Fall Color Reports 2013

September is here and that means it's fall foliage season. Plants in the tundra environments are already starting to turn red and orange and it won't be long until aspens, oaks, maples and cottonwoods begin their changes as well. Please post your reports of the fall color conditions you observe in your travels here. Be sure to tell us location information, the day(s) of your visit, and, definitely, adding pictures to your posts is appreciated!

Please keep one thing in mind...we will be having the fall colors contest in November so please don't post an image you are considering for the contest since those images are supposed to be anonymous. Thanks!

Yeah - the fall thread!

What I am most interested in knowing - are we early, late, or on the mark. Going back through messages here and elsewhere the past couple years it seems Fall Aspens were a bit behind in 2011 and a bit earlier in 2012. I got travel planned for Colorado Sep 20-Oct 1 and hope to contribute on the road and will have the RMNP sticker on the back of my '09 Gray Touareg.

Fall, only days away

Maples and aspens in the Wasatch are already changing. Seems awfully early to me but what do I know.

Spent the holiday weekend in and around Aspen. Not sure what it will mean for timing, but the aspen look very healthy. Things in general are greener than normal - ground, scrub, trees. Aspen leaves were vibrant green, not the dull olive color that appears when conditions are drier. Hoping these healthy conditions translate to great fall color whenever they appear.

Currently planning to be in CO sometime around Sept 24th through Oct 4th.

While returning home from Durango last Sunday, I drove up US-550 to Delta, then meandered about on Grand Mesa.

US-550 from Durango to Ouray:
Spots here and there where a clump of 5 - 10 trees are yellow, with a tree here or there with red. Mostly solid green still.

Grand Mesa:
Similar to US-550, though in some spots there was a large clump of possibly 100 trees that were yellow.

This weekend should be telling.

Up here in NW Colorado, the aspens look very healthy and if I had to guess, are a little behind schedule---maybe all this rain has something to do with that. The mountain ash are as prolific and vibrant as I've ever seen them. Here's a stand of aspens on the Buffalo Pass Road that's already turned, but this isolated stand always does about this time....

Looking the other way, just across the road---while the mountain ash are healthy, their leaves and the aspens haven't begun to turn, which is a little behind last year. But last year, the mountain ash had no berries, and it was obviously much drier then. Both pictures were done earlier today.

Does anyone have information/predictions for the San Juans - Ridgeway, Silverton, Durango??

I've got 5 days off starting on Sept 26th...Any predictions/suggestions of where to go? I've been wanting to shoot the Crystal Mill...too early? Any and all suggestions appreciated!

For San Juans Fall Foliage reports two good sources are:
Kit Frost's blog: http://photokitfrost.wordpress.com/
San Juan National Forest Site: http://www.fs.usda.gov/detailfull/sanjuan/home/?cid=stelprdb5389668&width=full

Went over Vail/Tennessee/Fremont passes (including Leadville and Twin Lakes) over the weekend. Sporadic and small patches of yellow. Everything else is 100% (healthy) looking green. I expected these high altitudes to be kicking this time of year and was surprised that they weren't.

RichieV

I drove today from Durango to Ouray.on 550. There is some indication here and there that the aspen are changing. Best color is as you enter silverton from durango. Being from IL (just visiting for September) you probably should nor listen to my guess but I would think we are at least a week away.

http://www.tellurideskiresort.com/TellSki/info/live-cams.aspx
The Plunge Lift webcam shows Mt Wilson to be rather green

A guy posted a shot from Maroon Bells yesterday on 500px. Still pretty green, but the ball is getting rolling.

http://500px.com/photo/46878032

Here is a link to the 500px photo
http://500px.com/photo/46878032

The La Sals are just starting to go off. The aspens are still mostly green but there are spots of good color. I suspect we've got about 2 weeks of color left.

As per Pete Miller:

Rabbit Ears area is 5% (at best).

The Bells this morning - the leaves have a way to go, but the conditions were the nicest I've seen since first coming here in 2007.

Pretty shot, Stephen--sure does look like everything is a week late this year. Well, at least there will be some good snow, especially up high, after the storms hit tomorrow and next wed-thu.

Twin lakes area has about 20-30% change, I didn't go over Independence Pass, Crested Butte had about 5-10% change with Kebler pass being very disappointing only about 5%, if that. Cottonwood pass had some nice tundra color. Will be headed to Lake City area tomorrow and then over to Silverton.

Thank-you for the updates. Comparing Maroon Bells 2013 shots so-far against a collection of dated photos from various sources in 2012, it sure looks like we are 5-6 days behind 2012 - at least. With the systems and colder weather coming, I do wonder if it might get going really fast.

I'll know first hand beginning Sunday evening. It is windy here in Vegas tonight, Saturday night! - and I'll be making the drive to Colorado with the storm on Sunday.

Keep me posted Karl..I will be down in OUray/Silverton next weekend.

Howdy! We went on a drive yesterday (9/21) to check things out and this is what we found:
Guanella Pass (visited 9/21&22; photo above from today 9/22) is well underway with more today than yesterday and plenty more to come. The marshy areas are turned nicely and everything is looking healthy. Lots of tarns and the creek is really flowing thanks to recent rain.
Kenosha Pass (visited 9/21) barely even started.
Boreas Pass (visited 9/21) has begun and will be looking good in a few days or so.
Mt Evans road (visited 9/21) has begun turning a little.
We'll be in Crested Butte next weekend so if you see an RMNP sticker, say hi!

