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"A User's Guide to Autumn's Show"

With cool, sunny weather predicted for this weekend - highs in the mid-60s and lows ranging from 40 to 50 today and Sunday - it's the perfect time to get out and peep at some leaves. Here are some tips for making the most of your outing:  

Weekend color forecast

Now through Sunday: The best color is in the highest elevations, especially at Mount Mitchell , Craggy Gardens and Grandfather Mountain .

Now through Oct. 21: Color will increase in elevations greater than 4,000 feet, including the Mount Pisgah and Cold Mountain area, southwest of Asheville on the Blue Ridge Parkway .

Sunday through Oct. 25: Many of the mountains around Asheville show plenty of color now, especially in the 3,000- to 4,000-foot elevation range. Take the Blue Ridge Parkway north or south from Asheville .

Friday to Nov. 1: Asheville (2,000-foot elevation) shows the brightest colors now, along with areas around Hendersonville and Brevard. This is a great time for a waterfall hike in DuPont State Forest .

Oct. 24 to Nov. 4: The color show will conclude in the Chimney Rock area (elevation of 1,300 feet). Ride to the top of Chimney Rock or take a boat tour on Lake Lure .

SOURCE: www.RomanticAsheville.com.

Hiking, running, walking

Great Smoky Mountains National Park rangers is offering two hikes this weekend:

·  Today's hike starts at 10 a.m. in the Deep Creek Trail parking area near the Deep Creek campground. It's a 4.4-mile hike that passes two waterfalls - Toms Branch and Indian Creek Falls . Meet at the parking area three miles north of Bryson City , accessible from U.S. 19 or U.S. 74. Camping is available at the Deep Creek campground.

·  Sunday's hike starts at 9:30 a.m. in the parking area on the left, just after entering Cataloochee Valley . The eight-mile loop hike on the Caldwell Fork and Boogerman trails is rated moderate to strenuous with an elevation change of 1,000 feet. A primitive campground with 27 first-come, first-served sites is also available. Bring a jacket, rain gear, water and a bag lunch. Wear sturdy hiking shoes or boots. Call 497-1904 for more details.

·  The Mineral City 5K run and Fall Colors Walk starts at 8:30 a.m. at Wachovia Bank in Spruce Pine. Cost is $20. Visit www.mitchellraces.com.

·  For more WNC hiking information, visit www.hikewnc.info or www.asheville.com/outdoors.

·  For driving tour ideas, visit CITIZEN-TIMES.com and click on "Mountain Travel Guide."

Ballooning

Asheville Hot Air Balloons offers foliage flights each day at sunrise and sunset because winds are calmer then. Flights last an hour, but the whole process takes about 2 1/2 hours. The cost is $200 per person; private flights are $550 per couple and include a bottle of champagne.

Reservations are a must. Call 667-9943 or visit www.ashevillehotairballoons.com.

Taking photos

Here are some tips from the Citizen-Times photo staff:

The Appalachian Mountains ' magnificent autumn colors make great photo subjects. Whether you're shooting with film or digital, point-and-shoot camera or single lens reflex camera, try these suggestions to enhance your fall photography experience.

·  Film/digital speed. Select a color film or set your digital camera to a low ISO number. ISO 50, 100 or 200 will give you the most saturated color.

·  Keep steady. Keep the camera steady by bracing the camera tightly against your body. Use a close-by tree, rock or car as a steadying object. For the sharpest photos, use a tripod.

·  Composition. Look for visually appealing subjects to put in the foreground of your photo - a fence, tree limb, rock, stream - that will frame the subject. Don't place the horizon or your subject in the center of the photo. Keep it simple and have a point of interest that draws the viewer into the photo.

·  Get close. Isolate a single tree, look for the group of brightly colored leaves floating in a stream, find moisture clinging to a leaf or seek the red or yellow leaf lying in a field of green.

·  Light and weather. On sunny days, photographing in early morning or late afternoon will give the photo the most color saturation and warmth. But overcast skies can act as a giant diffuser, reducing reflections and contrast, and eliminating unwanted shadows.

Sharing autumn shots

Send your fall leaf photos to be included in the Citizen-Times galleries by e-mailing them to:  readerphotos@CITIZEN-TIMES.com.

Saving leaves

Here's how to press them for posterity:

You will need:

1. Fresh leaves, either freshly fallen or picked from the trees. Don't use leaves that have mold, rot or dead spots.

2. Newspaper or other paper large enough to spread the leaves on.

3. A heavy book.

4. Waxed paper.

5. A hot iron.

Gather your leaves and wipe off any dirt. Place them between two pieces of paper and place a heavy book on top. Let the leaves be for about a day. This will flatten and dry the leaves a little.

Arrange the leaves on a piece of waxed paper and place another piece on top. Go over the waxed paper with a medium-warm iron and press until the two pieces stick together.

Let it cool a few minutes before you pick it up.

Disposing of leaves

Counties and municipalities differ on their rules for leaf collection. Some will pick up leaves for free if they're in special bags; others allow residents to burn leaves. Call your county or city manager or administrator to ask about the specific rules. If you have private trash collection, call the company to ask about its leaf collection rules.

If you'd like to be a little more Earth-friendly, you can compost leaves. Buy a composting bin or build your own with a little bit of wood and wire - just find an out-of-sight place and pile leaves and grass clippings there. After a few months of warm weather, you will be able to use the compost to enrich the soil in your garden.

Staff writers Lindsay Nash, Bill Sanders and Leslie Boyd contributed to this article.