On the Road is a weekday feature spotlighting reader photo submissions.
From the exotic to the familiar, whether you’re traveling or in your own backyard, we would love to see the world through your eyes.
dmbeaster
Big Pine Creek is one of several watersheds that flow off the Eastern Sierra fueled by the High Sierra snow fall, permanent snow and ice fields, and a few remnant and tiny glaciers. I have been hiking in the Sierra Nevada for over 50 years, and have a particular love of the Eastern Sierra. They represent an unbroken escarpment up to 10,000 feet high rising out of Owens Valley, the westernmost of the basins of the Basin and Range province (the eastward extension extends into Utah to another favorite range — the House Range, which is world famous for trilobite fossils and other Cambrian critters). In my 30s, I started serious mountaineering in the Sierra, and the easiest access to the big peaks is from the Eastern Sierra. Big Pine Creek drains the east side of the most dramatic peaks of the High Sierra, the Palisades, so I have been hiking out of there on multi day trips at least 14 times.
Big Pine Creek is also a great fall color destination, which is something that I have also done many times in many places. In addition to plentiful aspens at higher elevations, there is water birch in the mid section, and black cottonwood at the start of the trail (which is a very pleasant developed camping area). All are pretty in the Fall.
Uncle Ebeneezer posted a nice set recently of a Summer hike on this trail, and I was asked to post some of my own pictures of Fall colors. Here are ten from a 3 day trip in October, 2022. Timing the Fall color is tricky, and there are web sites that track the progress in the Eastern Sierra. My daughter went with me and was a first for her on this trail and Sierra Fall color, so I had to pick the date in advance. I got lucky. I also have sweet memories of this trail as it was the last backpack trip with my father before he was stricken by cancer.
These pictures are just from my cell phone — I do not like to pack the heavier camera gear on backpack trips.
OK, one picture of mountains. The two high peaks on the furthest ridge are Middle Palisade (14,018) on the left and Norman Clyde Peak (13,920) on the right, with an unnamed peaklet between them. Norman Clyde (1885-1972) is the most famous mountaineer of the High Sierra, famous for over 160 first ascents primarily because he was climbing at a high level before anyone, and he got a great mountain named after him. I have hiked up into that area (South Fork Pig Pine Creek) many times and love it.
This picture is taken at a little above 8,000 feet. The trail forks shortly after this location, and we turn right to go up the North Fork. The South Fork continues up that valley, switchbacks up that wall in shadow, and then goes right on that shadowed shoulder. I like to camp right at the top of the shoulder (a scratch below 10,000 feet) as the view is magnificent — my favorite in the High Sierra. Its only 4-5 miles to that spot, so “easy” when you are 68. I was up there camping three years ago in June for flower shows.
First Falls is actually a long series of cascades like this (dropping around 400 feet), and this is only a small part of it. But I am standing on a bridge that crosses the creek, and its a lovely spot. Hiking out after a long hot day, you are almost done when you get here, and it is fun to soak yourself with that cool water.
These are mostly water birch, which is a brushy tree that is strictly riparian. Sneaking in at the top of the photo is a little bit of black cottonwood, which looks like quaking aspen leaves. There are none this “low” (yes, 8,000 feet is low in the Sierra). You can note how they have bits of green still, indicating that they are in the first color change phase. The same is true of some of the water birch.
Same as last picture, but a close up of fallen leaves on wet rocks. The rocks are granite, which is what you see mostly in the Sierra. Water birch leaves are more golden yellow, and you can also see a few black cottonwood leaves in the mix which are a lighter yellow. These are the obviously larger leaves.
Water birch along the stream above First Falls. Water birch has a beautiful copper colored bark when well lit, which it is not here unfortunately. I have composed shots on prior trips to capture the golden leaves with the copper limbs, but none in this set. Here is a file photo from Wikipedia showing the bark.
Water birch in a tree tunnel. Love it.
We are now at Second Falls and at 9,000 feet. The aspens are starting to appear, and we leave the other trees types behind. Here is a glimpse of that great prize for aspen lovers, a bit of red Fall colors mixed in with the normal yellows and oranges.
