The Aspens are Peaking

The Maroon Bells,

Near Aspen, CO

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The aspens in Northern Colorado, and in parts of Central Colorado, are on their way out.  However they are peaking in Southern Colorado and New Mexico.

I was at the Maroon Bells near Aspen on Wednesday.  When I left on Wednesday evening, the aspen leaves were about 75% off the trees.  Snow and much colder weather were predicted for Thursday, so I would thing that it is a bit late to catch the aspens at the Bells.

There was also considerable snow at Breckenridge and Silverthore on Friday, so my guess is that the aspens are pretty much on their way out there also.

Here is a summary of the aspen Color I saw on my trip from the Maroon Bells all the way down to Albuquerque, NM yesterday, Thursday, October 1.

• Twin Lakes, CO                Peaking
• San Antonio Peak, CO      Peaking
• Salida, CO                         Peaking
• Taos, NM                          Peaking
• Santa Fe, NM                    Peaking
• Jemez Mountains, NM      Peaking
• Sandia Mountains, NM     Peaking

If you still haven't gotten out to see the aspens in Southern CO and in mid to Northern NM, now is the time to go.

The cottonwoods in the river bottoms of CO and NM also make great fall foliage pictures.  The cottonwoods in Southern Colorado are a little below peak or at full peak.  They looked very good in Salida, CO when I went through on Thursday.

Cottonwoods along the river bottoms in Northern New Mexico are about half gold and half green.  They probably need another week or so.  Albuquerque cottonwoods along the Rio Grande probably need another week or two depending on weather.

Aspen Trunk

Monarch Pass, CO

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