Ann your updates are much appreciated!

Drove from Durango to Uray today. No color in uray right now. Once you get out of the canyon on the way to silverton, you see some color all the way to molar pass. I'm guessing (I'm from Chicago not around here) but next weekend should be pretty good.

I guess I should add the people in siverton are expecting snow tonight. I saw some when I drove up to animas forks around 3pm. They went on to say if it is heavy and wet, it may strip some of the leaves in the silverton area.

In lake City, color about 50% and having some heavy rain today. There will definitely be snow on the mountains! Will be headed over red mountain and checking out Ridgway, owl creek and Telluride. I'm not too hopeful, but since I'm here I gotta look. I might have to circle back here or Aspen though. :0)

We were in Steamboat this weekend and saw only a few patches of color here and there. We drove Buffalo Pass but only saw a few groves with any color. The narrowleaf cottonwoods along the river on Hwy. 131 between Wolcott and Yampa have some nice color.

Sigh...the one time I can finally take some time off to head into the high country for foliage photos, and everything is off schedule...
I'll be in Aspen and Glenwood Springs starting on Thursday...hopefully things will accelerate a little.

Snow level right at 9000-ft in Aspen with last nights storm.

aspen-mountain-live-web-cam

Hey Kane,
That link is broken.

This one isn't, though!
The San Juan Nat'l. Forest Fall Color Report 2013 is updated regularly, I believe.

McClure Pass area is at 15-20%, but with colder temps & snow overnight...should start to pop pretty quick. Pearl Pass rd (4wd or hiking) beyond Ashcroft is at 20-25%, but also due to pop due to colder temps, rain/snow overnight.

New tent purchased (old tent started leaking like a 2" firehose overnight, amidst the incessant rain) and will be back among the great outdoors tomorrow.

Pete thanks for that update. McClure area is in my radar.

Looking out the window of my front room in Montrose, the San Juans have a beautiful coat of snow from last night.

Here is a shot taken on CR20 from Lake City up towards Engineer's Pass. Good snow and color is coming along.

Here is an internet site that access webcams around the state.
http://coloradolivecams.com/coloradocams.htm

Video from 9/23/2013 Kebler Pass

http://www.kjct8.com/news/wonders-of-the-western-slope-fall-drives-kebler-pass/-/163152/22074686/-/ldtldo/-/index.html

From Monday, Sep 23 - I departed Vegas and got to Moab mid-afternoon. Stopped by Bret Edge's gallery to say hi, then off to the east side of the La Sals. La Sal Pass is mostly green low, yellow-green in many many places as you climb higher, and a few good stands of Yellow Aspens high up, including one section I drove through. Some hints of red on the tops of the lower trees. I am still learning Aspen timing, but I sense it could be very nice in the La Sals over the weekend.

I then drove the backroads into Telluride. There is snow! in the San Juans around here. I am going to head out shortly, checking Lizard, then Wood Lake, heading around to Ridgway and Ouray and then Red Mountain Pass. Not sure where I set up a sunset shot. Once I find next Internet, I'll post an update.

Midday Sep 24 from Telluride. Toured around the Lizard Head Pass / Alta Lakes area. Mostly green to light green with small stsnds of brilliant yellow. Its kinds like yellow brush splatter - not much though. Some roadsides are yellow. Went up to Alta Lakes where a flock of Mallards were bumming off of people food. Melting snow on up to 11,300k.

Heading to Wood Lake, then around the corner to Ridgway.

From Telluride Sep 24 - The impossible to find Mystic Falls. I considered a river adventure - but that stream was a river rapids. Even from above, you can see the flow - I guess from the snow melt. Photo is unprocessed, as I am working from a 13-inch laptop in a hotel room in Ouray. Shot was very very long - pulled out the crop-body 7D + 200mm + 1.4 extender. Typical streak of yellow Aspens in the middle of green.

Best color I could find in the Telluride area on Sep 24 was at Woods Lake. But not the mountain - except on top - it was pale green. But the parking area and area between the lake and camp area. Another unprocessed photo Notice the reds - lots of reds this year. Fall Creek Road was alive with yellows.

Karl, thanks for those updates. Anything regarding Wilson Mesa or Last Dollar Road?

Any real-time reports from the Tetons/Yellowstone?

Mid-day report Sep 25 from Ouray CO

Red Mountain area, particularly the Ironton area - is Beautiful! Waves of yellow mixed with yellow green and green to keep this into the weekend. The downside - its windy. The upside... not seeing many leaves fall. But with the storm coming in...? A photo tonight.

A word I forgot about Telluride. For those who remember the Placerville construction delays - there is a new construction project at the junction of 145 and the way into town. I was held up 20 minutes northbound there.

I am headed to Aspen via McClure Pass. I'll take a peak at Ridgway Joshua.

Hey, Amy, I don't know if you've seen it, but there is a winter storm warning for that area and some of Montana.

Tetons are great. Covered in snow with storms bringing more tonight. Aspen and cottonwoods about 50% and mostly healthy. Weather breaks Fri; weekend could be epic. Will try to post a photo from my phone later.

Also, Mike Jackson's blog, bestofthetetons contains a very good daily update from him of conditions there.

Karl, looking forward to your assessment of the McClure Pass area. Thanks for the updates.

