SW Colorado is looking great right now, with many of the large aspen groves
turning gold and orange. Get here soon if you want to catch the peak. Some
details ...

Aspen (9/23) very good at Maroon Bells, other areas. Film fest next week so
will be crowded, and road construction on 82 on the bridge just west of town so
expect delays there.

McClure Pass (9/23-24) very good especially from Redstone to the summit.

Kebler Pass (9/23-25) -- OK, but not at peak yet.

Crested Butte area (stayed there 9/23-26) -- great at Ohio Pass and at several
areas south east of town reachable by 4 WD. Best place we've seen this season.

Owl Creek Pass (9/26) -- very colorful north of the pass near Cimarron, not as
good on the south side of the pass nearer Ridgway.

Ouray (9/26) -- the "Miracle Mile" stretch about 5 miles south of town on 550
is incredible right now, miles of yellow aspens on the mountainside. Gotta be
near peak. Just incredible.

Silverton (9/26) -- not as good as Ouray for some reason, the 550 stretch from
Red Mountain Pass to Molas Pass is not nearly as good as Ouray or CB. Major
rockslide on 550 near the top of Molas, the sign says expect delays up to 45
minutes. Traffic is stopped in both directions for several minutes while they
clean up, then one lane opens, with backups of around 100 cars, trucks, busses,
RV's ... not a pretty sight.

550 south of Silverton is good between Molas Pass and Coal Bank Summit, nice
patches of orange, yellow, green aspens. That's where we are right now,
outside Durango.

Bottom line, go soon, it's near peak in many spots. Roger C emailed me that
north of I-70 was supposedly not as good, for some reason.

Bill