Fall Thread!

Moderators,

It's that time again, time for a sticky fall thread!

I posted a fall 'recap" at the end of last year's thread:

http://www.naturephotographers.net/imagecritique/bbs.cgi?a=vm&mr=47315&CGISESSID=8b02ca9cddf9e6509da438ad596e610b&u=32479

For those planning a trip to the area, there are some good things to keep in mind:

- altitudes vary from about 900 feet to over 6000 feet. You can't shoot fall color in the high country and coves in the same week. In fact, fall is a 3-4 week thing.

- the high country (Grandfather and Tanawa Trail, Rough Ridge, Graveyard Fields) peaks around the first week, Cades Cove Tremont, and the other river bottoms usually peak in the 4th week.

- river bottoms have mostly golds, coppers, and yellows, while the higher, drier ridges have the brilliant reds an oranges.

- You very likely want to avoid Cades Cove unless it's raining or you go very early or late. If you go mid day or afternoon, you will be there very late. Especially on a weekend.

- Don't mess with bears. A tourist was bitten (yes he got that close -- he approached the bear)and the bear was killed because of it.

This year I'll probably try the high country October 4th through 8th, and the low country October 25th through 29th. Timing will vary according to observations and reports, so visit ans see what people are posting.

Oh, and you know it's peak when people STOP posting!

Cheers, Steve

The early fall foliage forecast looks colorful for leaf lovers in Western North Carolina.

In the annual report released by Western Carolina University, Kathy Gould Mathews, an associate professor of biology, called for a leaf season that should redeem the less brilliant mountain color scheme of last fall.

“I think last year was maybe a little disappointing for some people,” Mathews said. “The colors were somewhat dull, and the season was later than usual.”

Thanks to higher temperatures and less-than-average rainfall, Mathews said that this fall should put on a better show. “Because of the heat and especially the drier spring and summer seasons, colors should be better and richer this year,” she said.

Although peak fall color won't typically show up until the third week of October, it may arrive a week later this year, more toward the end of the month.

“Peak color changes depend on the first frost date of the year,” Mathews explained. “If frost comes later than usual because of higher temperatures, so will peak color season.”

Although Mathews looks at several months before the big change for her best prediction, she said it could be this weekend that decides the season's fate.

“If temperatures cool down this weekend and stay cool, we could have a normal peak in the third week of October,” Mathews said. “But color change should begin at the higher mountain elevations in late September.”

Thanks for starting the thread Steve. I'm really looking forward to fall colors and have planned trips to Max Patch and the Greenbriar area of West Virginia in Oct. Last year was a big disappointment with the lack of colors and the early cold that brought the leaves down.

This year has to be better.

WNC leaf color repot:


http://www.romanticasheville.com/fall.htm

The goldenrod is gorgeous in the Black balsam area right now!

Lori

For those people that don't like to copy, paste:

http://www.naturephotographers.net/imagecritique/bbs.cgi?a=vm&mr=47315&CGISESSID=8b02ca9cddf9e6509da438ad596e610b&u=32479

http://www.romanticasheville.com/fall.htm

FYI, for those people that want to learn how to hyperlink the instructions on how to do this is explained in the Text Style Menu link located at the bottom of this page.

Really looking forward to my 1st trip to the Smokies this year.

The goldenrod on Roan was great Sunday too!

Cheers, Steve

Good thread! I'm going to be shooting all over the Smokies/Blue Ridge for 8 days in Oct and I can either do 18th-25th or 25-2nd.. any suggestions??

When do you have to decide?

If I couldn't split weeks I'd probably do the 18th-25th.

Cheers, Steve

Folks,

This is the autumnal equinox, so say hello to fall. Oh, it's supposed to be 92 degrees here in Knoxpatch.

Cheers, Steve

Yeah, doesn't feel much like fall here either!

I need to let my boss know by the end of the week so they can plan how to cover my absence. Technically I could split a week but then I would lose having two weekends to "pad" my time off, so I'd rather not.

Folks,

I did a 2-day 450 mile scouting trip, Roan Mountain to Blowing Rock, to the Smokies.

