JQPublic Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 Thanks! I convinced the family to go next wknd. Going to have relatives come over for Halloween weekend anyway so it'll work out! Now i just need a good camera... Halloween weekend was about a week past peak last year around here, southeast Tenn. This year is not going any slower. Any way to cancel plans? It is like storm chasing; nature comes first and friends/family will be there when you get back. If it is work, maybe trade shifts? Next two weekends would be much better. Just adjust elevation down with time. Halloween might be peak in the valleys but they just don't have the bright color of the mountains even part way up. Good luck and drive safe to everyone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isopycnic Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 From the dabenchmark gathering in Berkeley springs wv over the weekend... crossing blue ridge at I64 in va Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LithiaWx Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 Made it back this evening from Asheville. The trip and foliage was amazing, the best color was from around 2500-3500 feet. I ended up taking some great pictures that I can't wait to share. I'll download and process the photos sometime soon and have some to post. When we started at the base of the Blue Ridge Parkway it was 68 degrees and we were at about 2000'. In the course of about 10 miles/45 minutes we rose to 6050' and the temp plummeted to 53 degrees and it got very windy, 30-40mph gusts in my estimate. We both ended up with some windburn. The extremely low DP's in the teens and 20's with the wind and sun was not easy on the face. I was quite intrigued by this because there was elevation markers frequently posted and I had my "trusty" car thermometer to read form. Tracking the temperature drop with elevation was quite easy. The foliage at around 4000' was still quite beautiful just obviously past peak. Once we hit around 4500'+ the trees were either bare or auburn or very near brown. We ran into a park ranger at around 5800' or so who informed us of why the trees were past peak at the higher elevations. She said in early October we had rime ice due to an early season freeze, which shocked the trees into dropping the leaves early. She said the warm air from the valley ascended to the higher elevation where the colder temps were and the moisture froze on the trees. She said everything looked like it was coasted in crystals and it stuck around for the good part of the morning. Overall it was an amazing time and I'm glad I went, a very nice weekend and a break from everything for a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nrgjeff Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 Thanks! I convinced the family to go next wknd. Going to have relatives come over for Halloween weekend anyway so it'll work out! Now i just need a good camera... Awesome! You should hit the peak nicely. The weekend you are going was the peak last year. The past weekend was still pre-peak below 2,500 FT. You should nail peak in this weekend (22-23 Oct). Enjoy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LithiaWx Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 Made it back this evening from Asheville. The trip and foliage was amazing, the best color was from around 2500-3500 feet. I ended up taking some great pictures that I can't wait to share. I'll download and process the photos sometime soon and have some to post. When we started at the base of the Blue Ridge Parkway it was 68 degrees and we were at about 2000'. In the course of about 10 miles/45 minutes we rose to 6050' and the temp plummeted to 53 degrees and it got very windy, 30-40mph gusts in my estimate. We both ended up with some windburn. The extremely low DP's in the teens and 20's with the wind and sun was not easy on the face. I was quite intrigued by this because there was elevation markers frequently posted and I had my "trusty" car thermometer to read form. Tracking the temperature drop with elevation was quite easy. The foliage at around 4000' was still quite beautiful just obviously past peak. Once we hit around 4500'+ the trees were either bare or auburn or very near brown. We ran into a park ranger at around 5800' or so who informed us of why the trees were past peak at the higher elevations. She said in early October we had rime ice due to an early season freeze, which shocked the trees into dropping the leaves early. She said the warm air from the valley ascended to the higher elevation where the colder temps were and the moisture froze on the trees. She said everything looked like it was coasted in crystals and it stuck around for the good part of the morning. Overall it was an amazing time and I'm glad I went, a very nice weekend and a break from everything for a while. My raw files are too large so I can't upload them directly for greater detail but here are the shots I caught. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LithiaWx Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 More.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MotoWeatherman Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 More.... Awesome pics. I hope you felt the drive was worth it. Going from 3,000 ft at Balsam Gap in Waynesville NC to the high point of over 6,000 ft in very short order is amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MountainMarvel Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 I was on the Blue Ridge Parkway last Wednesday, and it was definitely the peak of color above 4,000 feet. Clouds were obscuring Mt. Mitchell and other peaks above 5,500 feet. Very dramatic. Here are the pics from that trip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LithiaWx Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 Awesome pics. I hope you felt the drive was worth it. Going from 3,000 ft at Balsam Gap in Waynesville NC to the high point of over 6,000 ft in very short order is amazing. It was worth it, we had a great time and the scenery was amazing along the way. Thank you very much for the route. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carvers Gap Posted October 20, 2011 Share Posted October 20, 2011 1- Elkmont - Smokies, 2 - Blue Ridge Parkway on route to Mt. Mitchell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MountainMarvel Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 Area around Linville Falls was still spectacular on Friday. Peak of color seems to be around 2,500 feet today. More reds that recent seasons. Pockets of dramatic yellows and oranges are still found to 3,000 feet. One of the best displays in years! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MotoWeatherman Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 Area around Linville Falls was still spectacular on Friday. Peak of color seems to be around 2,500 feet today. More reds that recent seasons. Pockets of dramatic yellows and oranges are still found to 3,000 feet. One of the best displays in years! what do those pictures look like without all those color enhancements? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
