September 30, 2007
Traffic free leaf-peeping:
Not
only can you enjoy the fall colors in
Plumas County but you can also treat
yourself to a traffic free holiday.
This photo was ta
ken Saturday afternoon
at a major intersection in
Quincy.
I sure don't remember any Bay
Area intersections looking like this.
The maples in the background will be a
deep red by
mid-October.
Linda from the Genesee Store gave us
a report on Genesee Valley:
"The locust are starting to turn yellow,
the oaks are just beginning, and the
willows still have a ways to go before
we see the yellow and reds."
Mrs. Wiggins of Wiggins
Trading Post in Chilcoot said
they had heard about some beautiful
aspens at the 7000 foot level near
Crystal Peak which you can reach by off
road vehicles or mountain bikes. She plans on
driving up the canyon to Frenchmen
Lake in the next few days to give us
a detailed report.
The road through
Lassen Park was
closed on Friday and Saturday due to
snow so give them a call for road
updates at 530-595-4444 if you're going
that way. Scott, a ranger from
Lassen Park, said that the aspen
were
just beginning to turn.
September 29, 2007
Richard
McCutcheon of Taylorsville, one of
our VILP (very important leaf peepers),
checks in again with this great shot of
cattails and what looks to be birch off
Nelson St.
Mike
Nellor of Quincy, another of our
VILP’s, sent his first photos of the
fall season, starting with Mountain
Dogwood along Bucks Lake Road. These
shots are impressive because they still
show some spring flowers with the
changing fall leaves.
A
little appreciated feature of dogwood is
the bright red fruits, which grow in
large clusters. You have to get close to
the plants to see them, so we encourage
getting out of your car and taking a
short walk which
will put you face to face with one of
these gorgeous plants.
Says
Nellor about this shot at right: "The
dragon fly was the perfect subject,
it was so cold he couldn't get his
engine started!"
WE
HAVE WIRELESS INTERNET!
Among
the
first
to test it out here at our Visitor
Center in Quincy was the Boyles
family from Windsor, who were
staying at Bucks Lake. They came down with their laptop to
check some work-related email (which we
really don’t recommend doing while here
on vacation!)
Nevertheless, it gave us an opportunity
to let
you
leaf-peepers know in case you want to
email photos or check the blog on your
fall foliage trip!
September
28, 2007
FALL
COLOR LINE-UP: Here’s a rough
estimate on the order in which
species tend to peak in Plumas
County. But keep in mind that it’s a
staggered peak that continues
through the entire month of October,
and varies by elevation:
The
early birds are generally Virginia
Creeper (at right) and other
ornamentals, followed by the
non-native trees that we generally
call “street trees.” That’s the
stage we’re in now.
Here’s
a few shots around the Quincy area,
a Sumac (left), a birch, and this
shot (right) of a maple alongside
one of the town’s many giant Sequoia
trees. And an overview (above) of
spots of color seen from afar in
Quincy’s historic downtown.
Meanwhile, in
the surrounding forest,
aspens generally kick into gear in
the higher elevations. In the
lower elevations early starters
include chokecherry along with
serviceberry, creeping snowberry,
hawthorn, mountain alder and Indian
Rhubarb.
Then come the larger “street
trees,” and species such as dogwood,
willow, Bracken fern
and Big-leaf maple. Usually last to
peak is Black cottonwood and
finally, California black oak.
Quaking
aspen are looking good and
yellow in Red Clover Valley,
according to Jessica Albietz of
Quincy. She suggests driving up the
Genesee-Beckwourth Road,
north Hwy. 70 at Beckwourth, and
going as far as the Chase bridge.
FALL
COLOR BY BICYCLE: Karen Kleven
of Quincy describes a recent ride:
"The
light definitely changes character
this time of year. A combination of
the vibrant light and crisp fall air
make it the perfect time of year for
outdoor adventures like biking and
hiking. A few days ago I took a
bike ride through American Valley
near Quincy in the late afternoon
and was overwhelmed by the beauty of
the meadows dotted with grazing cows
surrounded by high peaks (no snow
yet)."