Aspen glory along the trail. This zone has a lot of groundwater which contributes to vigorous aspen growth (the Sierras are otherwise pretty dry). It is known as Cienega Mirth. Cienega is a word from Mexico and refers to a wetland system unique to the American Southwest and Northern Mexico. Cienegas are freshwater, spongy, wet grounds (often a meadow) with shallow-gradient, permanently saturated soils in otherwise arid landscapes. A famous street in Los Angeles, La Cienega Blvd, is named after a cienega that existed at the base of the Santa Monica Mountains, now Sunset Blvd.
Another beautiful streamside with aspens in color.
Just realized that the format was expanded from 8 to 10 pictures, so I am adding two more out of order. This is at the same location as two pictures above, and is a close up with my daughter in the picture. She just gave birth to my first grandchild, so dont know when we will be backpacking again.
Just another typical beautiful aspen on the trail. I thought about adding a more dramatic shot with more landscape, but opted for a beautiful tree in an ordinary setting.
Shortly after this point, the North Fork lakes begin (most uninspiredly named First to Seventh). The aspens also start to thin out and disappear. The First Lake is at 10,000 feet or so. Second Lake is a little further and barely higher, and is my favorite, with a dramatic backdrop of the 3,000 foot cliffs of Temple Crag. Here is a nice picture taken by someone else. I do not know how to post and link my own photos online.
https://www.linsey.co/journal/2019/8/2/big-pine-lakes
The description refers to the trail as punishing switchbacks. Nonsense. The North Fork trail is the easiest gain of altitude of any trail that I have done. It keeps going up, but usually at a modest degree so that there is never any nasty sections.
The rest of the lakes are just nice lakes, although the highest one (which actually has a name) Sam Mack Lake is really dramatic. I found a good website with pics.
https://peaksforfreaks.blogspot.com/2014/06/
(pictures 31 and 32 of 46) That link is to a climb that I have done, the Swiss Arete on Mt Sill, and picture 31 shows the dramatic high peaks of norther group of the Palisades. I have climbed all of those peaks (Sill, Polemonium, North Palisade, Starlight) except Thunderbolt.
Baud
Congrats on the grandkid!
HinTN
Concur with @Baud: on the grandkid but also congrats on hitting the color just right with your daughter for her first encounter with this place you clearly love. Thanks for taking us along.
raven
I just finished The Indifferent Stars Above: The Harrowing Saga of a Donner Party Bride so these pictures are especially meaningful as I try to envision what it was like.
Baud
WG, if you’re around, the Wikipedia link in the post broke the blog.
Gloria DryGarden
Magnificent
JeanneT
Glorious photos of those yellow trees. I feel like I can smell the woods and hear your footsteps.
Trivia Man
Ive never done anything in East Sierra, but have been fortunate to do some of the West. When i think “nature”, those mountains are my default.
WaterGirl
@Baud: Thank you!
WaterGirl
Stunning pictures, can’t wait to read your commentary tomorrow after my company leaves.
Rusty
So much yellow! I’m more used to northeast autumns with their reds, oranges, numbers, yellows and more. Still, the yellows are gorgeous and thank you for sharing.
twbrandt
Those are lovely images!
UncleEbeneezer
What great pix! Thanks so much for sharing. On the challenge of timing your trip to coincide with “peak” fall color, we can definitely relate. It’s always tricky and we’ve had some years when we arrived either just before or just after the really good color was popping at the area we had reserved.
For what it’s worth, last year I decided to scour CaliforniaFallColor.com (the best website for fall color reports in the E. Sierra, imo) and collect data on the areas we were considering camping to get a rough window on when each area has peaked over the last five years. Obviously, it’s a bit different every year and the reasons for that are really complicated. CaliforniaFallColor has some excellent posts that spell out all the factors that make it so hard to predict. Anyways, Big Pine didn’t even make my list because as far as major destinations, it doesn’t get nearly as many posts/attention as places like Bishop Creek, Convict Lake, Rock Creek, June Lakes etc. Info on when Big Pine peaked was much harder to dig up. But here were the (rough) dates I came up with from 2018-2022. Generally speaking, Bishop Creek, Virginia Lakes and Rock Creek usually start showing color early. June Lakes, Bridgeport and Tahoe start later. And all the other places are somewhere in between. And of course weather can be very isolated. Last year we went to Bishop Creek and were considering camping at Intake 2 Campground or Bishop Park Campground. Intake 2 (and Sabrina) were both almost completely past peak, having lost most of their leaves due to a cold/wind storm, but Bishop Park (and Aspendell) were still gloriously gold. Even though those campgrounds are not that far apart. Anyways, here’s my conclusions for anyone interested in the rough peak dates for various E. Sierra hot spots:
Location
Bishop- North Lake Average peak date 10/6, Bishop- South Lake 10/6, Upper Rock Creek/LLV- 10/6, Convict Lake- 10/20, McGee Creek- 10/15, Mammoth Lakes- 10/11, June Lake- 10/17, Virginia Lakes- 10/4, Lundy- 10/12, Lee Vining- 10/15, Bridgeport/Twin Lakes- 10/20, Hope Valley- 10/8, Tahoe- 10/20
Denali5
Beautiful photos! Thank you. Brings back memories of the magnificent Sierras!