Karl, I am very interested in hearing about McClure pass also. We are trying to decide if we are heading to Crested Butte this Friday or next Friday. If anyone has any input, I'd love to hear it!

Karl, I am very interested in hearing about McClure pass also. We are trying to decide if we are heading to Crested Butte this Friday or next Friday. If anyone has any input, I'd love to hear it!

Per Jimmy Gekas, McClure is currently still very green. Ferns look good but some patches got flattened by snow.

McClure... yes, confirming Jimmy Gekas - Green. I recall some yellow a few miles further west low and to the north - but not worth it. I did a quick sunset shot in Marble - it has color but probably a few days away before its really good. After that it got dark and I am now in Aspen ready for my %$ wakeup call. :)

In general I am seeing a trend - more in my Ridgway report next.... If its very high it may have color. If its low in a sheltered canyon it may have color. Both due to subfreezing temperatures. Now I understand Aspens are sun-triggered - but nothing a hard freeze can't get mother nature going. What this means is - mid-level areas are seriously late - but once they go, I expect it will go very fast. Parts of the San Juans were changing very fast.

Now - Ridgway as of Sep 25. Its Green. Green Green Green. Wanted to break it nicely, but if you look closely, you can see Julie Andrews and children parading about the hills. Same for Owl Creek Pass Ridgway side.

Now where is there yellow? I saw some yellow low near West Dallas; and a few good pockets of yellow way out to the east end near the hills - maybe CR 5 or CR 7?

This picture was quickly taken from the overlook near the top not far from Last Dollar. Ignore the yellow brush in the foreground. Look further out.

Now go around the corner about 25 miles into Red Mountain / Ironton area... much higher elevation... and this is what you get.

(again, unprocessed, straight from Lightroom 4 import - edit Image selection fixed)

Thanks for the reports! I am postponing my trip for a week (have to wait for a weekend to get out unfortunately) so I may be a little late, but I'll take my chances. We may head up to Maroon Bells this weekend since we've never been (very un-Coloradan!). I figure we'll get there around 4am and hope to find parking.

Rocky Mountain National Park -Bear lake and Longs Peak THs are officially opened as of this morning.

Got to Maroon Bells today - arrived at 4:30 - second/third one there. Windy! White caps on the lake. White snow face - Blue sky morning - classic look. Still some green but yellow all about. They were not running busses today - looked like parking accommodated the photo line, early risers, and campers. This weekend - heh. Its almost the only game around. Met some forum members out there today.

I was thinking about heading up to the Maroon Bells this weekend but the more I think about it the more I think I'll pass on the crowds and head over to Cataract Lake near Heeney or maybe Piney Lake.

Some nice pockets of color in various locations here in NW Colorado---including Flat Tops, Steamboat Lake, Buffalo Pass. Here's one yesterday on the Buff Pass Road....

Stillwater Reservoir area and Flat Top Mountain on September 24....

Rod, I hope the color holds out up there until next weekend when we come back to the Boat. We drove up Buff Pass last weekend and saw hardly any aspen color, although the wild berry bushes were loaded with berries and brilliantly colored. I hiked up to Upper Fish Creek Falls and there wasn't much color there yet either. The hike was beautiful, but my legs are still recovering Do you know the condition of the road from Trappers Lake eastward? I heard it's paved from Meeker to Trappers but then turns to dirt. I'll be in my extremely low clearance Honda Civic but am looking for some scenic area drives. I definitely won't be taking the Civic up Buff Pass. We took our Tundra last weekend and were amazed how rough/rutted it was especially at the top. My Civic is blue and has an RMNP sticker in the back window. Say hi if you see me next weekend!

Drove up to Aspen/Basalt yesterday. The east side of Independence Pass should peak this weekend or early in the week. Nice colors, but not 100% around Twin Lakes. Spots of nice color on the road to Ruedi Reservoir. Raining today, but looks like it's trying to clear, so may try for Crystal Mill this afternoon,and Maroon Bells in the (VERY) early AM. Hope to see some forum friends there.

Steamboat area will be reaching peak the weekend of Oct. 5-6 probably, which is at least a week late. Lots of nice pockets of color in the meantime. I'm driving over Dunkley and Ripple Creek Pass tomorrow morning and will know better about that area but I expect it still has a ways to go. Angela, you'll have no trouble driving from Meeker through the Flat Tops. The paved portion ends miles before the turnoff to Trappers Lake, but it's a decent wide gravel road from there all the way to Phippsburg on the east side.

Does anyone happen to have any reports from the Torrey/Boulder Utah area? I was thinking potentially of heading out there on Tuesday, but I haven't seen anything by way of condition reports, particularly for the aspen around Boulder mountain. Thanks!

For anyone who is interested; I have been out in the following areas the last few days [9/24-9/26] (until my trip was put on pause for a week, due to family needs):

Kebler Pass area is still about 7 days out. Ohio Pass is about the same.

San Juan Skyway / Telluride / Lizard Head Pass / Ophir area are 7 - 10 days out for sure.

Drove Castle Creek Road today up to Ashcroft. Some good yellow low; and getting yellow past Ashcroft. Ashcroft Ghost Town had some yellow-green to yellow near the buildings that could be used.

I then drove to Durango via Glen wood Springs and Grand Junction. From a distance, Grand Mesa looked like it was turning. Owl Creek Pass near Ridgway also had one good yellow patch develop since the other day but still mostly green. I'd now start looking at the area from mid-week on.

