Natural History Wanderings

Parchers Resort has a new fall Color report for Bishop Creek Canyon 9/17/14

Overall Conditions Above 8500ft Elevation Near Peak – (50 – 75% – Go now!)
We’ve really seen an explosion of color over the past week with many of the best views in the canyon rapidly progressing from patchy color to near peak color. The higher groves on the mountainsides are showing the most yellow and orange with the lower lying aspen along the road a mix of brilliant yellow and lime green. It’s impossible to know how long the color will stick around but we’re hopeful that we have a few more weeks of spectacular color to enjoy.

Overall Conditions 7000ft to 8500ft Elevation Patchy (10 – 50%)
The lower reaches of the canyon is showing a bit of color, patchy at best, but deep or lime green still dominates the landscape. It will be interesting to see if the lower lying aspen turn as quickly as the trees higher in the canyon. Either way, there is still a lot of color to come over the next few weeks if the weather holds out.

Near Peak (50 – 75% – Go Now!) – Weir Pond (9650ft)
Still some green along the road and stream but the hillside above the pond and many of the aspen along the far side of the pond are turning very fast. I’d wager that peak color will happen here sometime in the next week.

Near Peak (50 – 75% – Go Now!) – Parchers Camp (9260)
The color has really come on strong the past week with about half of the aspen and willow around the camp turned or turning.

Patchy (10 – 50%) – Willow Campground  (9000ft)
Although the campground is now closed, the color is just now starting to pop in this area. The aspen on the hillside are turning fast while the aspen along the beaver pond, road, by the Tyee bridge and in the campground are just now starting.

Near Peak (50 – 75% – Go Now!) – Sabrina Campground (9000ft)
The aspen within the campground are just starting to turn but the aspen along Hwy 168 are near peak color with some gorgeous red and orange showing. The groves just around the corner from the North Lake turnoff, which are just on the other side of the campground, don’t typically exhibit any orange or red but the yellow is pure and bright and is showing big time.

Near Peak (50 – 75% – Go Now!) – Table Mountain Camp (8900ft)
Still some green mixed in but the aspen are really popping here with the groves turning or already turned all the way down to the stream. The view from South Lake Road is exceptional just below the campground. Within the campground itself there isn’t a ton of color yet but the best views are of the mountain above it which is really looking nice.

Near Peak (50 – 75% – Go Now!) – Surveyors Meadow (8975ft)
There is still some green along the road here but the peak color on the mountain to the west of South Lake Road is flat out stunning already and likely to peak within the next week to 10 days.

Near Peak (50 – 75% – Go Now!) – Lake Sabrina (9150ft)
As expected the color at Lake Sabrina went off this week with many of the groves at or near peak. Despite some of the lake showing peak color, I rated the color here as near peak as there is still enough green yet to change to allow for more color over the next week or so. Weather, most importantly wind, is the enemy here so if conditions stay calm the color should remain spectacular for some time yet.

Near Peak (50 – 75% – Go Now!) – North Lake (9255ft)
While aspen-lined dirt road on the east side of the lake is still mostly green, the aspen covering the mountain directly above the lake, the trees around the first parking area and the aspen all along the west shore have started to turn or already turned and the views are amazing.

Patchy (10 – 50%) – Steiny Loop above Mt. Glen Camp (8600ft)
Quite a bit of color has started to develop along the old road referred to as the Steiny Loop. Lime green is most prevalent but some beautiful yellow patches are showing.

Patchy (10 – 50%) – Mist Falls and the groves above Bishop Creek Lodge (8350ft)
More yellow has developed here but we’re still a ways off from the best color at this location.

Just Starting (0 – 10%) – Aspendell (8400ft)
Lime green is all that we’re seeing in Aspendell despite brilliant color just a half mile above the small community.

Near Peak – (50 – 75% – Go now!) – Groves above Cardinal Village (8550ft)
One of the best views in the canyon right now is from Hwy 168 looking up canyon where gorgeous color has turned from Cardinal mine all the way down to Cardinal Village Resort.

Just Starting – (0 – 10%) – Four Jeffries
A few branches have turned but for the most part the aspen here are just now starting to lighten from a deep dark summer green to a lime green.

Just Starting – (10 – 50%) – Intake II
There is some color on the mountain above the lake but most of the aspen around the lake are just now a lime green.

Just Starting – (0 – 10%) – Big Trees Campground
Very little color is visible at this lower elevation campground. The aspens are huge here and can be quite spectacular during peak color. I’m guessing we’re at least a couple weeks from seeing much here.

See photos at: Parchers Resort

Related articles

• Eastern Sierra Fall Color: Bishop Creek Canyon 9/10/14 (naturalhistorywanderings.com)
• Eastern Sierra Fall Color Bishop Creek Canyon 9/3/14 (naturalhistorywanderings.com)