High Sierra Topix

I'll miss you by a week Mountaineer. I'm stuck in class from the 6-9th of October.

If anyone heads up to the Sierra this coming weekend, please bring back a fall colors report.

I'll be between Rock Creek and McGee Creek from 09.20 - 09.24. Wait... That's tomorrow !!

The Drunken Marmot and I are thinking about heading out to the east side next weekend, hopefully to catch some colors/do some dayhiking and car camping before the passes close (we're in the bay area - makes it hard for us to get over there in the winter). We'd love to meet up with anyone else with similar intentions. We'll be coming through Tioga (probably Friday night) and our tentative plans are for car camping at Glass Creek and checking out the colors during the day where ever they seem to be the best. We may throw in some hot spring stops or bouldering/climbing as well. We've crashed at glass creek several times - big campsites and fire pits, the only time we have ever found it busy was Labor day weekend - the place is huge so it's almost like having the place to yourself. Plans are very flexible!

mountaineer wrote:I will be staying in the French Camp campground(Rock Creek) October 6-9. Look for a newer white Chevy Venture van.

Someone mentioned campgrounds closing early...that irks me too. Why do they close just because Mr. and Mrs. camp host go home?

FYI, Big Trees and Mountain Glenn Campgrounds already closed at Bishop Creek.

I posted a fall color update here:

viewtopic.php?t=1018

Thanks for the update on the colors. I'm hoping I can make it up to Bishop this coming weekend, but it's starting to look like work might get in the way.

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

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!

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.

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