Uraling for Fall Color along Squaw Pass Road

So there'd been postings on Facebook, saying that the annual change of the leaves, or Fall Colors, was starting earlier than normal.  Usually, it doesn't really start changing at the higher altitudes until perhaps a week after Labor Day.

So Fiona, my '99 Bural with the R80 Beemer engine and I motored out of the Metro Denver cesspool and headed towards Morrison using US 285; to see what we could find in terms of Fall Colors.

Leaving the cesspool that is Denver behind me, traffic was surprising light along Bear Creek Canyon Road; this would all change on the way back however.

Still, I made good time and go on Squaw Pass Road at Bergen Park and headed up the mountain road that leads one to CO Highway 5 aka Mount Evans Road.

While at the lower altitudes, there wasn't much in terms of Fall Color.  Most of the Aspen Trees hadn't started turning yellow yet though you could occasionally see some spots of color here and there.

My first stop, after meandering my way up the mountain, twisting and turning at a sedate pace, was the summit of Squaw Pass where I normally pose my motorcycles for Fall Color.

Though not very prevalent yet, there were spots where the leaves had changed already.

 At the summit of Squaw Pass, a few trees had turned....

 Heading towards Echo Lake, I spotted some color in the distance...

At the usual spot near the Echo Lake Lodge, and the junction with Colorado Highway 5, I posed Fiona but a stand of Aspen which had turned colors nicely.

 That's the peak of Mount Evans way in the background.

 Closeups of the Aspen by which Fiona was parked.

Continuing onwards, the plan had been to go up Colorado Highway 5 and summit Mount Evans before they close the stretch of road from Summit Lake to the top for the season.  Alas, this was not to be.  There was a long line of cages waiting to pay at the fee station, longer than I've ever seen it.  So I bypassed going up Mount Evans today. 

I hadn't been that enthused anyways as there's no snow on Mt. Evans, so to me its just gray granite formations, not as scenic as when clad with snow.

Fiona and I motored on to Echo Lake and got some pictures of the Mount Evans Peak:

 Echo Lake

This place was swarmed with cars and people as well so I did not tarry.

The line for the Mount Evans Road had shrunk some but I bypassed it, choosing instead to explore some tent camp sites set in the boulders along some pullover spots along Squaw Pass Road.

The first site was pretty good, cellular coverage would prove "poor" at all the sites I checked out today but they're still nice sites for tent camping.

 The view of far off mountains and ridges at the first campsite.

I stopped at the other usual spot where one can "see forever" if the weather conditions are good.  The conditions were pretty good today for that viewing.

 See the small clump of color at the center bottom of the above picture?

The picture below is a closeup with the telephoto lens.

I motored on Squaw Pass Road, slowly making my way down from the mountain, but not before one more stop for one last picture of Mount Evans and the nearby peaks.

So, there is a start of Fall Colors developing in the Front Range mountains, I expect a couple of weeks should have the peak color levels; we shall see.