Ouray to Silverton is Rockin Yello. Just a bit of green to keep it rolling through the weekend. Lots of yellow mixed in with the evergreens from Silverton to just past Coal Bank tho Molus Pass was still a bit Yellow-Green for a lake shot. Snow was heavily falling in all three passes - Red Mountain, Molas, and Coal Bank - roads ok but was sticking in spots - especially Red Mountain switchback area. Hermosa area is very green.

I am down in Durango for the D&SNGRR photographer's train and the roundhouse night shoots.

From my viewing - Hot spot - Maroon Bells; Best Drive - Ouray to Coal Bank Pass.

Back bowls of Vail on Sept 21. Not as much color as I expected to see.

As I write this it is snowing in Basalt, with snowing sticking to the grass, etc. Should make for an excellent photo op at the Maroon Bells in the morning (going to be an early morning for me).
Drove to the Crystal Mill today. We periodically ran into snow, ran, sun on the drive there from Basalt. We had a BRIEF period without snow when we got there, but then the snow came again. Made for good pictures anyway.
I was asked to post some comments about the ride to the mill...
I drove up there with a stock '06 Liberty with 235's on the rims. And skid plates I added after I bought the Jeep. I used 4HI all the way, mostly due to the road being a little slippery due to the moisture (snow/rain/sleet). The key is ground clearance. There were many times when I was very glad I put skid plates on the Jeep...not so much for scraping over large rocks (although there was one rock, where it was mostly the skid plate that carried us over), but for the rocks that got kicked up and bounced off the bottom of the Jeep
I saw a stock Subaru Outback coming down from the Mill. Not sure how he fared. Maybe it was a rental. Next on my Jeep shopping list: 3" lift kit and 32" tires.
All that said, I scratched one more thing off my photo bucket list and so far the shots look worth it!

Just got back from a quick trip to Boreas Pass. Don't bother for now. Very spotty yellow and only up higher on the road. The hillside the road runs through above Como is 70-80% green. And, the yellows that have turned don't look very bright except for just a few. Only a very slight dusting on Mt. Silverheels, so all in all not worth the trip. Tripped the shutter 4 times. On top of lousy conditions the wind was relentless. There were a lot of trees blown down and broken off. Some even on the road. Both aspen and pines were blown down. I would say the area needs 5-7 days to be near peak, and if the wind doesn't quit, there may be no leaves to turn.

Oh yeah, Kenosha was the same, very spotty and a few days to go for peak color.

Drove the Peak to Peak Byway from Blackhawk to Estes Park a couple of times over the past week. Color was very spotty driving up on Sunday, but there was one particular aspen stand just north of Nederland that looked great. When driving down on Thursday it was amazing to see how quickly the color changed, a lot more yellow up there. Things should look really nice all this weekend. The road is good all the way, just be careful of a few potholes and shoulders that have disappeared especially on Highway 7 approaching the Allenspark area due to the floods. Evidence of the floods and rock slides is definitely visible in the area Camp Saint Malo and Wind River Ranch, but the most of the rest of the byway (except for any still-closed side roads down the canyons) appears unaffected.

Bob, how was the color at the Mill?

Anyone have reports around Aspen/Capitol Peak?

Ken, the upper east and west Maroon Drainage are close to peak, maybe a day or two. Im currently watching a sunset of Mt Sopris off the Prince Creek road. The view is big. I'm guessing the color is about 30% here. However the scrub oak seems further along vs the aspen trees. Ill guess i need another 3-4 days for thus view of Sopris to really shine. I've heard a few times today that Capitol is about 5-6 days from 50%.

It's hard to believe how late the color is this season. But it's true.

Kane,
Kind of all over the map. Green in some areas, nice in others and bare trees in some places. With the snow and cold snap yesterday/last night, I'd expect big changes in a short period of time.
I posted one pic on Facebook if you want to look, although not a lot of trees in the photo. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=727862220564588&set=a.101940389823444.4754.100000224490768&type=1&theater¬if_t=photo_comment

BTW, I know you were somewhere in that long line of photographers at the Maroon Bells this morning, but I didn't see you on my way out, or I would've stopped and said hi!

Drove the Flat Tops Scenic Byway today...Dunkley Pass area 95+% green. Ripple Creek Pass area about 50% gold, some nice pockets of red and gold. Road from the turnoff to Trappers Lake west to Buford, has some really nice willow and cottonwood in full color along the river. Went to Capital Peak overlook in Aspen for sunset, I'd guess it's a week to peak. Prince Creek Road will be there in 3-4 days, I agree with Kane. Really nice how the under growth is coming along. Pray for clouds.

Went to Capitol Peak this afternoon, it's still mostly green, as it seems much of Southwest Colorado is

The attached iPhone images confirms what Kane had heard about
Capitol Peak. It really is just starting to turn. On the way, many of the aspens were turning brown around Twin lakes and most of the way up to Independence Pass. There were only a few small pockets of brilliant color. Same can be said for oaks in the lower valleys around Aspen. Higher up they are just starting to turn.
So, it's off to battle the hords at the Bells tomorrow. Since I'm in the area I will visit the Mill also.

Just drove back to Aspen from Durango via 550 and Grand Mesa.

