Journey to the Western Front
THE MOTIVATION
I am IN LOVE with Colorado. The western side to be specific. For the last four years, I have taken a road trip out to the state. At this point, it is damn near therapeutic.
Colorado just so happens to offer some of the best landscapes in the county, making it one of my top spots for photography. As a general rule, I always venture to the west side of the state, visiting national parks, crossing mountain passes and going to small towns peppered throughout the various mountain ranges. It's remote, secluded and free of the overcrowding that has become a nuisance such as Denver, Boulder or Colorado Springs. In my humble opinion, the west side is the best side.
For this year’s annual pilgrimage, I headed out hoping to capture the bright colors of the changing aspen trees: Leaf peeping as the locals call it. I was inspired by my trip the year before. That trip ended with a revelation. I was a week too late. Not that my reasons for going out had anything to do with aspens then but it was still disappointing to arrive, just barely missing the peak season. After just barely missing out on “a photographer’s dream”, as one person called it, I knew I had to see those golden leaves in their prime.
So this year, I packed up my Jeep and headed west a couple of weeks earlier, searching for gold.
THE ROUTE
My trip out would need to be split up over two day, you know, because I am a human. I planned to stay overnight in Independence, Missouri: a city right outside of Kansas City. This route is tedious to say the least.
If you have ever driven through the states of Missouri and Kansas, you know the sight of cornfields and flat land are plentiful no matter the route. While I love driving AND corn, this portion of the drive could not go by fast enough.
The next morning, I set out to drive another 12 hours to Denver.
“Hypocrite”, you say?
I know. But had agreed to meet up with a friend to assist in grabbing some footage for his latest event. Read all about that adventure here.
THE WESTERN FRONTIER
The further you drive west through Colorado, the more you realize you are entering a completely seperate area. In my mind, the western portion of the state mine as well be another country. Large towns and cities are difficult to find. Wildlife is much more prevalent and in your face. If you aren’t careful, you’ll find yourself stranded without another person or gas station for miles! Yet those are the qualities that draw me there.
Just as the state changes, so do the leaves and as I drove further west it was quite visible. But not what I would consider to be peak colors. My next stay would be in the town of Crested Butte, right outside of Gunnison. Crested Butte is extremely popular with leaf peepers this time of year. Two of its most notable spots were on my list to explore: Ohio Road Pass and Kebler Pass.
Without no specific timeline, I decided to take the scenic route. Alternatively, you could say I took the long way.
I made a quick stop in Leadville, an old mining town popular for being the highest elevation town in the Rockies and holding an annual 100 mile race. It is one of my favorite towns due to my love of running and a store which sells handmade sweaters. After leaving Leadville, I continued to Crested Butte along a number of mountain pass roads. The most memorable, Cottonwood Pass, which had been suggested by a local in Leadville.
I have learned to always ask the locals for routes instead of relying on GPS due to both their knowledge of the most picturesque routes and the lack of cell service. This pass took me over the continental divide and a beautiful reservoir, Taylor Park, both opportunities to take some beautiful pictures.
One of the best things about driving through this part of the state is the mix of mountain pass roads, 4x4 drives and back country routes. A drive through these areas means you will see some of most remote areas, beautiful views and range animals you won’t see on most surface roads. Especially those out East.
If you have the time, I highly recommend going off the beaten path and enjoying these lesser-explored sites. Exactly as I decided to do the rest of my trip…
