According to Tom Cooper of Cripple Creek's 2 Mile High Club, this should be a great weekend (September 27th and 28th) to take in the club's Aspen Tour.  Even though the tours were also held last weekend, the Aspens didn't quite cooperate as planned.  (Some trees were turning along Highway 67, but not so much in the hills surrounding Cripple Creek - the  town's elevation drops down to 9494 feet).

As of Tuesday, our leaf-peeping scout noted:

• The scrub oak in Ute Pass hadn't started turning, except for a very few
• The Aspens from Woodland Park to Divide were mostly dark green to light green
• Color was beautiful on the ride from Divide to Cripple Creek, getting more colorful in the higher elevations toward Cripple Creek
• Aspens were turning between Cripple Creek and Victor, but many were still green
• There are more orange Aspen leaves this year than usual, and even a few red!

The most direct way to drive from Colorado Springs to Cripple Creek is to take Highway 24 west, then Highway 67 south when you get to Divide.  If you'd like to return basically the same way, you can turn at 2nd street in Cripple Creek, and see some different scenery as you head toward Victor; the road is part of a loop that takes you back to Highway 67.  Or, for an alternate route, you can take Teller 1 from Cripple Creek to Florissant, and head east back to Colorado Springs on Highway 24. Teller 1 is a very scenic road, but there's not nearly as much color as on Highway 67 (it has pockets of Aspens), although you can take in the rock formations as well as the Aspens on Highway 24 between Florissant and Divide.

Teller 1 is part of the Gold Belt Tour National Scenic Byway. 

Conditions will vary widely around the state according to latitude, elevation, and nature's whim.  Trees turn at different rates, even on the same hillsides.  As of last weekend, we heard that the leaves were almost peaking close to Montrose, CO.  Highway 24 near Buena Vista was also very colorful, and there was some leaves turning around Hartsel, CO.  Today, near Twin Lakes, Colorado, the leaves are close to peak (some green) and may last about another week.  It's a beautiful time of year in Colorado!

Ken and Sandy Wickham are long time Realtors in beautiful Colorado Springs, CO.  To contact them, call 800-599-8500 ext. 1120 or 719-534-7919. 

www.wickhome.com