The cold and the storm did some damage. It could also be just past Peak in certain areas. Silverton and Red Mountain Pass, looking bright yellow when I can through on Friday was getting very rust colored. I only found a few decent spots around Ironton. In Silverton from the Gas Station I could see some gray un-leaved areas.

I did not spend much time investigating Ridgway. From the 550, there were more bright yellow stands up on Owl Creek Pass but as a whole this is still days away - if it survives the cold.

On Grand Mesa, the top area yellows are equally "burnt" and turning rusty. On the more northern end there were a a few good hillsides but generally not ready.

I'll be at Maroon Bells and Crystal Mill and Sopris tomorrow. Probably one more hurrah Tuesday morning before I head home to prep for Zion Fall - with a Moab offroad adventure in-between :) Maybe an Oak Creek Arizona run.

Denver weather news tonight - they are watching a snow storm entering the Pacific that could bring snow levels to 5000-6000 feet in the Colorado Rockies this coming Friday.

Peak colors this weekend in the Winter Park, Frasier and west entrance to RMNP areas.

[b]Wasatch Mountains/Utah Update[b/]

Just spent the weekend running all over the Wasatch Mountains. Overall, there's still a whole lot of green aspens and oak. The maples are mostly looking good. In a few areas they're nearly done while in others they're still green. The general rule is: go up! The higher you go, the better things are looking.

On Saturday morning the aspens on Solider Summit were mostly green. On Sunday night I saw a whole lot of fantastic color. It was as if Ma Nature just went through with a paint brush overnight. Really, that big of a difference.

Nebo Peak Scenic Drive has some nice aspens up high. Probably still a few days to find some color in the aspens. A few maples looking good but a lot of green leaves.

Big Cottonwood Canyon and Little Cottonwood Canyon are still showing lots of green leaves. There are spots of color in all the varieties of foliage but there are no mountainsides totally blanketed in yellow/red/orange. I'm guessing 5-7 days and things will be looking good.

Provo Canyon is still pretty green. There's a little red here and there in the maples but it's still looking pretty later summer-y.

American Fork Canyon is where it's at right now. There's lots of good color in the aspens, cottonwoods and maples. Oaks are still pretty green. The dirt roads that extend out from Tibble Fork Reservoir are all showing some great color. There's still a few days left to get in on the party, though. Aspens above Silver Lake are looking good but they're probably only 40% right now. In a few days that area will go off BIG.

Hope this helps!

Thanks for this Bret - very helpful. I'm going to check out Boulder Mountain area today, then likely head north from there mid-week. Hopefully things will be coming along better by then.

At Maroon Bells this morning. Where there was brilliant color just a few days ago now shows gray. Lake was glass until the dawn - then the mirror image scrubbed away within minutes.

Another Steamboat update - Rainbow Ridge on Buffalo Pass Road is still mostly green, but the ground cover is mostly wilted and nasty due to snow and cold conditions.

Nothing different to add for Capital or the Bells. The end of Castle Creek Road is about 50% changed with some stringers of brown-bite.

Up here in the Estes area there are some trees which have turned nicely, but the majority are either still green or have turned brown. I also drove the Peak to Peak Highway yesterday and saw mostly green and brown. Do you think this is caused by too much moisture or by our recent cold snap?

WORST SEASON EVER!!! That's the only way to put it. I just spent 10 days, from Twin Lakes to Aspen up to the Tetons (ran into a few NPNers up there) and back down to McClure and Kebler. Teribble. Awful. Bad. Bad Bad. To sum it up: was at Mcclure this morning, only one other photog up the road. Beautiful clouds, but no color. 80% green, actually mostly black (so it wont get much better). Kebler was worse. White fuzzy things (mold?) on all the leaves, black fringes on all, 20% color at best. The snow squashed and killed all the ferns. Too much rain, followed by early heavy wet snow, all the while everything was a good two weeks late (amazing!) and it was a recipe for disaster. Of course, this is the year i finally had some time off. It snowed the whole time up in the Tetons, storm never really cleared. Not that it mattered, since colors sucked badly up there too. I'm going to forget this year and hope for a better one next season. At least i got some decent snow shots.

Drove Boulder Mountain out of Torrey this afternoon. Nothing particularly outstanding and quite a mixed picture overall. Lots of green and brown, but not entirely bad. Best parts are between mile markers 102-103 and 108-109. In the latter case, there is actually some very nice colour, including some reds and oranges, but compositions are limited as the trees are in a bowl to the east beneath the road.

The more open stands towards the Boulder end are not showing any really good colour - they look like they'll go straight from dull green to brown for the most part.

Don't fret about the bad aspens! This will be your chance to focus on Zion, Canyon de Chelly, The Guadalupe Mountains in TX, or Oak Creek Canyon in AZ! Still plenty of Fall colors to shoot! Just make the shift from aspen to maple/ash/cottonwood! It's all good!

Spent Fri thru Mon up in the Aspen to Crested Butte Area. As most others have noted things are not going well up there. Made the drive down to Ridgway yesterday afternoon and things are really looking up in my rather unexperienced opinion. Colors are much more widespread and healthy looking. Just got back from spending the morning on Owl Creek Pass and Silver Jack Res. Many areas of good color. Sliver Jack overlook in particular was probably near 70%. Im headed out to explore the rest of the area today, hope to follow up tonight.

