The foliage was nearing peak color in the north end of Grand Teton National Park over the past weekend. There are still some pockets which remain green but for the most part it was definitely showtime.

Conditions have been challenging. Between thick smoke from California and high winds, it's been tough to find windows in which to work over the course of the past two weeks. A cold front pushed through the area late on Friday which shifted the wind direction and greatly improved the air quality. It brought with it some unstable weather which, on balance, was a good thing. Though a few sunrise sessions were busts due to heavy cloud cover, I'd rather have something in the sky than nothing at all.

The front also made for some brisk early mornings as the mercury dipped as low as 18 degrees. I wore every bit of winter gear I had with me to start each day!

When it comes to deciduous trees and autumn foliage, I find the north end of the park to be the prettiest. While the southern half is populated mainly by cottonwoods, in the north there are many aspens - and some of them turn bright orange which provides some color variation. The area extending from Moran into the Buffalo Valley is also quite good for autumn color.

If you're planning on visiting the park to see the landscape in all its autumnal glory, time is of the essence. Many of the cottonwoods in the southern portions are past peak and now have only dull color. The north end still looks very good but won't last much longer - especially if we get high winds.