A landscape photographer's tour

Keith's travels in the Colorado Rockies - September-October 2008

Leadville to Aspen via CO82 - Independence Pass

Independence Pass has always been closed when I've been in Colorado before...

Colorado is a great place for a vacation, or just a road trip round the state to photograph some of the scenery. If you've any questions about the hotels/inns/motels where I stayed, then please do feel free to drop me a line.

What's the weather like? National Weather Service radar Geological maps Webcams What are the roads like? (CO)	Daily pages 27th Sept.: to Denver 28th Sept.: Estes Park 29th Sept.: Rocky Mountain National Park 30th Sept.: Grand lake to Steamboat Springs 1st Oct: Steamboat Lake 2nd Oct: Steamboat to Leadville 3rd Oct: Leadville to Aspen
	4th Oct: Aspen and Castle Creek 5th Oct: Aspen to Ouray 6th Oct: Telluride 7th Oct: Durango via Silverton 8th Oct: Durango to Gunnison 9th Oct: Ohio Pass 10th Oct: Gunnison to Salida 11th Oct: Salida to Frisco 12th Oct: Loveland Pass 13th Oct: Via Mt Evans (almost) 14th Oct: Flying home

We drove down to Buena Vista from Leadville for breakfast.

No shortage of hot sauces...

After a solid breakfast at 7900 feet, it's back to climbing the mountain pass to Aspen.

Turning on to CO82, you can see the gap in the mountains where we are headed.

Twin lakes - heading to Independence Pass on CO82.

You can see the road on the way up. At 12,000 feet you are above the tree line.

The weather was a bit hazy to see really long distances. Once before in Colorado I've seen mountain peaks that I know are over 100 miles away.

Most people stop to admire the view.

Karen decides that going for a walk at 12,000 feet is not a good idea, after feeling a bit ill at 10,000 in Leadville (altitude sickness can affect -anyone- over about 9,000 feet). It's one of the reasons we drove to Buena Vista (7900) for breakfast - you feel better that quickly.

Back down to Aspen and its shops

Just to show that because something is in a Gucci shop window doesn't make it look any better

As I said - lots of expensive stuff in Aspen.

Karen makes bridal jewellery, but is looking confused at a new range of invisible items in this display.

This gas station doesn't even advertise it's prices - well, it is Aspen

The weather is about to change, so snow blowers are up for sale.

Excellent machine - don't think I'll need one for use in Leicester.

We're staying in Aspen for a couple of days...

>> Next Day >> Aspen and Castle Creek

27th September >>28th September >>29th September >>30th September>>1st October>>2nd October>>3rd October>>4th October>>5th October>>6th October>>7th October>>8th October>>9th October>>10th October>>11th October>>12th October>>13th October>>14th October

Other travel blogs

Fall 2010 - Visit to the USA, Pacific Northwest	'Cascade Colours' from Keith's Autumn 2007 visit to Oregon/Washington
The North Californian coast - part of Keith's April 2007 tour	The photo above is a sample from Keith's photo-diary of his 2006 visit to Colorado