IF
YOU’RE HERE THIS WEEKEND: Not
really a fall event but sounds
unique. The
Portola Railroad Museum
on
Saturday, September 29 is hosting
its Annual Railfan Photographer Day
for the low- low price of $20. It’s
from 10 am – 10 pm. (There must be
lots of trains to shoot during the
day and night.) Give them a call at
530-832-4131 if you want more
information.
September 26, 2007
Why
do leaves change color anyway?
Check today's new link to the
botanist's report for a simple
explanation. You'll also read what
local U.S. Forest Service botanists
have to say about this year's
upcoming fall colors season.
OFF-ROAD
FALL COLOR: Leaf-peeper Jay
Read of Chilcoot sent over this
photo of aspen starting to show way
on Crystal Peak, up about 7,000
feet, above Frenchman Lake. Jay and
wife Lisa run a new ATV guide
service,
High Sierra ATV tours, with
rides ranging from 1.5 hours to six
hours.
What
a great way to see some off-road
fall foliage! The Frenchman
Lake/Dixie Mountain area in Eastern
Plumas County is a renowned
location. Jay and Lisa will be
checking back in as color happens
along the ATV trails.
CELEBRITY TREE ALERT: Leaf-peeper
Darrah Hopper of
Chester is back with an early
report from North County:
"I noticed that the gorgeous
tree (a silver maple) in front of
Bodfish Bicycles is starting to
"flame". It is always an early
sighting for us in Chester. Virginia
creeper all over town is turning to
red also."
Down in the
Feather River Canyon,
leaf-peeper Dorothy Wilson of
Tobin gives this report:
”They're beginning, way up on
heights and in little pockets. The
grapes start to turn yellow and
climb up into the trees. But it's
still early, we're still in dull
mode with a few flashes of color. “
BE PREPARED FOR LEAF-PEEPING
with the Plumas County fall color
guide,
which has a map, descriptions of
best routes, and illustrations of
common species. If you don't have
one yet, you can download it, or
better yet,
order one here and don't forget
to include a mailing address.
If you're going to be in Plumas
County this weekend, you might want
to check out Girl's Night Out,
happening in downtown Quincy on
Friday from 5-8 pm. Merchants will
be offering music, refreshments and
shopping
prizes -- might be a great
way to freshen up your fall
wardrobes!
September 25, 2007
How about the lower elevations?
Richard McCutcheon from Taylorsville
sent us some reports and photos of
Indian Valley.
“The dogwood is just starting to
turn up above Round Valley Lake. “
(photo to the right)
There
are more than trees offering fall
colors. Rabbitbrush (photo to
the left) likes arid climates
growing all over the place
especially in Sierra Valley.
Rabbitbrush is not to be confused
with Brush Rabbit (which is a
mammal). Some Native Americans used
to chew the wood and bark like
chewing gum and gathered the flower
buds for food.
Richard: ”You know it is not always
the fall color change that is
pretty; you do have brush that
blooms late in the fall and is very
pretty also, especially with a
butterfly working on it.”
The latest aspen reports are below for all you aspen lovers.
Doug Flynn, head golf professional
at Whitehawk, gave us the report
from Truckee going north on Highway
89. “Things are changing
rapidly making the drive better
every day. It’s an awesome drive
with snow on the peaks. It’s my
favorite time of year.”
Gray Eagle Lodge from the Lake Basin
area told us that the aspen were
still green.
Hurray! Some aspens at Taylor Lake
made it through the fire. Joey, the
UPS pilot that flies into Quincy,
says he saw glimmers of yellow as he
was flying over the lake. He’ll try
to get some photos tomorrow.
September 24, 2007
The leaf-peeping season is
kicking into high gear! Thanks to
some weekend publicity, we're
working like crazy today to get fall
foliage guides and other visitor
information out in the mail so
leaf-peepers can plan their trips!
