Rocky Mt. Fall Color 10/3/14

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 3, 2014

Updated 10/3/01

10/3 West side of Owl Creek needs about another 3-4 days, mostly green with some snow. Silver Jack is about 60% greenish yellow so should be good in 2-3 days although it is changing slowly so it could even be 5 days away. It got down to 27F last night there. Ridgeway still needs time as well, although there are some good groves at peak, most are still slowly getting there. Overall, Telluride needs 3-5 days yet, but again there are some really nice spots to shoot right now. Last Dollar Road intersection near Dallas Divide is at peak. Dunton loop is really good at the top where the road intersects with the highway and about half way down the west fork of the Delores past the hot springs resort. Trout Lake near Lizard Head Pass is partially drained so not a good destination for photos. Plenty of snow above timberline though so tighter comps of just the mountains will work.
10/3 Flat Tops yesterday morning—almost a foot of snow at the Ripple Creek Pass summit and maybe half that at Dunkley Pass. The leaves survived almost totally intact—Ripple Creek Pass is near peak, Dunkley at least still half green.

10/3 The inner basin of the San Francisco Peaks was nice last weekend, as seen in this photo. Lockett Meadow and the slope going up along the inner basin trail was lime green last weekend. It has yellowed a little this week and should be good this weekend. I would not expect many reds as it typically just yellows. The south side of the peaks facing Flagstaff is still green. As a side note, most of Oak Creek Canyon above Sedona, including West Fork, has just reopened after the Slide Fire earlier this summer. The maples along West Fork generally turn mid to late October. See photo at http://www.naturephotographers.net/imagecritique/bbs.cgi?a=vm&mr=77350
10/2 Capitol Peak Trailhead -past peak color in many areas, some green still hanging on. Oak brush is green.
10/2 Up Mineral Creek onto Red Mountain it was in the low to mid 20’s. Still beautiful,
1o/1 Telluride area today and was happy with stands on many of the roads such as Silver Pick and Wilson Mesa Rd. Also, Falls Creek Rd was good up around Woods Lake. You have to look, but many choices even if only 40 to 50 % color.
10/1Telluride/Ophir-50% Ridgeway cr5,7,9- 30-35%

See photos and older reports at Rocky Mt. Nature Photographer

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