October 10, 2008
Things are getting closer to peak,
like these red maples at Plumas Pines
Golf Resort,
and the weather is expected to be more
fall-like Friday and Saturday. A good
time to remind you leaf-peepers about
the proper attire for exploring
the roadways and trails in Plumas
County!
Layering is essential! Those
brisk mornings require sweaters, even
jackets, although we haven't broken out
the gloves quite yet. A windbreaker
might not be a bad idea since we hear it
may be windy and maybe even a bit
showery. By Sunday and into next week,
plan to peel away those layers by
mid-afternoon when short-sleeves are
handy, especially when it's sunny. Most
Plumas locals have put away the shorts
and sandals by now, so plan to bring
socks and good walking shoes. And, don't
worry about bringing anything too fancy
-- casual is the mode even in the nicest
restaurants!
The cooler temperatures aren't dampening
the enthusiasm of Jan and Hans of
Thousand Oaks on their first visit
to Plumas County. They dropped by
for some leaf-peeping advice displaying
their Plumas County leaf-peeper car sign
in their rental car from Reno.
They were one of three parties from
southern California that visited today
after having seen our Awesome Autumn ad
in AAA's magazine, Westways.
We are excited to share the Fall foliage
with our southern California
neighbors and we look forward to seeing
more in the upcoming weeks!
Suzi Brakken of Graeagle was out on
the golf course at Plumas Pines this
week, and saw bright yellow creeping
snowberry -- also known as tripvine --
which is making its debut as ground
cover throughout the forest. There was
also a few neighborhood aspen showing
good color around the Plumas-Eureka
Estates neighborhood.
There's still time to sign up for the
digital fall color photography workshop
next week at Greenhorn Creek Guest
Ranch outside of Quincy. Learn how
to shoot great fall foliage pictures and
have some Western-style fun and
hospitality at the same time! You'll
even get to see fall foliage by
horseback!
If you're up in Chester tonight
(Friday), be sure and check out the
Second Friday Art Walk from 5-8
p.m. Northwoods Art Gallery and B&B
Booksellers are putting on a bash with
art, food and wine!
Sierra City's 9th annual Oktoberfest
is this Saturday .... along with a
special "Fall Colors" exhibit presented
by the Fine Arts Gallery. Enjoy a
day of fun, tasty German food, and
plenty of street vendors, followed by an
artists' reception from 4-7 pm.
October 9, 2008
If
you're looking for a nearby dogwood
destination, we've found a great one
with easy walking!
Quincy leaf-peeper Johnny
Walker was kind enough to take us on
a tour of his favorite dogwood spot
we'll call "Dogwood Alley," which
is just off the road to La Porte.
Start by checking out the "celebrity"
English maple at the old Thompson
Ranch, less than a mile up the La Porte
Road, east of Quincy off Hwy. 70. This
centuries-old huge tree was about 50
percent turned as of Monday, and will
eventually turn a stunning champagne
pink.
At 4.3 miles from Hwy. 70, you'll
encounter a hairpin turn with a dirt
road that veers off to the right. (We
won't use road numbers here because you
can't see them well and they don't ever
seem to correspond to maps!) Even if
you decide not to leave your car, this
is a worthy drive with lots of dogwood
and Big-leaf maple that should be
peaking well in about a week.
One
mile up this road will be a wide spot to
turn around and/or park. You're heading
for the road that branches off to the
left, where there's a sign that says
"49" (see photo.) At this point, we
recommend walking the road, not driving.
Walk about 100 yards up this road
and you'll come to another fork, take
the one to the left that eventually
passes through an open Forest Service
gate.
At this point, you'll begin to see the
plethora of dogwood and Big-Lea
f
maple, mixed amongst a forest of Douglas
fir and cedar. The dogwood simply
surround you, and at one point, says
Walker, you can take in a 360-degree
view. Walk as far as you like (Walker's
tour took about a hour round-trip.)
There's also some great scenic overlooks
with views of distant peaks. The road
stays level and is fairly wide, making
it an easy walk for all ages. This route
is nearing peak and should be very good
by next week.
Dogwoods
are also beginning to show pinks along
the roads to Bucks Lake,
according to leaf-peeper John Sheehan,
and here's a photo we took Tuesday to
prove it (at left).
ASPEN REPORT: The Beckwourth
Ranger Station over in the Graeagle area
reports that aspens are nearing peak at
various locations, along the west
side of Lake Davis, and at Doyle
Crossing and Big Flat, which are between
Antelope Lake and Beckwourth along
the Beckwourth-Genesee Road. There's
also bright yellow rabbit brush that are
at or past peak along that scenic rural
route, which is mostly paved. You can
access the "B-G" road off Hwy. 70, east
of Portola.
October 8, 2008
Is it early? Is it late? About
this time, Plumas County leaf-peepers
start wondering about the
peak and start speculating what's going
on out there in the forest.
From the looks of it, things appear to
be right on schedule, with peak expected
between mid-to-late October. The
extended
weather
forecast is setting up the perfect
conditions for good fall color, with
sunny, dry days and cool nights (lows
between 39 and 45 degrees.) After a
brief cool spell Friday and Saturday,
the highs should range from 61 to 71
degrees.
