This is my most valuable lesson for planning a fall foliage trip!

This also goes for most trips year round so feel free to use it during the rest of the year…

The #1 problem in fall foliage planning is Mother Nature

I bet you thought you would have, or hoped you would have, all warm sunny days and cool crisp nights with nothing but intoxicating autumn colors as far as the eye can see. Well, I’ve been doing this for quite a while now, and I think this should be an Olympic event. One that we train for all year long.

I can see your faces right now, marked with confusion. “You mean I don’t just get into the car and it’s all around me?” Well, sometimes, but most often I’m left wondering where the heck are the fall colors? They should be right here! (Worse yet, I said so in my blog!).

This is a big expenditure for all of us and, yes, I live here in Massachusetts so I don’t have to drive THAT far, but it still can be a long day, even for me.

Some days you may have perfect weather, but what if it rains? Maybe it’s just cloudy with low clouds, and you can feel the rain threatening when you look out the window. I was in Rangeley Maine and I almost went back to bed.

Some years ago, I found Beaver Pond, and since then I stop back at least once as autumn rolls around. I need to walk around it one of these days…

The #2 Problem is fall foliage planning takes more effort

I was leaving at 3:30AM and the weather report wasn’t encouraging. It was forecasting mostly cloudy with possible breaks in the clouds in the afternoon. Well, I hit the road and I headed up I-93 into the White Mountains. The cloudy sky was brightening by the time I hit Franconia Notch.

I got off in Lincoln New Hampshire on Route 112, and I stop for gas and coffee. I came out of a gas station and look at the mountains in the early dawn light, yup, crap… Just dull grey, but I pressed on because I DON’T KNOW WHAT I’LL FIND…

Remember East on 112 is the Kancamagus Highway (Kanc), but I headed west on 112 which takes me through Woodstock NH.

So after passing through Woodstock New Hampshire, I drive about another 4 or so miles and Beaver Pond is on the left. I have some photography tips on this spot. If you need directions then read this article that has a nice route to Beaver Pond over to Sugar Hill.

These first two images are what I was presented with when I pulled in. Remember… cloudy and overcast means don’t include the sky. But it still means it can provide great images.

Anyway, I get there and I’m all by myself. I’m the only person in the small parking lot and there isn’t a whisper of breeze on the pond. The mirror-like reflection catches the colors of the trees in a soft muted copy. The clouds are low over Kinsman Notch and they are crawling over the edges of the rim of the bowl where the beaver pond resides.

Clouds and rain can be a photographers friends

The near side of the pond is as dark as the evergreens reflected in the water but the far edge of the pond has softer reflections that echo the rising hills above the water. A soft mist hangs in the air above the pond and the higher you look the more obscured the view is. 

Last rule not to be ignored either!

TURN AROUND!!!  I’m not kidding, I know I get so focused on what is in front of me that I usually miss what is right behind me. In this case, these are the sugar in the Sugar Hills of New Hampshire fall colors. To my eyes, I see an entire hill peeking out from under a blanket of white cloud with the hillside entirely in red sugar maples. I couldn’t find a good view of it to photograph, but even from this vantage point (the parking lot at the Beaver Pond), seeing this made my heart sing for joy!

So when you get handed lemons by Mother Nature, then you need to make lemonade, I know it’s an old one but it really does apply here. Also, these chances for mirror-like reflections appear and disappear with every breeze. With that said, I was standing by my car wondering If I should continue shooting when a strong breeze comes in from the east and the reflection is gone and then some light rain starts, so I jump into my car.

I drove up to Sugar Hill, and most of the rest of the day’s pictures are just so-so. I loved the reflections on this road and I still enjoy it. The rain ended (temporarily), and I found this wet dirt road. I’ll end the story here, and if you want to hear more about this day be sure to leave a comment and request more. I don’t want to bore everyone…

Jeff Foliage Folger

Autumn is a state of mind more than a time of year – Jeff Foliage

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