Autumn Adjustments

Bit of rain in the park last evening. Foliage color in the Valley is quite nice now, with parts of Southside Drive being a bright corridor of yellow maples. Even the dogwoods are as much yellow as pink. Wherever you find it, Dogbane outshines everything in pure canary yellow.

Vernal Fall trickles and at the normally lowest flow of the year, the Merced is running about 1/3 of average for this date. Lessingia blooms can still be found, some Madea still in blossom at Cascades, and there's at least one azalea flowering at Yosemite Lodge. Varied thrushes have appeared early and are relatively numerous. Bucks are at their biggest and in their most aggressive season; give them respectful space. Climbers are all over El Cap, Washington's Column, etc. in this cooler period.

The high country had a dusting of snow a few weeks ago, but real winter seems to be a good ways off. November is projected to be dry (and December in the Sierra doesn't look to be especially wet at this point).