What about the REDS? Lots of
leaf-peepers get excited
about the wide range of red species that
they'll see in Plumas County, including
the unusual Indian Rhubarb (below
along Spanish Creek), Mountain
Dogwood, serviceberry, chokecherry,
sweet gum (pictured above) and
more. The intensity
of
the red pigment (anthocyanin) varies
because unlike other pigments, it
depends on the amount of sugar
concentration in the cells. When it's
cloudy, rainy or too warm, the reds are
less intense. But the weather we're
expecting is the perfect recipe for more
intense reds.
The whole anthocyanin thing always
creates quite a stir with botanists, who
continue to find its variation quite the
mystery. In fact, you can find lots of
theories online, including two articles
from National Geographic, one of which
suggests that red pigment fares better
with poorer-nutrient soils. Another
article suggests that reds are a tree's
"red-flag warning" that a plant is
stressed by drought or pollution.
One of people who loves debating the
"reds" is Plumas National Forest
Botanist Jim Belsher-Howe. "No one
really knows why it happens," he says.
"I read that it might have something to
do with keeping the bugs away." Belsher-Howe
also read one account stating that red
leaves protect their seedlings by
killing other trees and plants when they
drop.
Whatever the reason, here are some
reds.......JPG)
Many folks may not realize that
serviceberry
leaves turn such a brilliant red ......
>>>
(photo by Joe Willis)
<<<
another "red" is the wild strawberry,
often overlooked because the plant is
only about 6" high .... (photo by Joe
Willis)
Suzi Brakken of Graeagle took
this photo of a mountain dogwood donning
its fall colors off La Porte Road
yesterday and promises a full report in
the next blog on "Dogwood Alley.....
October 6, 2008
As anticipated,
more leaf-peepers are ‘coming out of the
woods’ and sending reports and many
wonderful photos of the changing foliage
throughout Plumas County. Of particular
interest at this time is the start of
the dazzling autumn display put on by
Indian Rhubarb (umbrella plant) that
adorns many of the region’s river and
stream banks. This native of the
western United States makes for
incredible photographic opportunities
(see below), whether you are into the
close-ups or the panoramic scenes ….
Mike Nellor, from Ada's Place in Quincy
sent these stunning photos and report
about the Rock Creek area (~ 8 miles
east of Quincy) ….” Walt Steuben and
Ginger check out the Indian Rhubarb at
the confluence of Rock Cr. and Meadow
Valley Cr. about a half a mile from the
bridge on the Dean's Valley Rd.
The rhubarb is just starting to show
good colors as well as native azaleas”.
A few miles north of Quincy, Terri
Rust of Meadow Valley enjoyed a
Sunday afternoon hike along the Cascades
trail that follows Spanish Creek and had
this to share along with a couple of
photos …“With the Indian rhubarb just
starting to change, as well as the showy
milkweed, mountain dogwood, and maples …
one can see the full range of autumn
colors …. And it still hasn’t
peaked…wow.”
From other parts of the county …
Karen Kleven of Quincy
took the Round Lake loop trail
starting at Gold Lake Lodge
(Lakes Basin) on Friday with her
friend, Sue Jackson. They passed by
Round Lake, Silver Lake, Long Lake, Cub,
Little Bear and Big Bear Lake before
they finished the loop. “Great
colors. Not sure what the red bushy
stuff on the Round Lake trail is…. It
was stunning. We saw mountain ash at
Round Lake with lots of colors as you
looked up at Mt. Elwell. The whole
leisurely hike took about two and one
half hours with a stop for lunch”.
Wanda Garrido of Chester let us know
that the "celebrity" silver maple in
front of Bodfish Bicycles in
Chester is “gorgeous….reds and oranges –
beautiful” She also mentioned that lots
of aspen are also starting to change.
If anyone has a recent photo of this
spectacular tree,
please send it our way!
October 4, 2008
We
headed north yesterday for the
grand opening of the new Kohm
Yah-mah-nee Visitors Center at
Lassen
Volcanic National Park , and
checked on some high elevation fall
foliage during the trip.
The new center , whose name means "Snow
Mountain" in Mountain Maidu language, is
located at the southern entrance of the
park, just a mere five miles from Hwy.
36, and only 40 minutes from Chester.
It's definitely worth the trip, even in
winter when the road is closed past the
center.
There's
so much to learn! Donyale Logan from
the Chester-Lake Almanor Chamber, left,
and Plumas County Visitors Bureau
Director Suzi Brakken, right, found out
there are there are four different
types of volcanoes in the park!
Along with lots of interpretive
displays, it features an auditorium with
a great park film, a gift shop and snack
bar, plus an outdoor amphitheater. And
for kids, there's a place to jump up and
down to record an earthquake!
Fall
color is on the way in the park, but we
didn't get to see the aspens which are
farther north. However, both Woolly
Mule's Ear (at left) and Bracken fern
(at right) and were at peak along
the hillsides.
If you happen to venture up through the
rain today, the visitors center is
offering activities beginning at 1 p.m.,
including tours and guided hikes, plus
there will be free cake and free park
entrance!
