Fall Color Reports, 2007

[Darren Kilgore]

Use this thread to post any fall color reports from your recent travels in Colorado. Please try to include as much detail as possible, including estimated percentages to describe the peak condition of the areas noted. Pictures, even if they are simply snapshots, are highly encouraged as they are more descriptive than words.

[Darren Kilgore]

Okay, I'll try to kick-start things around here. Obviously, there's not a whole lot lot of updating to be had right now.

I visited Wheeler Geologic Area each of the last two weekends. The only thing worthy of mentioning is that all of the aspen in the South Fork and Creede (and I can't recall about Lake City a week ago) areas have turned to the nice lighter shade of green. The Wheeler area proper, which is at 11,000 feet and at the upper reach for the aspen zone, has a few small patches of aspen, most of which have begun turning in earnest, or what I would call about 10%, perhaps a little less. The dirt road prior to Hansons Mill, on the other hand, does actually have a decent aspen forest, but there isn't any yellow yet.


Exhibit A: Looking down on Wheeler from above showing some of the trees (a stunning picture, I know! )

Let's see what some of you others have, even if there's not much meat to it.

[Guy Schmickle]

Went exploring between Durango and Molas Pass yesterday. Not much is happening color-wise around Durango proper, as one would expect. Color changes are getting started around the Coal Bank and Molas pass areas though. Early stages of course...I'd say 5-10%. That would pretty much put it on schedule to peak in a couple of weeks, I'd guess. Pretty much the normal time. Here's a shot of Potato Lake (a short hike off the Lime Creek Road). Not much color here (you can really only see a thin line of aspens behind the pines. No yellow yet, but the greens are lightening up. Not much to go on, I know!

[Jeff Shearer]

A few snapshots from Fall River Road in Rocky Mtn National Park this morning. I would guess 75% of the Aspens have started changing to some degree. About half of the smaller Aspens along Fall River and Trail Ridge Roads are bright yellow, but the bigger Aspens are still pretty green. You can see a few spotty Aspen groves that have all changed (as seen below).

[Darren Kilgore]

I'm not sure how I missed this previously, but 14ers has a fall thread going here.

I guess while I'm at it, here's the Rocky Mountain Nature Photographers thread.

[Jeff Shearer]

Just got done watching 9News at 4:00. They had a reporter in the Eisenhower Tunnel area and said that the area will have it's peak colors in about a week. 9News has also set up a website for fall colors, but in my opinion, the only informative piece of the website is the "Fall Foliage Outlook" graphic. http://www.9news.com/weather/outdoors/fall_colors/

[bill proud]

Hello all,

I live near Mancos, Colorado and can see the La Platas from the house about 20 miles away. There doesn't seem to be much going on up there yet.

I drove up north of Dolores toward Lizard Head yesterday and it also appears way green. There was one group of Aspen that was bright yellow but a very small amount in a vastness of green.

I don't know if anyone has posted the Colorado fall color hotline. I called and got a message for the week, 9/14/07. 800-354-4595 They mentioned some color on Molas, Red Mountain and Slumgullion Passes.

Hope this helps.

cheers

[Joshua Hardin]

I was at the Bear Lake/Alberta Falls area in RMNP on Saturday morning and the Aspen area from Saturday night to Tuesday. I also posted some of this information on the Naturephotographers.net forum but I'll repeat it here too. Above is a shot of the Capitol Peak Trailhead from Monday evening as a storm passed.

RMNP: The aspen stand on the north shore of Bear Lake is nearing peak. It has some nice color on Saturday (about 80% turned) and should be really good right now. The stand on the trail to Alberta Falls was just beginning to turn (somewhere around 15-20%). The aspen on the lower east side of Trail Ridge don't look that great in color. Aspen on the Bierstadt Moraine are just beginning to turn. The ones in Moraine and Horseshoe Parks still should have a couple weeks left until peak.

McClure Pass: about 80% aspen have turned on the north side, mostly in the high elevations, lower areas are still green. The south side of the pass has barely turned.

Capitol Peak Trailhead: about 40-50% of the aspen have turned, the peak had nice snow on it yesterday, should look good from this weekend into early next week.

Independence Pass: A fair amount of yellow mostly around the higher elevations. The brush around the Indepenence ghost town is a vivid orange and red. East side of the pass has a lot more color in the aspen.

Twin Lakes: Looking really great with nice color (about 75-85% aspen have turned) and there is snow on Mt. Hope, Elbert, etc. Now is a good time to shoot this area.

Freemont Pass: The few aspen stands in this area have mostly turned. The area around Copper Mtn. has turned a lot in just the past four days.

[Jack Brauer]

Just did a day hike today up on Red Mtn Pass near Ironton. I'd say the aspens are about 30% yellow. Some nice big groves of yellow, but lots of green still too.



Everything on the west side of Owl Creek Pass is still green.

[Guy Schmickle]

For those interested in the Maroon Bells, here's a shot as of the 17th. Still has a ways to go, but its getting good fast. A couple of frosty mornings while I camped there will probably jump start things even more. The snow on the 16th was definitely a blessing. Most of the high peaks got a nice coating of snow.



As Joshua said, the Independence pass area is definitely worth a visit anytime. Especially the east side. Here's a shot of the river following the road on the east side. I forget its name.