The fall foliage finally got the memo in the Eastern Sierra: Start turning!
There is a big change for some of the areas since last week. Most locations are still green, but many more have color. It seems the color will be about a week later than most years.
Many of our favorite areas still have wildflowers and my guess is that the foliage will be best the second and third weekends of October in the Bishop Creek area.
The way I see it, there are two types of fall foliage. The first are areas with a few pretty colored trees scattered over a large area. That's sparse for those who want that wall-to-wall color, but this is prevalent throughout the Gold Country up through Placerville, Auburn and Grass Valley. Most of this color is in distant hills or on private property, "drive-by color."
The other type of color is in the awe-inspiring vast meadows or hillsides covered with colorful trees. In California, this is found only in the Eastern Sierra. This is "photographer's color."
You can take thousands of photographs in the Eastern Sierra over the course of these five fall weeks and still feel as though you missed something.
The goal of the Sacbee.com foliage project is to provide you the when, where and how-to information to capture the season successfully. We'll offer our "Best Bets for leaf color" every week.
Best Bets for leaf color
The best areas for photographers this weekend will be in the upper meadows above Conway Summit (stop 7 on the map), Sabrina Basin and Sabrina Lake (stop 17 on the map) and Table Mountain Meadow to Parchers (stop 20 on the map) along South Fork Bishop Creek.
See the map with color rankings here.
Conway Summit meadows above the summit are your best bet for color. Take Dunderberg Meadow Road 1-2 miles. Then walk among the groves of trees. You will love it. The road is a Class 1 dirt road, so most cars can traverse it with no problem. The side roads can range from Class 2 to Class 4, so be careful and don't take them unless you have a high-clearance vehicle and, in some cases, four-wheel drive.
Sabrina Lake and basin offers nice color this weekend. The entire area is just beginning to turn, but there is more than enough to shoot. Check the Fall Leaves 2011 gallery for examples.
Table Mountain Meadow to Parchers on the South Fork Bishop Creek is the only other area for good color, and its has many water photo opportunities.
Next weekend will have significant change.
Weather
Daytime temperatures in the Eastern Sierra are in the mid 80s, with nights approaching freezing. This should make for nice color soon.
I was speaking with a longtime farmer yesterday and he thinks we will have an early snow, equal to the record snowfall last winter. If that's the case, you shouldn't miss any opportunity to photograph the colors.
When snow falls on colored leaves, they turn black and fall within 24 hours. You might have to make several trips over here but that's not a bad thing. The objective is to get as much color before the snow season as possible.
Get complete weather forecasts and information here.
On the road
There are two major road construction projects that will impact your travel to the Eastern Sierra.
The first is construction delays on Highway 89 between Meyers and Luther Pass. They're still installing curbs on the highway. The CalTrans website says to expect 20 minute delays. My last experience was 36 minutes with the flagman chatting with a colleague most of the time. I was actually able to watch the leaves turn color. Well, maybe it was my face!
The second is construction on Highway 395 just north of Bridgeport where they are installing new shoulders. That should be nice for those of us who like to photograph the cattle with the Sawtooth Range in the background.
Gas prices are about the same as in the Sacramento area. I fill up at Topaz Lake Casino, which is 3 miles north of where Highways 89 and 395 meet. I paid $3.87. Then I fill up in Bishop. Gas along Highway 395 from Walker to Bishop averages about $4.90. Gas in Bishop at the Giggle Springs Arco and Paiute Casino stations is $3.87.
Lodging
The Eastern Sierra fall foliage season has really caught on with the public. Call ahead to book rooms, as they are scarce this weekend. Mammoth and June Lake might be a good backup.
Try these websites for more hotels:
Good eats
If you like barbecue, you won't want to miss Bar-B-Que Bill's on Main Street in Bishop. They have an all-you-can-eat ribs and salad bar special for $12.99 on Wednesdays.
Events
This weekend Bishop will host the Owens Valley Cruisers' Fall Colors Car Show, which is another reason hotels are scarce. This event draws cars from as far away as Reno, Sacramento and Los Angeles.
If you're into cars, it is a real kick. Main Street will be packed on Friday and Saturday nights, so try to use side streets to avoid delays. Download a Google map of Bishop before you come.
Photography tips
Now's the time to brush up on your photographic skills, so don't miss the opportunity to get help with our Tips & Techniques section.
Share your photos
Now that you're on board with our fall leaves expedition, upload your own fall foliage photos from any area to the Sacbee reader gallery. Check out what other readers are sharing while you're there.
Email your fall leaf photos from your computer or mobile phone to fall@sacbee.com
Related links
Fall Leaves 2011 special section
Fall Leaves 2011 photo gallery
Fall Leaves 2010 photo gallery
Map: Interactive guide to Sierra fall colors
Story: Plumas County lures leaf peepers
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