Colorado Fall Colors ~ September 16-17th, 2006

Location... This year, because of other commitments, my only chance to photograph the fall colors was early in the season. Knowing that the colors would not be at their prime, I decided to take the opportunity to scout a few places that I had never been and get in some good fall hiking.

The Route... Saturday morning I drove from Denver to Gunnison. The aspens had started turning in many locations along the way - Kenosha Pass and Monarch Pass being the most scenic. From Gunnison I headed up FR 730, the Ohio Pass Road. Down a dead-end side road is the Mill-Castle Trailhead. I really enjoyed the afternoon hike into the West Elk Wilderness. This less traveled trail offers excellent views of some very unique volcanic rock formations. It also has some nice stands of aspen. I would definitely like to return here when the fall colors are in full swing.

Saturday evening I headed up and over Ohio Pass to the Kebler Pass road and met up with a couple photographer friends to shoot the familiar Horse Ranch Park overlook - Ruby Mountain and the Dyke. Saturday night I camped near the top of Kebler Pass. It was clear and quite cold.

Sunday morning I watched the sunrise light dawn over the Castles from an overlook on Ohio Pass. Then I drove back over and down the Kebler Pass road stopping along the way to capture the morning light. I parked at the Lost Lake Slough Campground and hiked the 3 Lakes Trail - Lost Lake Slough, Lost Lake and Dollar Lake. This is a nice loop hike with many photographic possibilities.

Sunday afternoon was spent driving down off the West side of Kebler Pass, around Paonia Reservoir, over McClure Pass, through Redstone, Carbondale and Snowmass, and then up to the Capitol Peak Trailhead. This is a spectacular overlook and the scene is even better from the higher Hell Roaring Trailhead. I shot sunset from this point.

The Photo Experience... These dates were definitely too early for peak fall colors, but it was still great to be out on the trail and explore some new places.