Here's Ellie Hinrichs today, working
hard to get out the day's huge batch
of mail! Ellie personally answered
the phone to assist dozens of
callers responding to our interview
on KGO-Radio on Saturday morning. On
Sunday, the Sacramento Bee ran a
great story on
Plumas County's fall foliage in
the travel section, giving high
praise to the "Awesome Autumn"
promotion by comparing it to Apple
Computer's marketing!! WOW!
Unfortunately, the Bee made a little
boo-boo, and incorrectly listed a
highway number when describing the
Feather River National Scenic Byway
as a great fall foliage route. It's
HIGHWAY 70, not 67! Here's the
story:
www.sacbee.com/643/story/390448.html
By the way, the Bee is doing a photo
blog this year, so please make sure
to submit your leaf-peeper photos
and stories to them as well! The BEE
BLOG is
www.sacbee.com/goingplaces and
you enter your stories in the
comments section.
EARLY FALL REPORTS: Leaf-peepers
were up at Bucks Lake northwest of
Quincy over the weekend. John
Sheehan of Quincy was excited about
finding some russet Bracken fern,
some yellow and occasional red
Mountain Ash and "a tincture" of
dogwood red along Big Springs Road.
"Holy Kamole!!!!" was his exact
comment.
Karen
Kleven of Quincy sent these photos
of the aspen grove along Bucks Lake
Road. Although the larger trees are
still quite green, she found a few
smaller trees that have begun the
process. "I can't wait to
check this out again in a few weeks
when this amazing grove turns
golden."
We're seeing some non-natives
sporting some bright yellow color
just west of Quincy at Gray's Flower
Garden and Pine Hill Motel. The
trees are both Seedless Ash, and as
shown by the second photo, they're
really out in front of the pack as
compared to the towering Cottonwoods
above them that have just barely
started.
Once again, it's the month of
October that's prime leaf-peeping
season throughout most of Plumas
County, but we'll be reporting
things as they happen so check back
here often. If you’re coming up this
weekend the best route for fall
color viewing will be Highway 89
from Truckee. And please send us
your leaf-peeping reports and
photos!
September 22, 2007
So, what can leaf-peepers expect for
weather in Plumas County?
Well, we’re expecting some showers
today, but the extended forecast
looks to be setting up perfect
conditions for bringing on fall
color: cool crisp (not freezing)
nights, and warm sunny days. That
means highs of around 70 degrees and
lows around 46 degrees.
Here's a "pop" of fall color amidst
the evergreens we can see right
outside the Visitors Center in
Quincy. We're not sure of the species
of the tree!
Bonnie Johnson of Chico
was in the Visitor Center last week
with her husband, Richard, doing a
reconnaissance trip for fall
foliage. She said they’d been up
leaf-peeping in Plumas County last
year with their daughter when they
came across some dazzling golden
Cottonwood leaves.
“We started oohing and
ahhing – it
just felt like we were driving in
gold!” she exclaimed. “Then I looked
over and saw that Richard was sound
asleep in the passenger seat!”
“He was a LEAF-SLEEPER!”
Bonnie lamented. Since Richard
missed last year’s show, she’s
bringing him back up and says, “this
time, we’re filling him full of
caffeine!”
We’re
starting to alert our team of
leaf-peepers and hope to have some
more foliage reports and photos here
soon. Meanwhile,
send us your reports and check
back here often!
September 21, 2007
Welcome to
the tenth annual “Awesome Autumn” blog
that tracks foliage throughout Plumas
County, one of California’s best fall
color destinations!
The autumnal
equinox occurs on Sunday, signaling
Mother’s Nature’s dazzling show is about
to start. During the next few weeks,
there will be a gradual change of color
throughout the region’s nearly 2 million
acres of forestland. Shades of red,
orange, yellow and brown already have
begun to appear, and eventually will
“pop” out against a canvas of dark
evergreen, granite and blue sky. Then,
expect lots of “oohs" and "ahhs!"