Phillip makes a good point--the cottonwoods are doing really well, especially Crested Butte area. Also, this note i got from Jim Sayre:
The area around the Henderson mine near Berthoud pass was outstanding on Sunday. As was the Breckenridge areas. French creek was very very good.
Good luck to all--sorry for the downer post--just frustration--im back to work for next two weeks straight so unless the Ramparts or Sangres explode im done this year. (cant even take last minute leave thanks to the govt shutdown lol)

The Sangres around Truchas and Santa Fe appear to be about 60%. The higher elevations are mostly yellow whereas lower down they are mostly green.

Kebler Pass this morning. All of the places I visited this week, it had the healthiest stands of aspen, but certainly not up to previous years.

Around Kebler Pass last evening. Again, there are more crispy brown leaves than I've seen in the pass, but still has decent trees. Hard to say if the green trees will turn yellow or brown.

Here are a few pics from Jimmy Gekas who is on the road in the San Juans. First one from county road 7.

Another from road 7.

One more, from county road 5.

For anyone interested in Flagstaff, I visited lockett meadow today with Bob Miller and the aspens seemed to be somewhat patchy. It seems like many leaves had already blown off, and many had still yet to peak. I would say the inner basin was about 65% turned with some really golden patches. The rest of this week should be good for that area, and I am going to assume the week after will be a good time for hart prairie on the opposite side of the peaks. I'll be up there to see how things look next week.

Back in Vegas. No report there unless you want a picture of the Bellagio Atrium.

But on the way back home, I can report color about Emigrant Pass along I-70 into Richfield, and onward along the tops of mountains as far as Beaver on the I-15. Some color in the high ridges near Cedar City. Green at Kanarraville and Kolob Canyon.; not that I would expect color there on Oct 1.

Color on the eastern side of the La Sals was visible from the I-70. Looked good from the distance.

Latest and Longest Season Ever. Yup, seems to me from what I'm seeing that the colors are 10 days to two weeks late. And slow to turn and not turning evenly---within a few hundred yards there'll be gold, green, and red trees. But when they turn, oh my, the colors for the most part are saturated and brilliant. Up in my neck of the words of Northwest Colorado, it will be prime time through the weekend---Flat Tops, Hahns Peak, Buffalo Pass, Rabbit Ears Pass, Croshoe Lake, Oak Creek Canyon are looking varied and great. I saw the same situation this past weekend in the Aspen area and I think the Maroon Lake road and Ashcroft area, as well as Prince Creek Road and West Sopris Road, will be at peak with plenty of color. Here's an area above the town of Oak Creek yesterday afternoon, and I'll follow with a few others from Northwest Colorado.

Above Croshoe Lake Road

Oak Creek Canyon 10-1.

Ripple Creek Pass (Flat Tops) 9-28

Rainbow Ridge (from Buffalo Pass Road) 10-1

Rod, if Trail Ridge Road was open, I'd be over there today! That last image looks so inviting!

I'm planning to go out for 4 days starting from durango. I was thinking about doing the loop telluride, ridgeway, silverton, and durango. Any suggestions? Should I try to go up towards crested butte, over towards Utah? thoughts?

Robert, when I came through Telluride/Rico area last Friday, it was still at 15-20%. From recent accounts of others, it would appear that by Friday (10/04), the San Juans (CO-145 / CO-62) and the Uncompahgre's (Owl Creek Pass, Silver Jack Res) should be in good shape.

Kebler Pass area might actually be good by then too...

That's the general area that I am returning to when I resume my trip on Friday. :)

Thanks Erik, I just don't understand why most photographers continue to ignore this part of the state....

I've been working the backcountry roads of rd265. It's located at the bottom of McClure Pass where a sign reads "Colbran.". Just spent three days up there, now refueling in Carbondale. Road 265 is about 35% but there's huge areas going 50-60% and virtually all aspen trees look alive and healthy. It's my opinion that 265 and all of its dirt road tributaries deliver the best bang for your buck. Its the reason i have no problem spending 6 out if my 9 days of vacation exploring those dirt roads. I will say its not the eadiest to shoot if your driving through. Ok there's my secret.
South side of McClure shaping up very well. Will peak in a fee days. The leaves over there look fantastic.

^^ Thanks Kane! I'll be in that area come Sunday or Monday. Hopefully the colors are awesome at that time!

Rod Kissinger and I spent the morning on County Road 5. This picture was taken from the upper area with an IPhone. Has progressed nicely over the last few days and should be good this weekend.

County road 7 and 9 are also looking good. 50 to 60 percent at the higher elevations.

Color around Silver Jack Reservoir is 60 percent plus .

from Kane | I've been working the backcountry roads of rd265. It's located at the bottom of McClure Pass where a sign reads "Colbran." |

Good to hear. That must be the area I noticed starting to go yellow on Sep 25. Looks like an interesting road network.

from Tom | Rod Kissinger and I spent the morning on County Road 5. |

After driving all that distance, glad to hear Ridgway is beginning to pay off. Is it mostly the CR 5/7 areas and has Last Dollar developed?

Hwy 67 from Divide (US24) to Cripple Creek is anywhere from 50-100% in color, and FR383 (Crags) looks awesome, as does the Crags Trail. I expect the entire area to be 100% by the weekend, however, I'm not sure what the cold front that's expected on Thursday-Friday will do. We're not expected to get much, if any snow.
A co-worker in Cuchara says Hwy12 through Cuchara and up to the pass is only at around 35% (WAY behind schedule), but he says what has turned looks great. Depending on the weather, I may head down there Saturday morning when I go off-duty.

