September 21:

The fall colors are beginning to show in the Eastern Sierra area.

As of Friday 9/17/2010 small pockets of aspen were beginning to turn yellow in the upper portions of the Bishop Creek area (North Lake, South Lake and Lake Sabrina)

As of Monday 9/20 several of the aspen stands west of Conway Summit (between Lee Vining and Bridgeport) and below Dunderberg Peak are turning bright yellow as well as a few turning deep orange. Some of the aspen stands in the Bodie Hills are beginning to change color as well.

Many of the higher elevation willows are turning yellow as well as some of the cottonwoods in Owens Valley.

The weather continues to be warm dry and sunny which should be setting us up for a colorful fall.

For more information contact BLM botanist Martin Oliver, mpoliver@blm.gov (760) 872-5035.

There's a little bit of color on the Cottonwood Pass trail:


http://yosemitephotos.net/main.php/v/misc/sh-dscn5249.jpg.html

A good place to find this info: http://www.calphoto.com/fall.htm

You can see some on the Mill Creek webcam now: http://www.monolake.org/today/mccam

Still not real good:


http://yosemitephotos.net/main.php/v/misc/sh-dscn5311.jpg.html

Photo of Aspens in full gold color, taken from Hwy 395 just north of Conway Summit, 9/30/2010 (BLM Photo)

We had rain, snow (above 8,000') and cold temperatures several of the days last week. Most of the trees at higher elevations that were in the process of changing color have dropped their leaves or the leaves have turned black. However trees at lower elevations (~below 9,000’) that were still green still have their leaves and with the favorable weather predicted for this week I would expect they will begin to change.

It is reported that the aspen along highway 168 west out of Bishop (toward South Lake, North Lake and Lake Sabrina) still have potential for good color in the next week or so and the road to North Lake is still lined with color. The Rock Creek road (above Tom’s Place) has patches of color down low but the higher elevation trees have lost their leaves. I would expect other places along the eastern Sierra are in similar condition - trees at mid-elevations still have color or have yet to change and trees at higher elevations have lost their leaves.

For more information contact BLM botanist Martin Oliver, mpoliver@blm.gov (760) 872-5035.

From http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/bishop/fall_colors.html

The fall colors have already peaked and faded in June Lake and Lake Lundy. My two top picks for best fall colors in the Sierra's, aside from Aspendell, above Bishop.

Quote
Ulysses61
The fall colors have already peaked and faded in June Lake and Lake Lundy. My two top picks for best fall colors in the Sierra's, aside from Aspendell, above Bishop.

Looks like you've got some bad information. Neither June nor Lundy have peaked. We're in what's known to photographers as 'the green lull'.