...to the aspens! As mentioned on my ESS post I went out to a grove I discovered last year, and to my disappointment found the trees to be in very poor shape - all the leaves were half green/half dried and dead Perhaps that frost last weekend? Oh well, guess I have somewhere to go next year... those leaves in the foreground are supposed to be yellow!!
Posted by Mike Ryan on October 12, 2009 at 1:04 AM
I hear ya Floris. I was a bit disappointed with the Sierra color this year. Seems like it was overcooked or still green. No rhyme or reason. I spent a little time in Hope Valley this weekend and there is still some "hope" there, but with a big windy storm coming mid-week anything could happen it might all be blown away.
That being said I like the image regardless. It's almost like an Aspen prison cell - a good kind of prison though. The strong gold hues in the background are quite nice. My nit would be what looks to be a blue cast at the base of the aspens themselves. Could be my eyes though
Thanks Mike, yea I noticed the blue... but was too lazy to fix it, since as I said, I'll come back next year to catch this one over again prison bars indeed came to mind!
Floris, needless to say the mystery of the aspens lives on. This year as well as last year was a real mixed bag in sightings and the ability to shoot certain groves in the sierras. I'm sure I have been a bit early both years, however, years past there was still a very good amount of change and more so for each week I was there.
Dare I say global warming affect? Overall I've discussed with others with the same puzzling thoughts. Not sure if it has anything to do with water content or many other factors. For example, although the trees in and around the Lee Vining area looked the same to me this year, even slightly less turned then last year, yet a grove I shot with Preston last year in full color was completely bare this year. To a point of looking like some kind of blight hit the area and stripped it. Yet, not more then 300 yards away another grove was fully healthy and still very green.
Posted by Mat Malone on October 12, 2009 at 12:09 PM
Yeah it was a bit of a fizzle. I hear what's best is an Indian summer that lasts through October. That way all the leaves have time time to turn without getting frozen or blown off the trees. But then you've got to get there before that first storm comes in. Oh well, something to look forward to next year!
I would really like to be there when all the Aspens around the JLL are turning. That would be amazing.
There is some thinking that the wet June and July the Sierra experienced this year is a contributing factor. More soil moisture and warmer soil temperatures, as well as greater relative humidity would seem to lend itself to what we observed this year in the Mono Basin.
I logged in all my 4x5 sheets before I sent them off for processing. As it turns out, the only 'tree' image I made over the course of seven days was of a Juniper in Lee Vining Canyon! This is hardly normal for me in October in the Sierra!
Having said that, just being able to spend time on the East Side among the mountains and with my friends, is what's really all about for me. It just doesn't get any better than that!
Thanks for your thoughts folks.. I just hope it's not a sign of things getting worse over the coming years... Colorado seems screwed with the pine beetles, sudden aspen decline, etc. etc.... I hope we don't have to suffer a similar fate here. I found it interesting that it seemed relatively local - ie. the Aspens along Bishop Creek looked pretty healthy (though most of the yellow leaves had half turned black, which I believe is the result of a heavy frost?).
Oh well, I still managed to have a good time, and even find some attractive trees, seems like you all managed just as well last week.
On a positive note, the rabbitbrush and cottonwoods look fantastic all along 395. I haven't been out there this time of year before, so I can't compare to previous years, but I was really impressed with the array of yellows!
Posted by Derek Sedillo on October 12, 2009 at 10:40 PM
With all those very green Aspens around June Lake during the meetup couldn't it still be possible for some late season color from those trees? Just as a point of reference check out this shot I found from last year taken on 10/25/2008: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mariusp/2985461530/
On a positive note, the rabbitbrush and cottonwoods look fantastic all along 395. I haven't been out there this time of year before, so I can't compare to previous years, but I was really impressed with the array of yellows!
I love Cottonwoods which IMO can look as fastastic as Aspens in the Fall. I was checking out all the green ones last week thinking those are really going to look good when they turn. Care to share any snaps of them?
I didn't shoot any cottonwoods this trip... just admired them from the road... there's still a number of green ones, but some are looking great. I wish I could just spend a week or two out there, then I might be able to get enough time to shoot everything I wanted to!