Beginning today,
we’ll be collecting “leaf-peeper”
reports on where color is happening,
from creek beds to mountaintops, along
highways and off-road. There will be
photos and posts on a variety of species
at elevations ranging from 2,000 to
6,000 feet.
Plumas National
Forest Chief Botanist/Ecosystems Manager
Linnea Hanson is predicting that
fall colors should be as beautiful as
ever this year. “We’re not really in a
drought year, we just had less water
than normal,” Hanson told us. “Taking
from what I’m seeing, we think it’s
going to be pretty darn good.”
Fellow
district botanist James Belsher-Howe agrees.
“The places that are dry might start
turning sooner, but they’ll drop at the
same time, which may make the peak last
longer,” he predicts.
WHEN’S THE PEAK
ANYWAY? The best time to find the
most foliage that’s turned is
mid-to-late October, averaging about on
Oct. 18. However, the change is gradual,
and different species will be turning in
different locations. Meaning that,
anytime you come from now through early
November, you’re bound to see some fall
color.
FIRST COLOR
REPORT: The ornamental and
non-native Virginia Creeper is
once again leading the pack, as seen on
fences and residences in towns like
Quincy and Taylorsville.
Valerie Nellor
of Quincy was the first to check in
with a desciption of the Virginia
Creeper around her home. Says Val:
“It’s just beautiful, the colors
reminded me of lime popsicles and
hibiscus.” She adds that chokecherry
is just beginning to turn crimson red
along the highway east of Quincy.
And Richard McCutcheon of
Taylorsville sends this colorful
photo of an unidentified tree or bush
(at left). Richard’s
out deer-hunting today so we’ll have to
get back to you on that one!
FALL COLOR DIGITAL SLR PHOTOGRAPHY
WORKSHOPS are bei
ng
held in Plumas County for the first
time, led by our local professional photographer
Carl Raymond, whose
beautiful images grace much of this
website and the fall color guide. The
all-day workshops
will be held in
Portola and environs on Saturdays, Oct.
27 and
Nov. 3. Carl has made some of
his fall color images into note cards
which are for sale in the Visitors
Center, just west of downtown Quincy at
the airport.
FALL EVENTS: Small towns in
Plumas County will be rocking with so
many, fun, colorful fall events this
season! We start off tomorrow in
Blairsden (near Graeagle) with the first
annual Oktoberfest at the Barn, from 4-9
pm. German food, German band and (likely)
German beer!
MEDIA UPDATE:
Suzi Brakken of the Plumas County
Visitors Bureau will be on Bay Area’s
KGO Radio (810-AM) tomorrow morning
(Saturday, Sept. 22) around 7:45 AM.
She’ll be talking fall foliage with host
John Hamilton during the popular travel
show, “On the Go with KGO.”
Also look for
travel stories that are scheduled to
appear in Sunday’s Sacramento Bee and
Sunday’s San Diego Union Tribune!
FREEBIES TO
ORDER OR PICK UP: Be sure you have a
copy of the Plumas County Fall Color
Guide and map, which describes the best
fall color routes.
Order one here.
Keep your
windshield free of dirt and splattered
bugs with a free Awesome Autumn
Leaf-Peeper kit, which includes a
travel-sized spritzer of windshield
cleaner and sturdy towels in a Smokey
Bear trash bag. Keep it in your car for
cleaning windows between service station
visits. You can pick up the kits at
visitors centers and chamber of commerce
offices in Chester, Quincy, Greenville,
Graeagle and Portola.
And serious
leaf-peepers should pick up a free sign
for car rear windows that reads: “Plumas County Leaf-Peeper: Makes
Frequent Stops.” Believe us, they
do work to alert other drivers and keep
them smiling as you slow for stunning
foliage!
Click here and we’ll mail you one.
Okay, leaf-peeping season is officially on!
CHECK BACK ON THIS BLOG every day or
so to follow along the progress of
color! And don’t forget to send us your
own leaf-peeping reports and photos! We
welcome you to once again enjoy Plumas
County’s truly “Awesome Autumn”!