november rain Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 Just wondering MountainMarvel if that is your home in the picture? If so its a work of art,love it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FoothillsNC Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 Just wondering MountainMarvel if that is your home in the picture? If so its a work of art,love it... wow that picture of the house on the hill with the cascading rock waterfall is very nice. Perfect picture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Local Yokel Wx Posted October 25, 2011 Author Share Posted October 25, 2011 wow that picture of the house on the hill with the cascading rock waterfall is very nice. Perfect picture. If im not mistaken that house is off of Hwy 221 on the left. This house begins a development across the road from a tree farm and barn. I could be wrong but I love this house and have always noticed it when traveling into Avery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
november rain Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 If im not mistaken that house is off of Hwy 221 on the left. This house begins a development across the road from a tree farm and barn. I could be wrong but I love this house and have always noticed it when traveling into Avery. Being a man I usually just look at a house and say nice house and not think twice but this home,the landscape,just everything about it draws me to it and I have to agree with you about loving it. The owners need to count their blessings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MountainMarvel Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 If im not mistaken that house is off of Hwy 221 on the left. This house begins a development across the road from a tree farm and barn. I could be wrong but I love this house and have always noticed it when traveling into Avery. You're right on the mark with that house on 221. I'm not sure that it is currently occupied. The waterfall is really well done, and the manicured hillsides give the entire area a surreal appearance. And yes, I tweek the colors, but digital cameras do not capture the real color that the eye sees, nor the actual lighting that the brain processes, and to make the raw photos worth looking at, you must process them in an artistic way. No apologies. Nature is so magical. Here is a view of the woods around my house this morning just after sunrise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LithiaWx Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Fall colors are peaking in the Metro Atlanta Are, sorry for the low quality phone pic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AcworthWx Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Fall colors are peaking in the Metro Atlanta Are, sorry for the low quality phone pic. Yes it is, now. Have you seen Kennesaw MTN? Looking very nice in the past couple of days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsaur Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Fall colors are peaking in the Metro Atlanta Are, sorry for the low quality phone pic. Great pics, ya'll! I'm finally getting some color down here. It has started within the last few days for most of the trees. Some very few went off last week, and have already shed most of their leaves. The great majority of trees around here, and in driving around, still have 95% of their leaves, or more. T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LithiaWx Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Yes it is, now. Have you seen Kennesaw MTN? Looking very nice in the past couple of days. Yep, I pass it daily and live in it's shadow at the base of the mountain. It's gorgeous and I need to go walking on some of the trails to really take it all in. Perhaps next weekend...hopefully it's not past peak. Edit : Right outside my office... The trees and bushes around here are exploding wit color the past two days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AcworthWx Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Yep, I pass it daily and live in it's shadow at the base of the mountain. It's gorgeous and I need to go walking on some of the trails to really take it all in. Perhaps next weekend...hopefully it's not past peak. Edit : Right outside my office... The trees and bushes around here are exploding wit color the past two days. I too pass it daily. I may head up there tomorrow and will make sure to bring the camera. Taking a 3day weekend, because I can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WNCwx Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 You guys have been posting some great photos! I haven't had the opportunity this season to go look at the color and it looks like this would have been the year to go. Here are a few photos I shot this weekend in Franklin, including one of an Ent that wandered into town... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AcworthWx Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 So I decided to take a hike up Kennesaw Mountain, since we are at Peak right now. Here are a few pictures around my neighborhood and of my hike. Enjoy. Around the neighborhood. Kennesaw Mtn hike. Around the base of the mountain Looking up at Kennesaw Mtn On the hike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AcworthWx Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 Continue: Atlanta skyline in the distance Little Kennesaw Mountain and the one spot on the mountain with spring color Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MountainMarvel Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 Colors are peaking right now north of Lake Lure. Here are some shots from yesterday higher up my mountain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LithiaWx Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 Continue: Atlanta skyline in the distance Little Kennesaw Mountain and the one spot on the mountain with spring color Awesome pictures! That mountain peak sits at 1800' and is about 800' higher than the base at about 1050ish' for those who are wondering about this mountain. It's an absolutely beautiful national park and very historic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MountainMarvel Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 Colors are peaking near Lake James in McDowell County, and along the southern entrance to Linville Gorge. Also, Mount Shumont, at 3,800 feet over Lake Lure, makes the perfect backdrop for a view from northern Rutherford County. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gastonwxman Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 Uploaded with ImageShack.us Uploaded with ImageShack.us Uploaded with ImageShack.us Uploaded with ImageShack.us Uploaded with ImageShack.us Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MountainMarvel Posted November 9, 2011 Share Posted November 9, 2011 For all you purists out there, the first photo with the utility pole is "raw" right out of the camera. The colors yesterday just over the Rutherford/McDowell County line were as bright as I've seen anywhere this season. The second photo is looking to the south toward Tryon Mountain on the NC/SC border. It just doesn't get any better than this. Greetings from "Heaven"..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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