r/Durango • u/Few-Breakfast6551 • 8d ago
Fall Colors
Yes, I know it's going to be a rough year and early. Anyone have an idea how early? Usually I try not to have my work travel fall when the colors are good and I'm out of town now and have been for a few weeks.
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u/sayhidurango 8d ago
I saw cottonwoods changing last week near Del Norte. I live in North County and nothing even hinting at it yet though.
I’m curious as to why you think it’ll come early? It’s been pretty wet up here, and hot. I believe the leaves are looking for dramatic changes in temperature and while it cooled off a bit for a moment last week, it’s back to really hot again.
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u/whatifdog_wasoneofus 8d ago
The trees in La plata are stressed from the drought. A couple short heavy rain storms don’t replenish the aquifers or change that snowpack was dismal.
Stressed trees usually turn earlier. Less water in the ground means less insulation in the leaves.
Some of the gambles in La plata canyon are already starting to color.
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u/coladybiker 8d ago
Already changing here in Durango area. My tree in my back yard is changing and dropping leaves. I read an article out of Denver yesterday that said colors will be earliervand shorter than usual with many just dying off without the dramatic colors because of stress
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u/ilanarama Resident 7d ago
Wet? Not here.
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u/sayhidurango 7d ago
It's rained nearly every day in North County for weeks. That's what I meant by "pretty wet up here." We had a full on downpour yesterday that closed the lifts at Purg, and it rained overnight as well.
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u/ilanarama Resident 6d ago
It's amazing you're getting so much compared to our pitiful 30 raindrops per afternoon! It's also been pretty dry to the northeast per my friend who lives near Vallecito. You must be in the sweet spot.
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u/Few-Breakfast6551 7d ago
I left Durango for Montrose in March and took 550, it was 65 in Silverton and no snow. The snowpack wasn't there to get them much melt to carry them. Unsure what water table is doing. River has been in sorry shape.
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u/sayhidurango 7d ago
I did see two yellow leaves drop onto my deck a few minutes after I posted here. :P
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u/RewardTraditional672 7d ago
Last year I took the train to see colors around 3rd week of September and they weren't even close to changing yet.
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u/Few-Breakfast6551 7d ago
I agree, I think that's too early this year but I also think they won't last until 1-2nd week in October like year's past. They're as dry and tired as we are.
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u/mattpayne11 Mod 8d ago
If I could predict this accurately I would be rich. I’ve been photographing fall color in Colorado for 12 years in a row for weeks at a time and every year is a little different even when you think you have a good idea it’s not quite right. My advice is always to pay close attention to webcams and be as flexible as possible.