UncleEbeneezer
@Rusty: We get some orange too (David could probably tell you which trees do that) but yeah it’s mostly gold that is the showstopper for fall color out west. Having grown up in New England I miss the Red and Oranges but it’s also really cool to walk through these golden groves of aspens (like in these pix) at altitudes with craggy mountains, lakes and waterfalls that New England really can’t match, imo. The mountains of the East Coast are gorgeous but they feel like rolling hills compared to the Sierra, Rockies and Cascades. Both incredibly beautiful in their own ways, but different.
Weftage
Speaking as someone who can not take a photo without getting my fingers into the lens, I am gobsmacked that these are cell phone pictures.
cope
Gorgeous pictures and excellent narrative, thank you.
Mike Mundy
Two black and white pix of First Falls.
KatKapCC
Beautiful!! That tree tunnel is amazing. And mazel tov on the new grandbaby :D
pieceofpeace
Oh, wow! These photos are magnificent. What a display of beauty….
West of the Rockies
Excellent photo essay and commentary, proud fsther/grandfather! Thank you for sharing.
Interstadial
The Donner Party was crossing a much gentler portion of the Sierra Nevada far to the north. Wagon trains would never have made it over this part of the range, but even to the north it wasn’t easy at all.
On the other hand, that northern part of the Sierra gets a lot more snow on average, sometimes in truly astounding amounts. The record is 451 inches on the ground in 1911 at a town called Tamarack.
Interstadial
Nice pictures! Water birch is one of my favorite trees, and one I’ve planted at a couple of different houses over the decades to evoke the mountains.
BigJimSlade
I never knew what La Cienega translated to – thanks! And lovely pictures :-)
KrackenJack
Thank you for the picturesque and educational post. I’ve driven down the Eastern Sierras – Reno to Mammoth – but haven’t hiked up into them.
Dmbeaster
@Rusty: Fall color in the northeast is the true gold standard, and is much more colorful. You can see why the occasional red aspen is prized.
Dmbeaster
@UncleEbeneezer: The website does not consider hike in destinations. Bishop Creek and Rock Creek drainages, for example, have road access right into the aspens. The road access goes to a much higher elevation than Big Pine. Rock Creek is 10,000, and Bishop Creek to South Lake is 9,800. Big Pine is only 8,000.
If you look at the two pictures with my daughter, the aspens there are just starting the past peak phase. Some trees are bare or just some leaves. The color also can start to wane as the dead leaves will start turning brown sometimes before falling off.
Dmbeaster
@Mike Mundy: Bookmarked your website. Thanks.
🐾BillinGlendaleCA
@Dmbeaster: The interesting thing about the North Fork hike for Fall Color is it may be at peak at the trailhead and first falls, but as you climb, you’ll find that it past peak as higher elevations.
Dmbeaster
@🐾BillinGlendaleCA: You can actually see that somewhat in these pics. The First Falls has some green still present. The Cienega Mirth pictures show Aspens much higher up that are just transitioning into post peak. Some of the trees and limbs are almost naked, and some of the leaves show the darker colors toward brown as they finish the color cycle.
It is rare to see the colors strong like this is all of the zones.
StringOnAStick
Thanks for the photos and the translation of cienega, and oh, the golden aspens, something there aren’t many of here in OR compared to my old CO stomping grounds.
dmbeaster
@StringOnAStick: I remember backpacking in Oregon when I lived in Eugene, and enjoying the colors of vine maple in clearings (usually clearcuts, but not always).
I have enjoyed trips to primarily Telluride for Fall color. Wonderful.