Graveyard Fields will go off first, probably in about 3 days. The color was pretty advanced there, but not quite peak. It was also extremely windy, with green leaves blown off from around Log Wagon Gap (Looking Glass Rock area) to Graveyard Fields.

Most everything else in the high country will be good the weekend of the 9th if you're looking for the best weekend.

The late summer stuff at Roan is gone or looking shabby. It got down to 37 degrees Saturday night but did not frost at Carver Gap, ele 5510.

Price Lake always confuses me but I'd gues 5 days or so there.

Grandfather area still looks early; Boone Fork, Rough Ridge, Beacon Heights still are mostly green although beeches are turning. I did not go more than a few hundred feet down these trails, but based on past experience it's going to be too soon before this weekend for good shots on the Tanawa Trail.

Mt Mitchell is further along, but still needs a few days. I shot some asters and understory there.

The high Southern Parkway beyond Richland Balsam looks a little more advanced than the northern end of my route, and you could still get some nice late summer intimate compositions in places like Water Rock Knob.

The Smokies need a week to ten days at least for the higher slopes.

Please note my info is just educated guesses, and applies to the high country and higher slopes. Peak in the river valleys is still very likely 3 full weeks off.

Cheers, Steve

Steve--thanks for the update. I plan to head up to Graveyard Fields either Wed or Friday--hopefully before it gets inundated by tourists. Wed. is projected to be partly cloudy so would be the best day and the end of the week is supposed to be robins egg blue skies and no clouds. So far Asheville is pretty calm but we're expecting the leaf peepers to descend on us any day. I'm planning to do an all nighter up there so I can catch both a sunset and sunrise over Black Balsam Knob. Here in the Asheville area the only color we have is the dogwoods and a few maples. We lost some tulip poplar leaves a couple weeks ago but that has stabilized so it looks like the end of the month will be our peak here--Larry

Folks,

Lori Kincaid reported rime ice above 5000 feet yesterday (Monday) morning, and 3" of snow on LeConte - the earliest big snow in 31 years.

That should push things along.

Still, it looks like a normally timed year so far - peak at Graveyard and the high country about 8-10th.

Cheers, Steve

OK, I just got back from Graveyard Fields and I must say I was disappointed. After Steve's report I had expected to be bathed in a glorious display of colors at their peak. However reality was that there was hardly any color on the BRP between Asheville and GF with the exception of the low elevation sourwood and dogwoods and a few maples higher up. The GF area did have some more color but it was more a muted brownish green than anything else. So if you're headed for the high elevations give it a few more days to a week. Temps are running warm again with the high in Asheville toady hitting 79 and it was 70 at GF this afternoon. Even at 5000' we're still seeing overnight lows in the upper 30's. This pattern is expected to remain the same through early next week.

There were high winds in the high country for several days this past week. When I was up Tuesday 10/5 I noted less color at Cowee than the week before, suggesting some of the early changers had blown off the trees. We're seeing daily improvement in the Max Patch area (4000 to 4500 ft), but I'd guess the beginning of peak here is still a week away.

I'll be doing at least one recon this weekend and will report back. If anyone else is out (high country or not), please let us know what you find.

Lori

I suspect that wind has blown some of the color off because I've had the same experience as Lori a week apart.

As far as Graveyard Fields itself goes, remember that it isn't "normal" and peaks early, but peak color 1/2 mile down the Parkway may well be another week to ten days later than the more exposed fields.

Cheers, Steve

I was on the Parkway yesterday between Sylva and Hwy 276 and found frost damage above 5000 to 5500 ft or so, muted colors at Graveyard, and a million people. I expect Graveyard peak around Tuesday, but it didn't look like it'll be a great year.

Lori

Lori, Thanks for the update. May be time for Plan B.

Anyone have a report for The Granfather Mtn area of the Parkway?

Jack

I have an update for Grandfather, GO NOW! I was up there on Sat. & Sun. It's lit up like a Christmas tree. Bass lake is at peak now too. I started to go to Asheville this past weekend, I'm glad I didn't. I think things may be a bit past peak at Grandfather this coming weekend. I have included some links below to some photos so you can get an idea of what things look like.

Also, the grandfather.com website gives daily updates on how things are looking up there. But keep in mind the updates are more for leaf peepers rather than photography so some things don't apply if you're looking for photo ops.

