Fall Photography 2014

[maverick]

Many trees will be showing or already showing stress due to the drought. The
lack of rain may lead to an earlier retreat of chlorophyll.
What this may mean is that our Sierra Fall Colors may show up even early this
year. Don't be surprised.

[SSSdave]

Over the holiday, Sunday August 31, 2014 in 20 Lakes Basin. Cottony white catkin seeds of arctic willow, salix arctica. A6000 with SEL1655 zoom at 30 degrees, 5100x3200 pixels, f14 2 image focus stack merged. Despite the drought and maybe because of the earlier monsoon, most of the arctic willow was only at early to seed stage with color changes likely more prominent mid September that is relatively late.



100% crop from above.



Near the end of Saddlebag Lake, Monday September 1, 2014, bright backlit red hued dwarf bilberry, vaccinium caespitosum, with some yellowing arctic willow, A6000 with SEL1655 zoom at 27 degrees, 5100x3200 pixels, f14 2 image focus stack merged. The bilberry was likewise somewhat behind usual color change. Adobe CS6 auto blend function does a fine job finding sharper areas of focus stacked blended images on downward oblique closeups like this. Additionally traditionally more difficult 3-dimensional closeups that are of course common with plant subjects, makes the alternative using a pricy tilt lens a technological dinosaur.



100% crop from above.

[phenocryst]

Driving to South Lake yesterday I noticed fall colors getting started above Bishop Creek Lodge, especially the slopes below and around the Tyee trailhead. Lots of golden aspens among the green and willows starting to turn, too. The last couple nights have been notably chillier... so it's underway.

[maverick]

This is the weekend for Bishop Creek: http://www.californiafallcolor.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Other areas:
https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&m ... dg=feature" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
https://mapsengine.google.com/map/u/1/v ... F7OZmBWH2Y" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Buford]

Fall colors and fresh snow on the peaks this weekend made for some great scenery. Areas near North and South lakes were stunning.

[Hikin Mike]

Thanks for the links Peter...bookmarked!

My wife just told me our kids are off October 16 & 17, so we booked a room in Lee Vining that weekend...just in case. May camp out at Convict Lake for one night instead of a motel.

[SSSdave]

The lack of any reports outside Bishop Creek is a good indication other roadside areas to the north are at probably still lime green. Thus am expecting this season to roll out slowly maybe due to all the summer rains. Would expect some of the higher areas up north like below Mt. Wood on the Parker Bench are already turning especially given the storm earlier this week as are higher groves below Dunderberg. There are actually good numbers of secret aspen grove areas away from roads at higher elevations, out of sight, out of mind that few leaf seeking people know about. For example along the creek up on the bench below Gibbs Lake.

http://www.californiafallcolor.com/tag/bishop-creek/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.parchersresort.net/fallcolor.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[SSSdave]

By next weekend (Oct 10/11) weather pattern change may provide more usable weather for understory work during our 2014 fall leaf season. So looks like another weekend pointing at sand and stones along the ocean and then maybe some short notice PTO later during the workweek.

NWS Reno 10/6:

BY MONDAY BOTH THE GFS AND ECMWF SHOW ANOTHER STRONG LOW DEVELOPING
IN THE GULF OF ALASKA. THAT WOULD BE A BETTER PATTERN FOR BRINGING
INCREASED WINDS, WITH POSSIBLE PRECIPITATION INTO THE SIERRA AND
WESTERN NEVADA NEXT WEEK. TOLBY

[KathyW]

The leaves were still pretty in Lee Vining Canyon and Warren Canyon (better in Lee Vining Canyon). I wasn't really leaf peeping, but I took a few photos while up in that area (leaves are at the end of the album):

http://kathywing.smugmug.com/California ... en-101214/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[RooPhillip]

Mineral King this past Wednesday.