Fall Colors in the Sierra - Anyone interested?

[SSSdave]

Thanks for the reports folks. Coming over SR120 I was down as far south as South Tufa last Friday Sept 22 during a 4 day road trip and as expected even the highest aspen groves in Lee Vining Creek canyon ie the Warren Fork or any of the upper Rush Creek basin slopes were mostly still green with patches of yellow. I wasn't up there for the aspens but rather arctic willow which was peaking in two zones I hiked into twice each. The screaming red willow normally peaks about Labor Day so was another case of the heavy snowpack delivering a significant delay with vegetation this season. Above 10k crest areas where there are still quite a bit of melting snow fields, there are amazingly still some wildflower species blooming. A cold clear air north wind was blowing and by dawn temps had dropped below 20 F at Saddlebag Saturday morning.

I ought to be back on the road to the east side by about Sunday October 1 and then stay most of that week. Have some plans to hike to some of the more obscure higher groves mainly in the Bishop Creek basin. ...David

[SteveB]

Did Monitor Pass and Ebbets Pass area this weekend, and while the colors still aren't popping on Monitor Pass, the Silver Creek area is really popping with yellows and golds! Still waiting patiently for the reds to appear!

[wingding]

Well, I'm going to have to enjoy everyone elses pictures of the fall colors this year; so keep them coming.

Work this week is going to flow over into the weekend and then I'm in a continuing education class next weekend; so I won't get up to the Sierra until October 12th.

There is a small aspen grove in the San Bernardino National Forest not too far from where I live, so I guess I'll try to find the time to get up there and catch some color.

[SSSdave]

wingding, ought not worry about missing the aspen leaf changes if now thru October 12 is excluded though you may have to drive further north. Even during average falls there are usually still excellent places to see color mid October. And on the following October 14/15 weekend there ought to be a lot of color this vegetation delayed season still at the usual late changing areas like lower Bishop Creek ie Four Jeffries/Big Trees campground, June Lake loop, Lundy Canyon, lower Lee Vining Creek, lower Rock Creek, Virginia Creek below Conway Summit, and especially areas east of Carson Pass. ...David

[wingding]

Thanks David - I kept thinking that it would be too late by the 12th. I'm hoping to be able to take a 5-day weekend starting the 12th to make up for having to work all or part of the next couple of weekends. We're going to try Mount Russell with 3 of those days, so that will give me the first two days to go leaf peeping and acclimate.

[huts]

Northern Mono County - some color in Green Creek, Upper Summers Meadow was showing some red in spots. Last week it appeared as though the trees that had colored at Virginia Lakes had already suffered from the wind. The Conway Summit area was still green. There was some wonderful color around Devils Gate (hwy 395 between Bridgeport and Walker). I can look at my "pet" aspen groves out the window as I type.....color has just begun on the ridges here out of Walker and the willows are joining in the party. If you cannot get out until the middle of October there may be something yet to see. We have a stormy pattern coming through this next week and the clouds are keeping the nightime temps. up, but the protected areas may just be waiting to show their stuff.

[SteveB]

Just returned from two nights bagged in Valley of Fire (NV), and what did I do? Yup, drove more miles to check out fall colors!

Drove a couple hours up Highway 89 north of Truckee. Golds are really popping, and some reds are starting to wake up a bit, too! Still not full-on fall, but I figure in two weeks we'll be there! I'll post a couple modest shots when I get a couple minutes tomorrow!

[calipidder]

We spent the weekend on the east side checking out the standard sites and fall colors. My very non-professional photos are available on my website (in sig). The colors were nice up toward south lake and north lake - oranges were the best at North Lake. Convict was okay, and there were some nice spots along the June Lake loop as well. We dove back over Sonora Pass and there were some nice colors down below (around the MCMW Training center), but nothing much above. The best part was actually sunset on Saturday - there were some amazing colors in the clouds over the valley!

[Trailtrekker06]

Was up at South and Sabrina yesterday, colors are turning but mostly yellows, some oranges. Didn't make it up to North - guess I should have. Photos I took aren't so hot, it was gray on Sunday and everything looks washed out
Yes, that sunset was really nice Saturday night!