High Sierra Topix

I think the quintessential October trip is day hiking. All the big Aspen groves are on the east side of the range & not hard to get to, it's quite cold at night, hotel prices are lower, restaurants are less crowded, and weather is dicey.

Maybe do a 2-3 nighter somewhere like Little Slide Canyon/Barney Lake area. But most backpacking trips, you'll just hit the best fall color on your entry & exit at the trail head.

@SSSdave what is the weekly HIgh-res image you are referring to? Have a trip planned to Aloha and would love to take a look

Not in the Sierra, but another option is Trinity Alps. I did a trip up the Stewart Fork to Emerald and Sapphire Lakes Oct 21-25 in 2011 (another high snow year). Depending on where you are located in the Bay Area, the drive may be shorter than an Sierra trip.

South of Yosemite (although your post says north of Yosemite), a 2-3 day trip up McGee Creek is really beautiful. It is one of the classic fall color Sierra trips. Or like others said, day-hike. We did a Fall day-hike trip a few years ago: Day 1- drive to Twin Lakes, camp and day-hike to Barney Lake, Day 2- drive to McGee Creek, CG, day-hike McGee Creek and then walk around Convict Lake (a bit touristy), Day 3- drive to Four Jeffery campground, day-hike from South Lake loop through Chocolate Lakes, Packsaddle Lake and back. Day 4- drive home. Great Fall colors if you hit the right dates.