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Forums · CANP

Eastern Sierra this weekend

Discussion

5 replies
Posted by Anil Rao on October 7, 2011 at 2:31 PM
Anyone headed to the Eastern Sierra this weekend?

I plan to be there. Both 108 and 120 are closed so I will most likely go via South Lake Tahoe.
Posted by Lon Overacker on October 7, 2011 at 7:39 PM
Anil,

Just heard from my buddy Kyle who is in Lee Vining now. Color is spotty at best with still lots of green. Lots of snow and cold from this recent storm in the upper canyons. Doesn't sound like things are prime yet.

Harley, Chris, Jason, Paul D and I imagine some others are in the area.

BTW, 120 and 108 are both open now.

Lon
Posted by Anil Rao on October 7, 2011 at 8:01 PM
Hi Lon,

Thanks for replying. I appreciate the information on the conditions there. I am not specifically looking for fall color -- mostly just wanting to get out a little -- so I'll take anything. :smile:. Good to know that 120 and 108 are open. In that case, I'll just go on 120 through YNP.

Hope to run into some of the folks you mentioned.

Regards.
Posted by Tony Siciliano on October 7, 2011 at 10:56 PM
Just arrived in Bishop this evening. I took a detour up to Virginia Lakes because Dave Henry in the Sacramento Bee said it was peak (before the storm). Many of the yellow leaves are either on the ground or have large brown spots. Same on Bishop Creek below Sabrina basin. A photographer showed me some North Lake photos taken today. The lava curl behind the lake has turned started turning brown, and many of the trees on the shore have lost leaves. So, for aspen color I think the ticket is to wait another week or two for the leaves that were green when the storm hit to turn.
Posted by Jimmy Gekas on October 10, 2011 at 2:12 PM
Not quite the Eastern Sierra update, but I was in Colorado last week when a snow storm hit on Thursday. All the leaves in the area took a major hit. Peak and near peak color turned to brown and black within 24 hours. Even the green leaves started to look muted and the overall vibrancy on the hills/mountainsides was greatly diminished. The change in the short amount of time was astonishing. There was one area that seemed to escape the color crush, so hopefully, the same can be said for some areas of the Eastern Sierras.
Posted by Chris Chamberlain on October 10, 2011 at 10:38 PM
Well, based on what I saw between Bishop Creek Canyon, and Virginia Lakes north Of Lee Vining, things are pretty much the same. All the color is dead or dying and not very vibrant. I did think the June Lake Loop showed some promise though. There is still a lot of green everywhere, so Tony may be right.

Chris