September 26, 2008
Mother Nature
continues to tease us here in Plumas
County with hints of fall color,
b
ut
as local teacher and naturalist, Joe
Willis commented today … “not all
fall is
leaves…” and he’s right! Joe also sent
a co
uple
of nice photos taken here in Quincy
of some maple leaves set against the
perfect autumn sky and a mountain ash in
“full berry”.
Fall
is also a great time to be outside
enjoying the many
events Plumas County
has to offer … coming up on Saturday,
Oct. 4, there are two festivals and a
grand opening! See below for more
....
“More kids in the woods” is the
theme for the Plumas
National Forest Fall Fest (11 am to
4 pm)… a great family affair with lots
of hands-on activities, and a chance to
meet the Tree Lady! Call 283-7618
for details.
At the Taylorsville Grange Hall,
the Taylorsville Sewing Ladies’ Fall
Festival starts at 11 am and will
feature homemade food and gifts, as well
as a large hand stitched quilt.
And, to celebrate the grand opening of their
first year-round visitor’s center,
Lassen Volcanic National Park will
host a day of activities and programs,
including free entrance to the park and
a barbeque. Call (530) 595-4444 for more
info.
For all you ladies, don’t forget about
Girl’s Night Out in Quincy
tonight! Pick up your free gift bag at
the Country Store and Ropers’ Horses
starting at 5 pm.
Don’t forget to tune into KGO
radio tomorrow morning at 7am to listen
to Suzi’s live interview with John
Hamilton!
September 24, 2008
While
we may be just starting to see
color changes outside, Kari Underwood
has been busy bringing brilliant fall
foliage to the Plumas County Visitors
Bureau (at right). The office is well
in fall foliage mode, and we have free,
official Plumas County Leaf-Peeper
kits available! Stop by the office
on Hwy. 70 just west of Quincy when
you’re in the area to get into the
leaf-peeping mood. Get the latest info
on upcoming events, things to do, places
to eat and stay and much more around
Plumas County. Visitors Bureau hours
are Mon – Fri, 8 – 5, and Saturday, 9 –
5.
One of our more avid leaf-peepers,
Richard McCutcheon of Indian Valley,
just sent in this photo of a bright red
Virginia creeper …. With promises of
more to come in the weeks ahead – thanks
Richard!
For all you KGO listeners,
Suzi Brakken, director of the
Plumas County Visitors Bureau will
be doing a live interview this Saturday
(Sept. 27) morning at 7:05 am … John
Hamilton’s “On the Go with KGO”.
Tune into to this popular broadcast (on
which Plumas County has been featured
for the past 18 years or so!) Brakken
will be followed by leaf-peeping reports
from the Eastern Sierra, which typically
peaks a bit sooner.
September 23, 2008
“Has anyone painted the leaves yet?”
inquired a caller the other day.
Hmmm…this brings to mind a variety of
images…. The classical French artist
with his color palette walking through
the woods dabbing paint to leaves as he
goes …. Or perhaps a vision of smoke
jumpers and helicopters dropping buckets
of orange, yellow and red paint?
Here are some exciting new ways to
experience Plumas foliage this year:
A BASIC DIGITAL
OUTDOOR PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP
will be
held at
Greenhorn Creek Guest Ranch east
of Quincy on Oct. 13-15, right during
peak color time. The three-day workshop
led by professional photographer Cheryl
Hogan includes both classroom and
fieldwork, plus outings on horseback,
sunset walks, and moonrise events!
GUIDED
WALKING AND DRIVING TOURS
by carpool)
will be offered by the Almanor Ranger
District of the Lassen National Forest
near in scenic areas near Chester-Lake
Almanor. A fall color tour with short
walks and photo stops will be held the
morning of Wednesday, Oct. 1 in Humbug
Valley. On Friday, Oct. 17, the district
will hold a driving fall colors tour of
the Ishi Wilderness, exploring historic
sites. Sign up by calling (530)
258-2141.
September 22, 2008
Happy Official Awesome Autumn! Today is the Autumnal Equinox,
which marks the astronomical start of
autumn. This time of year is
associated with dazzling displays of
color throughout Plumas County, which we
are just beginning to see in a few
select locations. Several of the
the dogwoods along Big Creek Road on
the way to Bucks Lake are starting
to turn brilliant red, and the maples
look like they are close behind.
While waiting for the fall colors to
peak, take time to enjoy the amazing
variety of edible native plants in the
area. The chokecherries, service
berries, gooseberries, and elderberries
are ripe and ready to be made into jam,
syrup, wine, and a variety of other
tasty eats. Just ask a local and
maybe they'll share a favorite recipe
with you!
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. Last year’s peak was declared
Oct. 15. 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.
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.
Be sure to visit the links off this
page! You’ll find information on why
leaves change, fall color routes,
fall
photography tips and
fall lodging specials. There’s also
find colorful
fall
events,
maps
and
weather.
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-peeper reports
and photos! We welcome you to once
again enjoy Plumas County’s truly “Awesome
Autumn”!
September 19, 2008
Welcome back
leaf-peepers to “Awesome Autumn” --
the official fall-foliage tracking blog
for the Northern Sierra forests of
Plumas County.
Although
the autumn equinox doesn’t happen until
Monday, we’re starting off today in
order to help inform and inspire those
of you planning to visit this area, one
of California’s best fall color
destinations!
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 posting
reports from local and visiting
leaf-peepers on where color is
happening, from creekbeds 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. You
can also link from this site to helpful
links, above.
This is the 11th annual year for this
web log, which we’re proud to say is
award-winning! Last year, this site and
the Plumas County Visitors Bureau fall
promotion received an industry “Best
Idea” award from the Western Association
of Convention and Visitors Bureaus.
And this year, we’re getting
international renown thanks to an
Associated Press travel story on fall
foliage that ran in August in newspapers
and websites across the globe. Plumas
County, along with Yosemite, were
highlighted as California’s best fall
color destinations in a story by Beth
Harpaz, “Fall Foliage is Longer than You
Think.” The story also included Alaska,
New England, Michigan, and North
Carolina.
FIRST
COLOR REPORTS: The ornamental and
non-native Virginia Creeper is
among the first signs of fall, as seen
on fences and residences in towns like
Quincy and
Taylorsville. This year, it’s
already going full bore.
“It’s starts out spicy pumpkin and
then goes red,” says Valerie
Nellor of Quincy. “And
birds love those luscious purple berries.”
Unfortunately, Nellor says, raccoons got
ahold of the berries first this year,
and knocked them down!
There’s also a hint
of color happening in the higher
elevations. Says new leaf-peeper
Terri Rust of
Meadow Valley:
I was up at Silver Lake last weekend
(5,800 feet) and I was trying out my
little kayak. I noticed some brush, up
in the ravines, turning yellowish. It’s
very subtle. It was gorgeous in the late
evening light. I paddled around and by
the time I reached the shore, the nearly
full moon had come up. Life is good.
OKAY, SO WHAT’S AHEAD? Check the
Botanist’s Report for some
predictions on 2008 fall color.
