Our entourage had scattered along the trail when I noticed one of the first trees to tip its hat to fall. I stared for several moments: Sourwood? I wondered.

I'm terrible at this, this tree identification thing. Even under these, the best of circumstances, when leaf shape and size, bark, branches and fall color are all screaming the tree's name at me, I still draw a blank. My guess of sourwood was based on little more than the fact I know the sourwood is one of the first trees to call it a season and show pigment. I wandered farther down the trail when it came to me: That was no sourwood, that was a dogwood!

Had I reached deep into the knowledge-packed recesses of my well-schooled mind?

Actually, I happened across the "Flowering Dogwood" plaque just off the trail.

Plunked right in front of a perfect specimen dogwood here on Umstead's Inspiration Trail, there was no mistaking this tree. Said right there: "Flowering dogwood."

At no other time of year is it more frustrating not to know your trees. You walk into work Monday morning, eager to share your weekend hike:

That reddish/yellowish tree sure was purdy. The maroon one, too...

Yes, but what where they? Even with a decent knowledge base, it can be tricky.

Take that flowering dogwood. It's leaf can turn a yellowish color, or it can go crimson, akin to the sourwood. And to the untrained eye, the ovate leaf shapes are similar. Both are understory trees and tend to grow in similar locales. All of which can lead to some significant head scratching.

Which is why trails such as Umstead's Inspiration Trail are good hiking options right about now. In less than a mile, Inspiration Trail identifies some of the forest's main players: In addition to the dogwood and sourwood, the sweetgum, ironwood, red maple, black gum, mockernut hickory. Coupled with a good fall color guidebook -- TIO likes "Fall Color and Woodland Harvests" by C. Ritchie Bell and Anne H. Lindsey (Laurel Hill Press), partly because it comes with a handy pocket guide -- it's a near-fool-proof way to separate the ash from the elm.

There are four main tree ID options in the area. At Umstead, there's Inspiration Trail off the Harrison Avenue entrance and Oak Rock Trail off the U.S. 70/Glenwood Avenue entrance. Even more helpful are the tree ID trails at Jordan Lake Educational State Forest in Chatham County and Clemmons Educational State Forest in Clayton. At both state forests, the trees talk and tell you a little about themselves. (The trees don't actually talk; it's a recording device. You understand that, right? Right?)

Keep in mind that optimal viewing can vary by location and by day.

On a recent Monday, for instance, only the dogwoods were showing color at Umstead. Last Thursday, park superintendent Martha Woods said the park was ablaze.

"We're about at peak," Woods reported after spending most of the morning out and about. "It just happened today. It just all happened at once."

Meanwhile, at Eno River State Park in Durham and Orange counties, park receptionist Karen Wilson reported only "a little bit of color. We still have a lot of green."

Based on her experience: "It's going to be at least a weak before we peak."

That conversation also was a week ago Thursday. Meaning Eno River's "peak" could be occurring right about now.

Happy leafing!

'Higher Ground'

It's not a question of if Warren Miller will produce yet another annual ski film; he's been doing one a year since 1949. Nor is it a question of when the film will show in the Triangle; it's almost always the second weekend in November. The lone question is where will it be shown? In the past, it's been at The Colony and Mission Valley theaters.

This year? The Galaxy in Cary.

Do we need to explain what this year's film, "Higher Ground," is about? If you saw last year's Warren Miller film, it's exactly like that. If you're new to Warren, expect to see a lot of heli-skiing and riding, backcountry skiing and riding, and general extreme skiing and riding from Alaska to Colorado to British Columbia to Switzerland. Also expect to see uber hot-dogger Glen Plake and hear a great soundtrack. It's the ideal way to get your mind thinking about the upcoming season.

Show times are tonight at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday at 5:30 and 8:30 p.m. Expect some good raffle prizes offered by the sponsoring Raleigh Ski and Outing Club. Tickets are $11.