Need daily Update on the Aspen In COLORADO!

[Busskipper]

Headed to Colorado - Buena Vista and all around the Collegiates for a week - then on to Ridgway SP for a week to try and Catch the Aspen at peak,

With the high temperatures this week end and the Possibility of scattered Snow Mid Week I'm getting Nervous.......... sure do not want to miss the Golden Aspen and Would Love to Know where and when things are Beginning to Change.

I'm a Visual guy so if you are there - PLEASE POST AN IMAGE - with a Location.

This years early "Surprise" SNOW is really pretty normal in the Passes - and some Aspen will likely turn but many will not shed their Leaves till the later weeks of September. (I Hope)

Elevation will be critical - and surely hope I do not miss it.

Buena Vista is at 8,000' and Ridgway is at 7,000 feet so sure do hope we are lucky at one or the other of Both - - having a week at each should give us time to make many a drive - RT 24 - Rt 82 - Cottonwood Pass - Monarch Pass - Crested Butte - Crystyl Mill - Maroon Bells - ........then all around the San Juan's with one week to wander, across the state of Colorado in October.

So Help me out, Last Year Prontix shared an image on the 8 of September of Lake City with most of the Aspen already a Golden Yellow.

TIA,

https://www.cotrip.org/map.htm#/defa...CameraId=11299

Something like this ;

Prontix Image -

[rhusak]

Originally Posted by Busskipper

Headed to Colorado - Buena Vista and all around the Collegiates for a week - then on to Ridgway SP for a week to try and Catch the Aspen at peak,

With the high temperatures this week end and the Possibility of scattered Snow Mid Week I'm getting Nervous.......... sure do not want to miss the Golden Aspen and Would Love to Know where and when things are Beginning to Change.

I'm a Visual guy so if you are there - PLEASE POST AN IMAGE - with a Location.

This years early "Surprise" SNOW is really pretty normal in the Passes - and some Aspen will likely turn but many will not shed their Leaves till the later weeks of September. (I Hope)



Elevation will be critical - and surely hope I do not miss it.

Buena Vista is at 8,000' and Ridgway is at 7,000 feet so sure do hope we are lucky at one or the other of Both - - having a week at each should give us time to make many a drive - RT 24 Rt 82 - Cottonwood Pass - Monarch Pass - Crested Butte - Crystyl Mill - Maroon Bells - ........then all around the San Juan's with one week to wander, across the state in October.

So Help me out, Last Year Prontix shared an image on the 8 of September of Lake City with most of the Aspen already a Golden Yellow.

TIA,

Something like this ;

Prontix Image -

Hey..
We are leaving for Ridgeway tomorrow for 2 weeks! Getting out of town before the snow.. Hope we will be there at the same time.. Like to finally meet up!
Where are you going to be in the campground? What dates?
Have a great trip.... We are looking forward to the golden glow as well...
Ron

[Busskipper]

Originally Posted by rhusak

Hey..
We are leaving for Ridgeway tomorrow for 2 weeks! Getting out of town before the snow.. Hope we will be there at the same time.. Like to finally meet up!
Where are you going to be in the campground? What dates?
Have a great trip.... We are looking forward to the golden glow as well...
Ron

Ron,

We - both of Us - will not be alone in this Quest! - we leave next Friday to arrive in Buena Vista on the 17 for a week then in Ridgway the 24th through the 1st.

We've never stayed in Ridgway so this will be new to us - We were in Montrose for a week with daily trips into the San Juan's in the Toads this summer and when we were able to find an opening in Ridgway, this Fall we jumped on it.

Dakota Terrace - loop B -I'll be with my Brother and son will likely stay on a friends property in town with the Grands - only got 30 amp service but with the HH we'll be fine.

Hope the timing works, as it would be great to finally meet a fellow irv2'er - A fellow Travel Supreme'er So many great people and such a wealth of Info on this site.

So from near 100 degrees to SNOW in just days - gotta Love Colorado!

While you are there post an Image or two to keep me Updated,

Thanks for the quick reply,

Bill

[RickNC]

We will be in Rifle at the state park beginning the 13th for a week and then ????.Original plan was to rent a SUV and go to my favorite area, the Flat Tops. But the Grizzly Creek fire has closed nearly all access to that area.
I will be coming south through “Aspen Alley” from Rawlings, so I might be able to catch some good pictures if the road(CO129) to Steam Boat Lake SP from the Wyoming border is open.

[Busskipper]

Originally Posted by RickNC

We will be in Rifle at the state park beginning the 13th for a week and then ????.Original plan was to rent a SUV and go to my favorite area, the Flat Tops. But the Grizzly Creek fire has closed nearly all access to that area.
I will be coming south through “Aspen Alley” from Rawlings, so I might be able to catch some good pictures if the road(CO129) to Steam Boat Lake SP from the Wyoming border is open.

Thanks Rick, glad to see you are progressing on the trip with no issues - heat is something right now but with the first Snow it should dissipate quickly.

When we went through Steamboat earlier this year we stopped just after getting to the Top of Rabbit Ears Pass, they had created a nice Big parking lot on the north side and we joined a couple others to spend the night - nice and Cool and with plenty of space - Acres of Parking.

Keep in mind that if Steamboat Lake is filled Stagecoach SP is not that far along with Yampa River SP, so you will have some options.

Will look forward to Your Images, with or without the Golden Aspen.