The aspens in the grove I shot, where the photo above is from, will not be turning yellow... those leaves are dead, dried, shriveled, and over. They might turn a little yellow/brown, but certainly not a nice yellow like we'd like to see.
Posted by Eric Good on October 13, 2009 at 2:53 PM
Too bad Mother Nature didn't cooperate with you. This scene looks like it has lots of potential for future outings. I really like the way that conifer appears encased by these aspen trunks. Very unique and nice find!
Posted by Rudy Ruberti on October 14, 2009 at 12:31 AM
I'm going with the weather. I spend a lot of time at Mammoth and I don't remember ever getting so much rain in the spring. Looks like there may be 4 feet of snow by the weekend.
Posted by Steve Sieren on October 14, 2009 at 1:05 AM
Looks like that X-mas tree got put in jail!
Hope there is still some fall color in the bottom of the Owens Valley.
Posted by Derek Sedillo on October 14, 2009 at 11:46 AM
Hope there is still some fall color in the bottom of the Owens Valley.
With all this storm activity and lower elevation color potential I think someone is going to get some good late season shots. You can see some of the nice color forming right now in Lee Vining and Mono from the webcam. Scroll to the bottom and take a look at what appears to cottonwoods: http://www.tranquilityimages.com/cams.shtml
Then there is all the fresh snow in the Sierras. Mammoth got dumped on! Corey's Bishop Cam looks pretty awesome today!
*** Update: Checked the Flickr boards and there are reports of really nice color in the June Lake Loop area just before this latest storm. Remember the group photo with all those green aspens in the background.
Discussion
12 repliesThat being said I like the image regardless. It's almost like an Aspen prison cell - a good kind of prison though. The strong gold hues in the background are quite nice. My nit would be what looks to be a blue cast at the base of the aspens themselves. Could be my eyes though
Dare I say global warming affect? Overall I've discussed with others with the same puzzling thoughts. Not sure if it has anything to do with water content or many other factors. For example, although the trees in and around the Lee Vining area looked the same to me this year, even slightly less turned then last year, yet a grove I shot with Preston last year in full color was completely bare this year. To a point of looking like some kind of blight hit the area and stripped it. Yet, not more then 300 yards away another grove was fully healthy and still very green.
I would really like to be there when all the Aspens around the JLL are turning. That would be amazing.
I logged in all my 4x5 sheets before I sent them off for processing. As it turns out, the only 'tree' image I made over the course of seven days was of a Juniper in Lee Vining Canyon! This is hardly normal for me in October in the Sierra!
Having said that, just being able to spend time on the East Side among the mountains and with my friends, is what's really all about for me. It just doesn't get any better than that!
-P
Oh well, I still managed to have a good time, and even find some attractive trees, seems like you all managed just as well last week.
On a positive note, the rabbitbrush and cottonwoods look fantastic all along 395. I haven't been out there this time of year before, so I can't compare to previous years, but I was really impressed with the array of yellows!
I love Cottonwoods which IMO can look as fastastic as Aspens in the Fall. I was checking out all the green ones last week thinking those are really going to look good when they turn. Care to share any snaps of them?
The aspens in the grove I shot, where the photo above is from, will not be turning yellow... those leaves are dead, dried, shriveled, and over. They might turn a little yellow/brown, but certainly not a nice yellow like we'd like to see.
Hope there is still some fall color in the bottom of the Owens Valley.
With all this storm activity and lower elevation color potential I think someone is going to get some good late season shots. You can see some of the nice color forming right now in Lee Vining and Mono from the webcam. Scroll to the bottom and take a look at what appears to cottonwoods: http://www.tranquilityimages.com/cams.shtml
Then there is all the fresh snow in the Sierras. Mammoth got dumped on! Corey's Bishop Cam looks pretty awesome today!
*** Update: Checked the Flickr boards and there are reports of really nice color in the June Lake Loop area just before this latest storm. Remember the group photo with all those green aspens in the background.
Derek