On the flickr site, the top three are one's from this past weekend. Check both links later in the week as I post more photos from the weekend.

By the way, the crowds up there was crazy. If you can go during the week you won't have to deal with all the traffic & people.



http://CallawayImages.zenfolio.com/p434595276/edf2d61d
http://CallawayImages.zenfolio.com/p434595276/e115c70ee

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25704126@N02/

Thank you for the info Bobby.

Jack

Does anyone have a guess as to when we might see peak color in Babcock State Park and Blackwater Falls State Park in West Virginia? Is the peak already past? Thanks,
Daniel

Frost warning in Asheville tonight through Friday morning with a cold front moving in bringing daytime highs down into the 60s for the weekend--things are going to happen fast now.

Does anyone have any projections on colors in the Washington DC area? I am thinking of heading out there next weekend and the following week. ~Oct 23-27

Thanks!
Ben Klaus
http://www.klausphotos.com

Ben, I drove to DC from Richmond on Tuesday and it was no more than 20% along the highway and around D.C. But it is beginning to change. I think this weekend would still be too early. I am told that the Shenandoah was only about 30% as of early this week. I am hoping to get up there this weekend.

Bobby, I checked out your link and thought your image "Reflections" is really outstanding! You should post it or a link here. Really well done. What lake is that?

Bobby, I checked out your link and thought your image "Reflections" is really outstanding! You should post it or a link here. Really well done. What lake is that?

Just got a report from a local photographer who hit Devils Courthouse and Graveyard Fields this morning. There's still plenty of color out there and the 2-3 shots he took look great. However he tried to hike down to get a shot of the falls, slipped on some ice slick rock and came darned close to breaking his leg. Another photographer out there heard his cries for help and helped him back up to his car and he was able to drive back to Asheville. Fortunately it was only a bad muscle strain and he can now hobble around the house. So be careful out there and if you go into dangerous locations don't go alone.

As for the leaves, we've had strong winds down here in Asheville all day and it has been snowing leaves. Expect the same up high so canopy coverage will change rapidly if this keeps up--Larry

Thanks Ed, the lake is called Bass Lake and its in Blowing Rock, NC. I originally wanted to include the trees but as the sun was setting shadows started to appear on them so I just zoomed in on the lake. Thanks again.

I'm headed up to Asheville in a few hours, hopefully I have more images to post.

Here's the link to the photo...
http://CallawayImages.zenfolio.com/p434595276/e3427431d

Between Moses Cone and the Hwy 181 exit on the BRP is some spots pretty and some spots naked already. The color is creeping down the valley but green below below Upper Creek Falls on Hwy 181. A few of the overlooks are really nice if you get there when the sun isn't blazing!

I went up 215 to the Blue Ridge parkway today. this is my first trip up here for fall colors so take this with a grain of salt. I have included some pictures. It seems that the best color is around 3500 to 4500 in this area and the further north on the parkway I went towards the pisgah inn, the more the leaves were gone.

the first picture above is just before the parkway on 215. this next one is Lake Logan, around 3,000 feet north of the BRidge on 215

this last one is 2 miles north of the parkway (bubbling springs falls I think its called) at about 4,200 feet. Some nice color but a lot of the leaves are gone if you look closely

I just wrapped up a trip to the Blue Ridge and Smokies (Oct 15-19). All in all, it didn't seem to be a very good year for fall color in the NC mountains.

On 10/15, the High Country from Roaring Gap to Blowing Rock had mostly disappointing color. Many leaves had fallen, and of the ones that remained, color mostly was dull. Either the color peaked early or there wasn't a well-defined peak in this area. Grandfather Mtn. was past peak and the remaining color was not as great as what I had remembered in past years.

The Linville Falls Recreation Area area had some nice color (a bit past peak) on Oct 16-17, but many leaves had fallen.

On 10/16, I drove on the parkway from Grandfather Mtn. to Mount Mitchell. The distant mountainsides and hillsides, as viewed from parkway overlooks, typically had dull color. However, I saw some stretches of nice color along the roadsides. For all I know, the roadside areas might be past peak by now. NC 80 (from the BRP toward US 19) had some patches of decent color, especially near Busick. That area probably is past peak by now.

