First Inklings Of Fall Colors – June Lake, CA

The color show is juuuust starting!

We’ve made it to the Sierra’s and the show is about to begin! The weather is crisp and bright, the lakes are brilliant blue, the mountains bold and beautiful and the aspens are about the make their grand exit in a brilliant display of yellows and orange. We are at the very edge of the change, probably a week or so away from “full color”, but I can already tell it’s going to be good.

For whatever reason the Sierra’s, and in particular Hwy 395, never seem to attract RVers the way the other fall color spots do. It’s really an odd phenomenon and I can’t quite explain why. Granted the fall display isn’t as famous and varied as what you get on the east coast, but it’s still pretty darn fabulous and there are so few people here. This totally surprised me last year, but I can’t say I’m complaining. This is absolutely the time to be here -> few other tourists, gorgeous weather and a fall show with miles of hikes in the mountains all to yourself. I mean, what’s not to like?

Lovely June Lake in the early AM

This year we’re exploring a couple of new sites which we didn’t manage to get around to in our tour last year. In particular we’re spending at least a week (possibly more) in the lovely June Lake Loop area, a horseshoe-shaped canyon nestled in-between Mono Lake and Mammoth Lakes at ~7,600 feet. Carved by glaciers in the Pleistocene Epoch, this scenic little enclave is sometimes called the “Switzerland of California” because of its juxtaposition of valley, lakes and high mountain peaks.

Hiking from June Lake Loop

The entire loop is only ~14 miles around, but manages to pack in a ton of “stuff”. It has a cute little town and resort, ski area, multiple camping spots, and 4 mountain lakes. It even manages to throw in a few “oddities”, a balanced 150-ton boulder (right in the middle of town), a reversed creek that flows back towards the mountain (interesting little geology there) and the “Tiger” bar that holds one of the State of California’s two longest standing alcoholic beverage licenses (how about that for weird trivia?). It also happens to be a hidden gem for good fall color, sporting many steep, but lovely trails lined with groups of oh-I’m-just-waiting-to-change-and-dazzle-you aspens.

We’ve got deer in our campground that come around everyday

And nice sunsets too!

We arrived a few days ago and set-up the beast next to a couple of  trailers (we are, yet again, the biggest rig in the forest) in the very scenic Oh Ridge! forest service campground (thanks Suzy & Jerry for the recommendation!). We’ve basically been lazing around the lake and hiking trails ever since, enjoying perfect fall mountain weather and the very first sprinkling of color. I’ll be taking a ton more pictures (no doubt) as the color change progresses and we’ll add-in several day-trips to new spots as well. Our buddies Lu & Terry are on their way to join us too, so we’ll be hanging some social time as well. Good friends, good weather, lots of space and the first inklings of fall color…I am SO ready for the show to begin!

Paker Lake, one of the many lovely hikes in the area

There’s a doggie beach at June Lake…yeah!!

Afternoon by June Lake beach

The very first sprinklings of fall color

The Gem Nextdoor – Maroon Bells, CO

“Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads” (Henry David Thoreau)

You can buy your way into many things in life, but the real gems you gotta hunt for. If you’re the adventurous type you’ll find many of these hidden treasures in your lifetime. If you’re lucky every once in a while you’ll hit the jackpot and find something so outstanding, so special that you’ll want to wrap it up and keep it forever. 

Of course, Paul was one of those finds (can I hear a collective “awwwww”?), but we managed to snag another one a few days back just outside of Aspen. We’d come to this posh town mostly for a look-see and after a 3-minute drive through the main drag we’d accomplished that task completely. With time to spare and an adventurous spirit we decided to explore a little side-valley ~1 mile out of town that we’d seen on the way in.  Well, as it turns out, the side-trip was the cherry on the pudding and one of those keeper finds that etch themselves in your memory forever.

Maroon Bells is ~183,000 acre preserve in the Elk Mountains ~10 miles up Maroon Creek Road off Hwy 82. As you drive up the alpine road it reveals itself to you suddenly and with astonishment, like a colorful flower bursting open from a dull pod. Sharp, show-white peaks tower majestically above a crystal-clear lake enclosed by crimson cliffs and active streams. It’s a jaw-dropping place and totally unique to the area. Crafted by glacial movement and tinted by hematite (iron-bearing mineral), it’s the result of 34 million years of creation. Given it’s splendor it’s popular with the locals, but like all parks you’ll only need to walk ~1 mile down any trail to get away from the crowds. Six of the spectacular peaks crest over 14,000 feet, and with over 100 miles of trails several going over 12,000-foot passes you’ll have no issue losing yourself in the wild. 

So, next time you find yourself in Gucci-Aspen, skip the pearls and go explore the bargain-gem next door. 

The spectacular Maroon Bells

On the trail and in the wilderness just a few miles from Maroon Lake

View across Maroon Lake