Any word on last dollar road? I'm beginning to think I may be better off to go to ridgeway (county roads and owl creek pass) first from durango and maybe up to mc clure and kebler returning to durango through telluride. I've got 4 days. Comments?

I'm trying to decide if I should head down to SW Colorado on Monday. I'm desperate to get out of Dodge as it's terribly limited with RMNP closed, but I'm guessing that the lower temps in the next days are going to freeze all the remaining leaves. Is it over for the season? Please tell me it isn't so.

I'm headed on a tour of SW Colorado tomorrow, so I'll post my impressions when I return.

Spot Temps on weather.gov

Area - Low Thu / High Fri / Low Fri

Ridgway CR 5/7 28 38 20
Ridgway Last Dollar 26 36 19
Woods Lake 22 36 18
Red Mt Pass 17 29 13
Ironton 20 33 15
Molas 22 33 14
McClure 25 32 16
Crystal Mill 19 31 13
Maroon Bells 18 27 12
Castle Creek 19 29 11
Indy Pass 16 26 11
Crested Butte 21 38 11
Grand Mesa 15 24 17

Going to be a tough Friday night. Snow may insulate. We should know by Sunday or Monday.

^After a week in PHX, it will be a bit of a shock returning to colder temps and possibly snow. :)

10/04 --> 10/12 should be an interesting 8 days finishing up my 2013 Fall Color trip. :D

Erik,

I don't think it's over here in the Steamboat area. Snow tomorrow bur sunny starting Saturday and temps getting into the 60's by Monday. The leaves mostly are not that far along that they will be killed by this snow, IMHO. We're expecting some great shooting this weekend.

Thanks Erik, I just don't understand why most photographers continue to ignore this part of the state....

Rod - arrived in Steamboat this afternoon on the way back from Salt Lake City. Fingers crossed for some great conditions tomorrow!

CO-145 from Dolores to Telluride Mtn Village is at 50% for the most part. Still a lot of green though. :( Have a feeling this years trip won't be anywhere near as fruitful as last year.

Here's a shot from today, about 5 mi south of Telluride Mtn Village.

Ohio Pass on Thursday morning.

After driving Last Dollar Road, County Rd. 7, Owl Creek Pass (best pics of the day) and FR727 yesterday looking for good color and places to camp that did not have snow, I'd have to say that fall colors in CO is pretty well done. :(

There are pockets of good color here & there, but not easy to get to and burning fuel to hunt 'em down isn't cost effective. I will say that Cimarron Ridge provided some spectacular shots (in my opinion) yesterday.

Just got back last night from a whirlwind 3 day tour. I agree the colors are done for the year except for the rare group that may still have color. I thought that Ohio Pass and Silver Jack had the best colors for what I saw from Thursday until yesterday.

Don't bother going south of Red Mountain Pass as everything looks bad. Cuchara is still green and going brown. Dallas Divide area is probably toast by now.

All in all not a good year for the color in Colorado, but there are always those areas that are breathtakingly beautiful.

Just returned from the San Juans. Not a great year at all. 25%-50% from Dolores to Telluride (still!).
No greater than 50%-75% on Last Dollar, CR 5 & CR 7 roads. Pretty mediocre, actually. As Morris noted, a few areas are really great, but you have to search for them.
Worth seeing if you live close by, but certainly not worth driving a long way.

OTOH, I had a rollicking supper at the True Grit in Ridgway with Ian Plant, George Stocking, Ron Coscorrosa, Sarah Fischler, Doug Koepsel and Kane Engelbert which made the entire weekend worth it!!

Came across Marshal Pass yesterday. There was some nice, healthy aspen stands on the east side. Some nice groves on the west but not the vistas. Dallas divide was the worst I've ever seen. The oak brush on the Cimmaron ridge are turning brown, not on fire like normal.

Going to head up to 265 and across Gand Mesa today. Some reports say that area is still turning. It will be a scouting trip if nothing else.

I just returned to Flagstaff from 9 days from Aspen to Ridgway. The best color the past 2 days was at the end of CR5. On the drive past Telluride, the aspens below Wilson had plenty of green, but looked like they were turning brown quickly. The trees along the San Miguel River near Sawpit looked nice, just past peak.

I spent all day Saturday along CO12 from LaVeta to Cuchara, and it's not a great year. Other than some small patches of nice color, everything is a mix of past prime and falling leaves or green and falling leaves. I shot far less frames this year than any year in the past, and did more hiking than photography (so it wasn't a total waste of time).

Well, you all missed the "Boat" by not coming out to the Steamboat area this weekend. With the fresh fallen snow, it was nothing short of spectacular! Rod Hanna let me tag along with him and Monte Trumbull, and Ken Henke and Stephen Trainor were with us off and on as well. Rod was a gracious guide and happy to show us all the hot spots, and there were a lot. Here's a sample. This was shot in the Flat Tops near Phippsburg.

This was a view from the Crosho Lake road in the Flat Tops. There were virtually no other photogs there the entire weekend. Why, I'm not sure. The Boat puts on quite a show (I went last year as well and liked it well enough to do it again this year) and seems overlooked.

Thanks again to Rod for letting me hang with you guys and your incredible knowledge of the area. Monte, thanks for fixing my tripod! Ken, thanks for juicing up my battery - it was enough to get me through the morning.