Thanks again,

[twogypsies]

These sites claims to be accurate:

https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/sanju...stelprd3854716

https://cpw.state.co.us/placestogo/p...s/parkMap.aspx

[Busskipper]

Originally Posted by twogypsies

These sites claims to be accurate:

https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/sanju...stelprd3854716

https://cpw.state.co.us/placestogo/p...s/parkMap.aspx

Pretty sure you or I could have written that - sort of like the Weatherman here at home - after spending hours getting his report ready for Broadcast - He would open the door and Look Out Side only to find out that he was Wrong more often than he was Right.

Just need some eyes to tell me what is outside the Door,

Thanks, will keep and eye on those two,

Bill

[Tightwadted]

Heading to CO on Tuesday, plan to be in Grand Lake area Wed afternoon. Plan is to go over Berthoud Pass, any ideas if the snow will cause delays in our plan? Also have to keep an eye on the fires currently happening.

[Lt Dan]

If you have the time, go over to Cripple Creek. The Aspens were better there last year than they were around Ouray/Ridgway area.

[twogypsies]

Originally Posted by Tightwadted

Also have to keep an eye on the fires currently happening.

Here's a good site to do that. Zero in on the fire symbols in the state and click on the symbol to read about it.

With cooler weather and possibly snow the fire issue is lessening.

https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/?state=3

[Busskipper]

Originally Posted by Tightwadted

Heading to CO on Tuesday, plan to be in Grand Lake area Wed afternoon. Plan is to go over Berthoud Pass, any ideas if the snow will cause delays in our plan? Also have to keep an eye on the fires currently happening.

Every year is different - these first snows generally melt by noon - Black asphalt holds the heat pretty well

CDOT photo mages will help - https://www.cotrip.org/map.htm#/defa...CameraId=11368 - just click on the camera in the locations you need to see then click the image for different angles/directions of the view. Nothing Beats a real time Image.

https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClic...3#.X1YeT1VKiDI

Looks like a change in plans may be necessary if the weather forecast is correct. - - 10 degree lows do not leave much heat in the Asphalt -

Appears that it is not going to be a single, one time event - but - more of a real storm, possibly lasting till the end of the week.

You know Colorado - if you don't like the weather - Just wait it changes sometimes every Hour. -

What ever you decide be sure to post the images for the rest of us to See, Sorry guys - but me setting up reservation in Colorado had to be the cause of the Storm likely turning many of the Aspen Before we arrive in 10 days.

The positive is I love those Rocks with their Winter Whites - Beautiful,

Hope this Helps,

[Fanrgs]

Originally Posted by Tightwadted

Heading to CO on Tuesday, plan to be in Grand Lake area Wed afternoon. Plan is to go over Berthoud Pass, any ideas if the snow will cause delays in our plan? Also have to keep an eye on the fires currently happening.

The Cameron Peak fire blew up Saturday and increased by 10,000 acres, including crossing into the northern portion of Rocky Mountain NP. Both Trail Ridge Road and Fall River Road are closed due to smoke. Glen Haven is under a voluntary, but may become mandatory, evacuation order. And we have had two days of red skies (all day, not just sunrise and sunset) in the Denver area.

Low Tuesday night in Grand Lake is predicted at 20 degrees, with 80% chance of snow. Prediction of rain or snow for most of the state tomorrow is 100%, which is extremely rare in Colorado.

Since all the trees, even those at higher elevations, still have leaves, my guess is a lot of aspen leaves will freeze, turn brown, and drop off without any color. It will undoubtedly be scattered throughout the mountains, generally in the higher, colder mountain valleys. But I would not be making reservations for just one part of the state and expect to see fall color where i have seen it in the past. If I were flexible enough to time it perfectly, I would plan to go south--Pagosa Springs, Creede, maybe Lake City or Telluride, or even Chama, NM/Cumbres Pass--in late September. Due to this week's storm, the northern half of the Colorado Rockies stands a greater chance of being a bust this year.

But that's all just speculation based on my nearly 60 years of enjoying Colorado autumns!

[Busskipper]

Originally Posted by Fanrgs

The Cameron Peak fire blew up Saturday and increased by 10,000 acres, including crossing into the northern portion of Rocky Mountain NP. Both Trail Ridge Road and Fall River Road are closed due to smoke. Glen Haven is under a voluntary, but may become mandatory, evacuation order. And we have had two days of red skies (all day, not just sunrise and sunset) in the Denver area.

Low Tuesday night in Grand Lake is predicted at 20 degrees, with 80% chance of snow. Prediction of rain or snow for most of the state tomorrow is 100%, which is extremely rare in Colorado.

Since all the trees, even those at higher elevations, still have leaves, my guess is a lot of aspen leaves will freeze, turn brown, and drop off without any color. It will undoubtedly be scattered throughout the mountains, generally in the higher, colder mountain valleys. But I would not be making reservations for just one part of the state and expect to see fall color where i have seen it in the past. If I were flexible enough to time it perfectly, I would plan to go south--Pagosa Springs, Creede, maybe Lake City or Telluride, or even Chama, NM/Cumbres Pass--in late September. Due to this week's storm, the northern half of the Colorado Rockies stands a greater chance of being a bust this year.

But that's all just speculation based on my nearly 60 years of enjoying Colorado autumns!

Good info from one of the well traveled locals

We have picked to areas as hubs

Buena Vista and Ridgway so will follow the storm and keep our fingers crossed

Thanks Fir the reliable Updates,

[Yosemite77]

There are live webcams scattered all over Colorado which can give you a very good idea of current conditions in a given area. Some places look to be very smoky.