Posted by Bill Bean on September 13, 2010 at 1:21 PM
Hi Folks. 2 subjects in one post today. First, I'm probably going to head up over Kenosha Pass and maybe up to Breckenridge then back over Boreas Pass this weekend. Probably Sunday. If you see an old grey Toyota pickup that looks like the last chapter of "What's the Use?" and an old pudgy guy with a black lab, that's me. Stop and say Hi.
Second, I'm in the planning stages of a long weekend trip to AZ to try and photograph fall colors in Oak Creek Canyon near Sedona. From what I can figure out online the average peak is last week of October to first week of November. Can any of you confirm or deny this? Thanks in advance.
Posted by Doug Koepsel on September 13, 2010 at 1:41 PM
For the upper canyon and West Fork, I would target around the Oct 15th to the last week of October. I missed the color change last year in West Fork, so have no photos to date check.
The Coconino NF site may help once they start updating it for this year.
http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino/recreation/fall-colors/fall_colors.shtml
I looked at another photographer's site and the dates of the upper canyon and West Fork were Oct 15-19 for a few different years.
(edited to correct dates)
Posted by Doug Koepsel on September 14, 2010 at 2:46 PM
Bill, in looking at some of my photos take around Red Rock Crossing/Cathedral Rock on an Oct 2nd, some trees were green and some were yellow with about a 50/50 split.
Posted by Bill Bean on September 14, 2010 at 6:50 PM
Wow. Thanks for the information Doug. That's a pretty big difference from the Cococino site. Ultimately I'm looking at the weekend of October 23 or October 30. Guess I'll have to do some more research.
If you run across any more data I'd appreciate it.
Posted by Allan Birch on September 14, 2010 at 10:28 PM
Hi Bill
I hiked West Fork trail on 10/25/08 and it seemed to be very close to peak colors in most spots. If you go get there early, otherwise you'll battle the crowds! Here is a sample...
Bill,
Also, see if you can dig up some information on the amount of rain Sedona's gotten this summer during the monsoon season. I lived in Sedona in '08 and '09 and unfortunately '09 wasn't nearly as good as '08. '09 was just too dry; most of the colors were pale.
My favorite results in '08 were late October. Red Rock Crossing tends to be more sycamores; I preferred the maples up in West Fork. Get to the parking lot early...
Discussion
5 repliesSecond, I'm in the planning stages of a long weekend trip to AZ to try and photograph fall colors in Oak Creek Canyon near Sedona. From what I can figure out online the average peak is last week of October to first week of November. Can any of you confirm or deny this? Thanks in advance.
The Coconino NF site may help once they start updating it for this year.
http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino/recreation/fall-colors/fall_colors.shtml
I looked at another photographer's site and the dates of the upper canyon and West Fork were Oct 15-19 for a few different years.
(edited to correct dates)
If you run across any more data I'd appreciate it.
I hiked West Fork trail on 10/25/08 and it seemed to be very close to peak colors in most spots. If you go get there early, otherwise you'll battle the crowds! Here is a sample...
http://www.fredmiranda.com/hosting/showphoto.php?photo=67391&sort=1&cat=500
Allan
Also, see if you can dig up some information on the amount of rain Sedona's gotten this summer during the monsoon season. I lived in Sedona in '08 and '09 and unfortunately '09 wasn't nearly as good as '08. '09 was just too dry; most of the colors were pale.
My favorite results in '08 were late October. Red Rock Crossing tends to be more sycamores; I preferred the maples up in West Fork. Get to the parking lot early...
Mark.