Never shy about flaunting their grandeur, the Rocky Mountains turn positively gaudy when struck by the Midas touch of autumn. Aspen leaves glimmer golden against evergreen backdrops. Chutes of yellow avalanche down mountainsides. Hills and valleys appear to be smeared with globs of mustard.
Blessed with a four-day weekend and a virgin credit card, my wife Dianne and I embark on a pilgrimage to observe Colorado autumn alchemy. Bound for Aspen, the state's glitzy mountain retreat, we intend to savor fall's gold while surprisingly saving some of our own.By winter, Aspen's a land of designer jeans and mink moonboots, a skiing playground for the well-heeled. In summer, it rings with music, and streets clog with mountain bikes and Range Rovers.
Between summer and winter, the town winds down like an exhausted alarm. Streets empty. Restaurants seat without reservations. Stores advertise clearance sales. And Aspen's posh hostelries rent caviar-quality rooms at steak-and-potato prices.
Since its three top hotels offer rates roughly one-third their winter maximums, we face the dilemma of which to choose. Dianne solves the problem by suggesting the obvious: "Let's spend one night at each."
Two paved roads lead to Aspen, and we enter by the high one, over Independence Pass. Not for the acrophobic, the unprotected roadway crawls up a naked mountainside, using three sharp switchbacks to reach its 12,095-foot apex. On the downhill side, it clings to valley walls, narrowing in places to 1 1/2 lanes wide.
Translucent-leafed aspen line the highway, some glowing lemon yellow, others pumpkin orange. Fir and spruce cast dollops of jade green, the sky hovers sapphire blue, and mountains tower burgundy red and battleship grey. The entire scene resembles a picture colored by a child who utilized every crayon in the box.
Entering Aspen, we pass homes the size of small hotels. On its main streets, renovated brick buildings stand interleaved with pseudo-Victorian and modern structures. Businesses, from art galleries to T-shirt shops, line the downtown pedestrian mall, and abundant restaurants aromatize the mountain air with the scent of sauteed garlic. We dine, then check into our first night's lodging, the venerable Hotel Jerome.
Built in 1889 by Jerome Wheeler, Aspen's one-time silver magnate, the three-story brick hotel was once the most elegant in town. It boasted indoor plumbing, hot and cold running water and the first elevator west of the Mississippi. Expanded and refurbished in the 1980s, the Jerome exudes a friendly, historical charm that makes us feel we've traveled back to Aspen's mineral-laden days.
We soon discover the difference between luxury hotels and those with a neon "vacancy" sign. Our spacious quarters feature a dark combination of maroon carpet, walnut trim and floral-print wallpaper. A tray of Neutrogena toiletries graces the bathroom's twin-basined, marble counter, and terry-cloth robes hang, waiting for us to emerge from tub or separate shower.
Our first Aspen morning, we drive toward the Maroon Bells, Colorado's most photographed peaks. At the T-Lazy-7 Ranch, we see llamas feeding on the roof of a stock enclosure.
An employee admits it's an advertising gimmick. "People drive by, see the llamas and stop for a picture," she says. "Then they notice we offer horseback rides." The ploy works - a large group waits for a gallop through the gilded countryside.
We drive onward, passing through glades of autumn-tinted trees. The road terminates near Maroon Lake. Coated with fresh snow, the Bells peak at the end of the valley, shimmering like twin diamonds in a 24-karat mounting.
Back down the pavement, we turn and head up neighboring Castle Creek. Because aspen spread from common roots, clusters of trees share the identical genetics and change color concurrently. Each glade with a separate heritage transforms at slightly different times. The result is the valley blanketed with a multihued quilting of colors that fascinates us with its vivid variety.
Pavement ends near the ghost town of Ashcroft. A contemporary of Aspen, railroads never reached the community, and the town died after the silver crash of 1893. A few weather-beaten cabins remain scattered around a grassy meadow. In the mid-50s, several of the structures provided "Yukon" backgrounds for the Sergeant Preston television series. We follow in the TV Mountie's footsteps, then return to town.
Our second night we spend in the Ritz-Carlton. Largest of the luxury trio, the hotel oozes with the richness of a double-chocolate tort. Bronze statues and elegant 19th century and contemporary paintings adorn the wood-trimmed lobby. A uniformed staff provides impeccable service - the Ritz experience as they say.