Southwest of Asheville (on Sunday 10/17), there was nice color along the roadsides from the French Broad River almost to Mt Pisgah. In the higher elevations from Mt Pisgah to US 23/74?, most of the leaves either had a rust or brown color, or were on the ground. I saw a few bright patches along NC 215 just north of the BRP, but good foliage was very spotty; some spots were mostly scoured of leaves and others were bright. Graveyard Falls was past peak, not surprisingly, but there was some color, tending toward brownish red.

Oct 18-19, Great Smoky Mtns NP/BRP, Plenty of good color along the roadsides from Cherokee to Newfound Gap -- colors were at peak in many locations. Distant views of mountains didn't seem colorful. A nice drive for fall color was from Soco Gap, near Maggie Valley, to the end of the BRP near Cherokee. The lower elevations on the Tennessee side of the GSMNP featured more green leaves and many of those locations probably won't peak until late October.

The western Piedmont and foothills look very dull so far -- they usually peak later, however.

Ben, I drove to DC from Richmond on Tuesday and it was no more than 20% along the highway and around D.C. But it is beginning to change. I think this weekend would still be too early. I am told that the Shenandoah was only about 30% as of early this week. I am hoping to get up there this weekend.

Hey guys!

I'm planning to do the Smokies, Big Creek, Tremont, Cades Cove, Foothills Parkway, and maybe shoot over to the Waterfalls area of NC.

Any updates on color in those areas?

Thx

I was at Big Creek yesterday and Tremont today. Color is fantastic right now with lots of yellows, reds, and oranges popping but don't wait too long, with this wind there won't be any leaves left soon!

I took this today at a pull off somewhere near Chimneys. White balance adjustment only.

Thanks Taylor for the info. Beautiful colors for sure!

Everyone, I am headed up in the AM to the Smokies. If anyone is around Friday - Sunday give me a ring (919) 609 8005.

Folks,

Looks like the fat lady has sung on fall color at least for the most part. Here's my recap.

Graveyard fields peaked late, around the 13th-15th. It would have been better if there had not been high wind on Sunday the 10th, and reportedly the 11th. I was there on the 10th and there were green leaves and color on the ground. I shot on Wednesday the 13th, and although the color was good, leaves were blown off the cherry and maples. The foreground maple for the falls had great color, but there were few leaves on the Parkway side of the tree - you could see the trunk.

Rime ice and frost also took its toll around the 10th for elevations above 5000-5500 feet. For example the balds above Graveyard Fields and the fall wildflowers near Richland Balsam overlook.

Grandfather reportedly peaked a bit later than Graveyard but I did not go there. I also noted that Wednesday the 13th was near peak at Graveyard Fields, and also Oconaluftee and the Carolina side, all the way to the Chimneys where it got green again.

The low country peak on the Tennessee side was around October 25th, but two lines of storms ended most of the color on the 26th. Color was of course good before the 25th, but I traveled most of the Tennessee side of the Smokies during this period and the color was likely near best around the 25th. BTW, color in the bottom of Cades Cove was past peak by this time, as it usually is.

Cheers, Steve

Oh, and here's one of my favorites from the high country color.

Cheers, Steve

I really like this shot, Steve. And I really appreciate the information you post here. I will post tomorrow or Monday a couple from Shenandoah and this area that I have taken this past week.

Hi folks. Just got back from the Smokies.

1) Color is still shootably good in Greenbriar and very good and peaking along 441 from Gatlinburg up to the Chimneys area.

2) Foothills parkway (near Townsend) is not peak yet! Still lots of green leaves with some color.

3) Rich Mountain Road (out of the cove) around peak now.

4) Excellent color with the maples at the entry to Roaring Fork motor trail.

5) Most other areas are past peak per Steve.

Love your photo, Steve!

FYI, the Ramsey Prong Road in the Greenbrier area will be closed for bridge repair 11/1-11/5.

Lori

Wow Lori.

I guess I lucked out hitting it on Sunday, since I spent almost all my time up that way. Was wondering what all those "no overnight parking" signs everywhere were all about...