useful in identifying flowering plants.
What has often bothered me about some field guides is that they’re written for scientists by scientists. So, common plants are often omitted, I suppose, because the author might think they’re so common that everyone must know what they are.
Dr. Begley did not make that mistake. Ordinary, as well as extraordinary plants are illustrated with sharp, colorful photographs and simple, direct and helpful text.
Falcon Guides even thought to print a ruler on the back cover, to help take the guesswork out of measuring blooms in the field and includes a glossary of terms (e.g., pinnate) that might otherwise be confusing to users.
Plants of Northern California has little within it to help in identifying deciduous trees or Sierra Nevada plants, though combine it with Falcon’s pocket guide Trees by Todd Telander and Sierra Nevada Wildflowers by Karen Wiese, and you have solid foundation of reference materials that will help you identify California plants when searching for California Fall Color.
Meadows and Shrubs Are Where It’s At
California’s best end-of-summer/beginning-of-autumn color is being found in high meadows and wherever colorful shrubs grow.
At Lassen Volcanic National Park in northeast California, Kings Creek Meadow at 7,500′ in elevation is in the process of transitioning from gold to brown, while at 8,200′ at the base of Lassen Peak, Rock Spiraea (Petrophytum caespitosum – creambush) is tinted with dusty rose blooms, LVNP color spotter Shanda Ochs reports.
Peak (75-100%) – Lassen Volcanic National Park – Meadow grasses and shrubs above 7,500′ in elevation are at peak color, though deciduous trees are still green.
Bracken Ferns – A Carpet of Gold
Bracken ferns are carpeting the forest floor near Kyburz (4,058′) with golden yellow color.
The Bracken (Pteridium aquilinum) flourishes in life zones from sea level to 10,000′ in elevation and is found in meadows, pastures, woodlands and forests (source: Plants of Northern California, by Eva Begley, A Falcon Guide).
North Coast color spotter Walt Gabler was returning from a Search and Rescue conference at South Lake Tahoe, when their bright yellow color attracted his eye during a rest stop in Kyburz, near U.S. 50.
Near Peak (50-75%) – Bracken – These showy autumn ferns vary, presently, in fall color from Just Starting to Peak, depending on locale. They’re near peak in Kyburz, off US 50.
What One Videographer Saw Last Autumn
Start planning your fall color trips. This autumn oughta be awesome.
Aspen Return to Lassen NF
In 2003, Lassen National Forest began an aspen restoration project near the Bogard Campground and Susan River off Hwy 44 on the way to the Black Lake Loop trail in the Caribou Wilderness. (More about what the US Forest Service accomplished will be posted here, soon. However, in the photos above and to the left, note the mature aspen surrounded by young aspen. This shows what the forest will look like, once this grove ages.)
Today, the aspen are growing and spreading. Arlaine Arslan of the Chico Hiking Association (CHA) reports, “There’s also very small grove along the Posey Lake Loop trail and road side along the Susan River on the way to the Black Lake Loop trailhead.” In recognition of Lassen National Forest’s accomplishment, Black Lake Loop is honored as this week’s Hike of the Week.
The Chico Hiking Association promotes hiking trails within about two hours of Chico, providing maps, directions and the links needed to get to the Chico area’s best hiking trails, many of which have lovely fall color. In spring and summer, CHA focuses on wildflowers, while in autumn and early winter they are fall color spotters.
Eastern Sierra aspen are legendary for their profuse color, though many smaller, though still inspirational, groves can be discovered in the Northern Sierra near Chico. Hikers often find these trails lightly tread with few worn spots where others planted their tripods or stood.
CHA hopes to change perceptions that only bigleaf maple, black oak and Indian rhubarb are to be found in this lightly visited part of Upper California, and that their trails are a mind-clearing alternative to more congested fall color destinations.
Maps leading hikers from the highest point in the Coastal Range ( Mt Linn) to the highest point on the Pacific Crest Trail in the Cascade Range (Butt Mountain), as well as to Lassen Peak, are produced by CHA, many along routes forested with fall color. Learn more at chicohiking.org.
Just Starting (0-10%) – Lassen National Forest (5,600′) – Aspen groves at Bogard Campground and along the Black Lake Loop are exhibiting some of the earliest fall color yet reported in California.
It’s Beginning To Feel A Lot Like Autumn
As long as we’re in the singing mood, how about turning Johnny Mathis’ classic upside down.
No, it’s not beginning to look a lot like Christmas, but it is beginning to feel a lot like Autumn, Mammoth Lakes color spotter Josh Wray reports. “It’s really starting to feel like the early days of fall in Mammoth Lakes now with summer crowds calming down and temperatures dropping at night.”
He visited the Mammoth Lakes Basin a couple of days ago, “…to see what it’s looking like up there, and it was gorgeous. There were traces of yellow aspen leaves off in the distance but nothing to report on quite yet.”
The color seen in the photo at left are grasses ringing the Twin Lakes. Otherwise, there’s little fall color yet to be seen at 8,500′ in the Eastern Sierra.
Just Starting (0-10%) – Mammoth Lakes (8,500′)
Back in the Saddle Again
A Fatal Error to our “theme” caused this site to crash for a couple of days, but we worked on it and found the glitch. Thanks for being patient with us. We’re back in the saddle again, as Gene Autry would sing …
I`m back in the saddle again
Out where a friend is a friend
Where the longhorn cattle feed
On the lowly gypsum weed
Back in the saddle again
Ridin` the range once more
Totin` my old .44
Where you sleep out every night
And the only law is right
Back in the saddle again
Whoopi-ty-aye-oh
Rockin` to and fro
back in the saddle again
Whoopi-ty-aye-yay
I go my way
Back in the saddle again
Fall Color Detectives
I just love “Who Done Its.” Though, in fall color’s case, it’s more “Where Is It?”
Today, I received reports from Lance Pifer and Darrell Sano who uncovered more evidence that fall is approaching.
Lance visited the Eastern Sierra where he found spots of fall color lighting up the Pacific Crest Trail near 1000 Island Lake and at North Lake in Bishop Creek Canyon, where aspen remain green and lake grasses are highlighted lightly with gold.
Darrell was a road warrior, exploring far and wide. On Friday (as previously reported) he drove across Sonora Pass, returning via Tioga Pass. About three to four miles after entering Yosemite National Park’s east entrance, he stopped to investigate “a scene that looks like it was planned, meaning so perfect–layered trees, leaves from pink to golden yellow, colors receding into the background, such depth. And it’s peaceful, quiet.” He continued that this area was severely damaged by fire, with at least half of it changed.
On Labor Day, he stayed near home, taking “a long hike in Briones Regional Park (one of the great East Bay Regional Parks – some of the best managed and most beautiful in California), hiking nine miles while criss-crossing trails. Along his route, he passed “vile poison oak” in toxic profusion, recalling the many times he’s suffered after having been covered in its sap, but noted, “When you see beds of its brilliant red in filtered light, you know 1) don’t go in there 2) enjoy the color from a distance.”
Just Starting (0-10%) – Tioga Pass