People who are new to the autumn aspen “scene” in the Sierra Nevada often ask, “Where is the best place to find the aspens in the Easter Sierra?” My answer might sound facetious, but it is accurate — “In the Eastern Sierra!” Sure, there are particular places where everyone goes to look and photograph, and some of them are spectacular. But the trees are everywhere. Drive across any Sierra Pass (slowly!) and you’ll find them. Head up or down US305 and watch (mostly) to the west, and you’ll see tons of them. Head up into most any east side canyon and they will be there.
In some other places large swaths of trees change virtually at the same time — in New England, for example. But things are a bit more varied in the Sierra, and the color sustains itself for almost a month. It starts at the highest elevations and more in the north than the south. Then, generally speaking, it works its way from high to low and from north to south — through there are some variations here and there caused by availability of water and exposure. The trees in this photograph are in the fascinating transition zone between the dry high desert terrain and the first conifer forests as the elevation rises.
G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.
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