This image is for those who are yet to plan their fall color trips!
This sunrise was taken above the Fish Creek drainage on Steens Mountain. Aspen rarely make an appearance in Oregon and to find such a large colorful stand was outstanding to say the least. The Aspen here only occur in a narrow elevation range of between 6,500 to 8,000 feet. My friend Ron and I had traveled here from the Portland area in late September on 2010. I had only recently made the transition from analog film to digital. This scene was a real feast for the eyes.
Posted by John Williams on June 18, 2012 at 11:19 AM
Wow, I've not seen this in OR/WA either. What a CO like display.
I love the layers of color and lighting. Very nice!
Thanks John and Bruce! Bruce, this area is on Steens Mountain which is south of Burns Oregon. We camped at the upper Fish Creek campground the last week of September in 2010. It is a long drive from just about anywhere in the Northwest but well worth the effort. Here is a link: Steens Mountain
Beautiful photo, Phil! This location on Steens Mountain is sometimes referred to as Jackman Park, and as you say, a little above Fish Lake in elevation. To the best of my knowledge, it is the largest and best stand of aspen in Oregon and Washington combined. You got the timing just right. Color like this typically happens from mid to late September, and sometimes only lasts for a few days before a storm blows all the leaves of the trees. A call to the Burns BLM office, or to French Glen Hotel, will usually get you a reasonably accurate report on the conditions of fall color. Worth noting to anyone planning a trip to the Steens: the best fall color often coincides with hunting season here, so it's a good idea to wear some blaze orange when out of your vehicle, particularly on weekends.
Discussion
6 repliesThis sunrise was taken above the Fish Creek drainage on Steens Mountain. Aspen rarely make an appearance in Oregon and to find such a large colorful stand was outstanding to say the least. The Aspen here only occur in a narrow elevation range of between 6,500 to 8,000 feet. My friend Ron and I had traveled here from the Portland area in late September on 2010. I had only recently made the transition from analog film to digital. This scene was a real feast for the eyes.
I love the layers of color and lighting. Very nice!