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Fall Foliage 2016


WxUSAF

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It's going to be another bad fall color year. The last good fall peak we had was in 2010. The color was outstanding that year. The only color I'm seeing is basically from strees. The dogwoods are starting to show a little bit of nice color. Tulip Poplars are going to be a fail this year. They are going from green to brown then falling off. In a good year they get a nice yellow during peak.

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Maples in my subdivision have turned a very sickly pale yellow, and are dropping leaves by the bushel.  Today's rain is probably too little too late for us.  Maybe it was wet enough up in SNP over the summer to produce decent color that can be traveled to see.  Around the immediate area here, I expect piss-poor color and a very early drop. 

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Did my first 'official' leaf clean up today. Although I've been getting them up with mower I pulled leaf blower out and cleaned the gutters/decks under shrubs, etc. Looked like Sept if you only looked at the yard for about two hours. Trees still mostly green with a touch of color, but the heat and dryness has stressed many and leaves turning brown and falling off. Poplars are about 50/50 yellow and brown so there is color there. Locust's are brown like most places around here. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I'm hoping that the recent rains might help at least some with the color as we progress more into October.  Thus far, very little other than some shriveled up leaves that have fallen off over the past couple or so weeks due to the relative drought we've had.  Would be nice to get a few decent photos!  That said, some of the dogwoods around here have looked pretty good at least.

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21 hours ago, clskinsfan said:

Leaves are going to be very late this year. I was looking at some pictures from last year. And we were at peak on Oct 15th last year. Everything is still green here.

Yup.  Hardly any change in the last 2 weeks.  

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From my annual fall day trip to canaan.....

Dolly Sods......low growth (blueberry bushes) at dolly are past peak. Tree foliage is a mixed bag of peak, already fallen and not peak. Was 33 w a stiff wind this morning up there.

Blackwater Falls....prob 5sh days from peak. I imagine the weather this week will get things going quick. Based on what I saw today, the canyon should look great by the weekend.

Canaan.....lots of trees at or close to peak. If you plan to go, don't wait past this coming weekend. Some of the hills surrounding Davis are getting close to peak and very colorful.

Once off the ridge and east of mt storm the leaf change is much less noticeable. Further east in the GW National Forest between wardensville and Strasburg I noticed very little color.

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1 minute ago, snowfan said:

From my annual fall day trip to canaan.....

Dolly Sods......low growth (blueberry bushes) at dolly are past peak. Tree foliage is a mixed bag of peak, already fallen and not peak. Was 33 w a stiff wind this morning up there.

Blackwater Falls....prob 5sh days from peak. I imagine the weather this week will get things going quick. Based on what I saw today, the canyon should look great by the weekend.

Canaan.....lots of trees at or close to peak. If you plan to go, don't wait past this coming weekend. Some of the hills surrounding Davis are getting close to peak and very colorful.

Once off the ridge and east of mt storm the leaf change is much less noticeable. Further east in the GW National Forest between wardensville and Strasburg I noticed very little color.

Nice update! Looking forward to seeing your pictures!

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I saw an article last week from CWG about best local spots for foliage. Skyline Drive was listed as #1 in the area. Disagree 100%. If you even attempt to go on a nice weekend in the fall during good color the traffic makes it's a giant PITA. Canaan wins hands down. And, some will say that Canaan is an additional 100 miles away, and that's valid. That said, by the time you deal with the Front Royal traffic lights, pay the $20 SHENNP admission and slowly work your way up to good elevation on skyline behind a line of 20 cars going 25 mph, you'd be cruising 65mph on corridor H and almost to Canaan.....with less traffic, better views (in Canaan and along the way on Corridor H), better foliage, etc. 

Other decent local spots.....Harpers Ferry, Cacapon SP, Catoctin Mt SP, Gingko Grove at the VA Arboretum, etc. And, if you want something a bit more unique, try the western MD scenic railroad from Cumberland to Frostburg roundtrip. 

 

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On 10/17/2016 at 11:12 AM, snowfan said:

I saw an article last week from CWG about best local spots for foliage. Skyline Drive was listed as #1 in the area. Disagree 100%. If you even attempt to go on a nice weekend in the fall during good color the traffic makes it's a giant PITA. Canaan wins hands down. And, some will say that Canaan is an additional 100 miles away, and that's valid. That said, by the time you deal with the Front Royal traffic lights, pay the $20 SHENNP admission and slowly work your way up to good elevation on skyline behind a line of 20 cars going 25 mph, you'd be cruising 65mph on corridor H and almost to Canaan.....with less traffic, better views (in Canaan and along the way on Corridor H), better foliage, etc. 

Other decent local spots.....Harpers Ferry, Cacapon SP, Catoctin Mt SP, Gingko Grove at the VA Arboretum, etc. And, if you want something a bit more unique, try the western MD scenic railroad from Cumberland to Frostburg roundtrip. 

 

The key point on Skyline is the word "weekend." Obviously most people don't have the flexibility to go during the week. Back in 2011 I went midweek on a pretty nice day and the traffic was almost non-existent and my hike up to Hawksbill featured only seeing like 2 people. That was right around peak that year. I won't even consider Skyline on weekends around peak color ;)

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Took a drive west today. Color started to get pretty in spots around Frederick. Before that it was mostly green or just bare trees. Color started to show up again just south of Sideling Hill. Really pretty North of Sideling Hill. Still pretty green near Rocky Gap. Some nice color around Accident Maryland. Some decent color around Deep Creek Lake but alot of it has already peaked. 

Going to visit some of the state parks (Swallow Falls) tomorrow near Deep Creek. Any suggestions of spots to visit nearby is greatly appreciated. Not all to familiar with the area. 

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On 10/20/2016 at 8:09 AM, Kmlwx said:

The key point on Skyline is the word "weekend." Obviously most people don't have the flexibility to go during the week. Back in 2011 I went midweek on a pretty nice day and the traffic was almost non-existent and my hike up to Hawksbill featured only seeing like 2 people. That was right around peak that year. I won't even consider Skyline on weekends around peak color ;)

Bingo.  During the week is a must. Front Royal has turned itself into a traffic nightmare with all the stoplights and 25 mph speed limits posted through the town, as well as the outskirts.  When combined with the leaf peepers, you'd think you were in NOVA.  

Today was supposed to be my day.  Took the day off work, had a family hike planned to Hawksbill and a picnic at Dickey Ridge.  Last night my oldest daughter  came down with a cold from hell (that she picked up at a relatives b-day party on Sat).  She was up most of the night (as was I) and then threw up twice this morning.  Needless to say, a vaca day wasted and the best opportunity for this year missed.  

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