I would agree county rd 5 was the best I found in the San Juans this weekend.

Angela, thanks so much---it was a great couple of days! Still some nice color down in the valley here, but it's pretty much toast above 8,500 feet. Last Wednesday and Thursday were special before the storm, too.

Just wanted to echo Angela's thank you to Rod for showing us around some great locations this past weekend. We saw some great scenery.

And as an added bonus, my mud and snow driving skills got a tune up too. When the rancher on horseback asks if you made it to the top OK, because it's "kinda slick", you know it really is kinda slick!

Thanks again Rod And great to meet you Angela, Monte and Ken (briefly!) too.

Indeed, a "tip of the hat" to Rod Hanna. Excellent recommendations for best viewing and being a gracious tour guide. Clearly, some of the best fall color I've seen in awhile!

FYI...if anyone is interested in the Crystal Mill, go NOW. I would say the aspens right around mill are currently at peak. Best conditions I seen there in awhile also.

I traveled over McClure Pass yesterday in the rain and the aspens are looking great on the west side. Very little have turned brown or fallen. Mostly gold with some green.

I came back over Kebler Pass (in lots of snow!). I couldn't see the Beckwith Mountains, but it looked like some of the aspens have dropped their leaves along the roadside out west. I was surprised at how many aspens still have leaves as I headed east.

The east side of Monarch Pass still has a lot of good color. As for things up towards Buena Vista, most of the aspens above 8,500 have lost there leaves or turned brown. Same goes for up around Twin Lakes.

You want color? Head up to McClure Pass! I spent a few hours up there this afternoon. The west side definitely has more and better color, but the east side isn't bad. More patches of skeleton trees on the east side, but that just adds more texture to the canvas.

There are STILL some green aspens in the La Sals and the peaks are totally snowcapped. There are areas of gambel oak that are red, yellow, orange and green. I'd say there are probably still 3-5 days of color with the desert just starting to go.

Any word on conditions in Zion??

Also, from reports I've seen on Facebook it looks like the time to head to the West Fork of Oak Creek Canyon is now!

The cottonwoods in Canyon de Chelly are looking like they will peak in a week. Those near the visitor center are a little more yellow/changes. This image is from Saturday evening at Junction Overlook

Phillip,

Like clockwork, you can count on peak color in Zion around November 10 - 12.

Doug Beezley
Snellville, GA

Since the aspen color change was a week behind, I was looking for reports from people who have been to Zion recently to see if the same holds true for the trees there. Ya never know!

Re: ZION

Hmmm.....quite a bit of yellow for this early in the year:

Webcam1
Webcam2

I just got back from an early morning hike/shoot up West Fork near Sedona. "Now" would be the time to go. Seems right at peak .

FYI. Ben Horne posted via Twitter that Zion color is 7-9 days AHEAD of schedule. In the main canyon anyways. He said cottonwoods are past peak and maples are mostly bare.

Those of us going the "normal" time might be too late. :(

Interesting report from Ben.

I just came back from a few days off-roading Moab. On the way back down I-15 I did not notice any appreciable color around Kanarravile or Kolob Canyon main entrance. I did see some spotty color as I dropped down from the higher country into the Toquerreville area. When I think back at my last report through the area in early October (in this thread), there was some color then.

Heh, wish I had checked out main canyon this sunset - I had the time, but without clouds I just kept on rollijng south, amusing myself as an X3 shot past me doing over a buck, then my V1 alerting and seeing the cloud of dust ahead as a UHP unit went after the fool.

I'll be in Zion Friday night with any luck.

Zion National Park

I arrived in Zion on October 26th. IMHO, I'd say that Ben's post on Twitter (which I haven't read) that Zion color is 7-9 days ahead of schedule is an underestimate. My estimate is that autumn color throughout Zion, compared to the past several years, is probably two weeks ahead of normal.

Up in east Zion, colors are well past peak. Last year, I spent most of the last week in October and the first week in November up there with great color the whole time. This year, at this time, there are still some cottonwoods with color up there, but the bigtooth maples are bare.

In Zion Canyon, many of the cottonwoods and box elders are turning already, and many leaves are off the trees. I saw only a few bigtooth maples in Zion Canyon with any color remaining. I'd even say that the color in Zion Canyon may be past peak already, at least in the upper section of the canyon.

Just got back from a weekend at Zion.

I got to echo Jim's report - just a few more days beyond. After talking with several locals, I able to learn that a very cold / rain storm hit a couple/few weeks ago and everything turned fast.

The East Side is pretty much "just add water - 32 degree or colder water". Its ready for winter. Even the largest, most iconic Cottonwoods had just a few leaves hanging on. Anything less is bare.

The main canyon is depressing. Yea, its yellow, but not the vibrant yellow. No Maples or Oaks to be seen. There are probably a few good trees buried in along the winding river.

The Narrows...mostly past. There may be a few gems in there. I only got about a mile up the water portion - no further planned since I got a minor sprain from a week back and had to take it easy. Plus its 45 F according to NPS; good to ice my ankle under the neoprene and rubber. But really, Narrows is known for far more than foliage.

My best tree shots were in Springdale proper - yes you can find some areas. But while shooting, I had to wait several times as a strong breeze defoliated the trees before my lens.

Oh did I mention a winter storm is hitting Zion on Monday... temps to 24 F.