The next day, Dianne and I sail down the Roaring Fork Valley, turning at Basalt to follow the Fryingpan River. Some say the stream got its name because fish almost jump out of the water and into the frying pan, but the anglers we see use fly rods, not kitchen utensils. Designated as one of Colorado's "Gold Medal Waters," the river lures fishermen who try to tackle its famous "footballs" - linebacker-sized rainbow trout that weigh 12-15 pounds.
Back on the main route, we travel to Carbondale, then turn south and head up the Crystal River. At the base of McClure Pass, river and highway separate. A paved side road continues along the stream toward Marble, where stone for the Lincoln Memorial was quarried.
Pavement stops, but we push on, bouncing up a four-wheel-drive road cut into the side of Sheep Mountain. Below us, the Crystal River displays quartz-like clarity as it cascades down miniwaterfalls. Finally, we reach Crystal City, an 1880 silver-mining ghost town awash in auric aspen.
Remarkably well preserved, many of the town's timeworn buildings sport new roofs and curtained windows. A flannel-shirted man sitting in front of one of them reveals that more than ghosts stay here now.
Carl, a photographer from Montrose, tells us that he rented a cabin for the night. "They're pretty basic," he says. "Running water and a wood-burning stove is about all they offer. And, oh yes, there's an outhouse."
Our lodging that night at the Little Nell is anything but basic. Decorated with living plants and modern furnishings, our spacious room feels more like a studio apartment than a hotel room. We gaze at golden, tree-lined ski runs from our balcony and warm ourselves by the room's gas-log fireplace.
Dianne slithers into a Crabtree and Evelyn bubble bath, soaking and cooing for over an hour. We then dine in the hotel's award-winning restaurant, where the sommelier serves our wine and relates the personal history of the vintner. Returning to our room, we find pillows graced with pouches of epicurean jelly beans.
We tarry over breakfast the next morning, savoring our final fling at privileged extravagance. Reluctantly, we have the valet service retrieve our car.
"Would you like some cookies and mineral water for your trip home?" the young man asks.
As we depart munching peanut butter treats, Dianne says with a sigh, "It'll be tough returning to those motels that only leave the lights on for you."
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
If you go
When to go
Although it varies, autumn color usually begins around mid-September and continues into mid-October. Because of the area's widely divergent altitudes, leaves change at different times in different places, almost guaranteeing fall color somewhere in the vicinity.
Accommodations
Hotel Jerome (330 E. Main, 1-800-331-7213) offers deluxe king rooms at $160 per night starting Sept. 29.
Ritz-Carlton Aspen (315 E. Dean Street, 1-800-241-3333) features standard rooms starting at $249 per night before October 13 and $125 after.
The Little Nell (675 E. Durant Street, 1-800-525-6200) provides town-view rooms at $185 per night starting Sept. 29.
All three hotels occasionally run promotional pricing with substantial discounts, so call with specific dates and ask for the best deal. Room rates increase around Thanksgiving, peaking at over $400 for basic rooms at the luxury hotels during Christmas holidays.
Accommodations at other Aspen properties during the autumn color season start at about $50. Call Aspen Central Reservations (1-800-262-7736) for availability.
Sights
Maroon Bells - Turn from Colorado 82 onto Maroon Creek Road (1/2 mile west of Aspen) and follow the highway nine miles to pavement's end at Maroon Lake.
The road is closed beyond the T-Lazy-7 Ranch during weekends in September, but the Roaring Fork Transit Agency (1-970-925-8484) provides bus access to Maroon Lake from Aspen's Rubey Park Transit Center ($5 for adults and $3 for seniors and children).
Ashcroft - Turn on Maroon Creek Road, then quickly turn left onto Castle Creek Road and follow it 11 miles to Ashcroft.
Fryingpan River - Follow Colorado 82 for 18 miles to Basalt, then turn onto the paved road that follows the river to Ruedi Reservoir. Fishing licenses, which can be obtained in Aspen sporting goods stores, start at $5.25 for a one-day, nonresident permit. Check locally for special fishing restrictions that apply to the Fryingpan River.
Crystal City - Drive Colorado 82 northwest to Carbondale (30 miles), and follow Colorado 133 south to the Marble turnoff (28 miles). Pavement ends, and five of the last six miles to Crystal City require four-wheel-drive vehicles. Crystal River 4X4 Tours (1-970-963-1991) offers two-hour rides to the ghost town from Marble for $18 per person.
For more information
Contact the Aspen Visitor Center at 1-800-262-7736.