Hi all. I'll be making my first trip out this fall and am looking for advice. I'll be leaving Rochester, NY on 9/23, arriving in Denver at Noon, and leaving Denver the morning of 9/30. I pretty much have my schedule made out but am curious to see what you all think of it and if you would do it in this order or the reverse order.
Note: Sunrise and Sunset will be around 6:30am and 6:30pm around that time.
Here goes:
Saturday, 9/23
12:00 noon - Arrive in Denver, get rental
1:00pm - Begin trip to Colorado Springs area. Swing by Air Force Academy. Scout GoG for sunrise shooting. Depending on time, maybe squeeze in the Cliff Dwellings or another. Suggestions?
Stay the night in Manitou Springs area.
Sunday, 9/24
6:00am - Garden of the Gods for sunrise then begin trip up Pike's Peak.
1:00pm - Visit cliff dwellings OR Florissant Fossil or other? Suggestions?
3:00/4:00pm - Head to Buena Vista area for the night.
Monday, 9/25
8:00am - Take Cottonwood Pass to Crested Butte (get there about 10am)
Spend the day around Crested Butte, maybe head to Gothic ghost towns
and/or do Ohio Pass as well as some leisurely shopping.
Stay the night in Crested Butte
Tuesday, 9/26
8:00am - Head to Aspen via Kebler Pass with a side trip to Ohio Pass's Castles...nice, easy trip stopping often
Stay the night in Aspen
Wednesday, 9/27
6:00-7:00am - Maroon Bells for sunrise.
Head towards Grand Lake via Independence Pass.
Stay the night at Grand Lake (RMNP)
Thursday, 9/28
Stay another night in RMNP near Estes Park.
Friday, 9/29
Spend the day in RMNP traveling the Peak to Peak highway, stay the night someplace closer to Denver so I can get some skyline shots that are requested by a customer. Anyone have locations suggestions for the best view? He prefers a night shot but I would like same daylight shots for myself.
Saturday, 9/30
Fly out at 11:00am, be to the airport by 9:00am.
Other questions:
Which is better for photography - Pikes Peak by car or by cog? The cog takes just over 3 hours (according to their website). How long would it take by car?
I've heard that Maroon Bells isn't really a sun rise shot - that's it's more of an "hour after sunrise shot" due to heavy shadows on the left. Could someone confirm this?
Instead of stayin in Grand Lake should I stay two nights in Estes and make that my base? I guess the road from Grand Lake to Estes could be closed if it snows. Is Aspen to Estes possible in one day including frequent stops for photography?
Is this schedule doable? Or way too ambitious? Am I missing anything?
Anything you would eliminate?
What would you do with 6 1/2 days in Colorado?
Sorry to bombard you with all these questions but since CO isn't around the corner I want to make sure I've got it right. Thanks in advance for any advice you can give! I appreciate it.
Once upon a time I used to put together schedules like this, and invariably, reality would set in. I'd loosen it up a bit, so you're not spending quite so much time running from one place to the next. Other thoughts include:
Sunrise at GofG is great, but I'd skip Pikes Peak. There are some aspens on the road, but unless there's fresh snow, the higher reaches will just be brown. But if you decide to go, TAKE THE CAR! Don't get stuck in that train as it makes its way past anything you might want to stop and shoot.
The Cliff Dwellings is nothing but a tourist trap. These "dwellings" were brought here from who-knows-where. Might as well go to the North Pole in Cascade, it's about as authentic. (skip 'em both) Florissant Fossil Beds is a very interesting place to visit, but might leave you wanting in a photographic sense.
Cottonwood Pass is one of my favorite places, good for sunrise and sunset.
Pyramid Peak does indeed block much of first light on the Maroon Bells, but I'd definitely want to be there at sunrise, and not an hour later. Mountain mornings often have a way of giving us something unexpected.
All sorts of great places to shoot around Crested Butte. The Gothic road is nice, but I'd suggest concentrating on the Kebler Pass road (25 miles of the best aspen forests in Colorado) and nearby Ohio Pass road. From just over the Ohio Pass summit there's a great view out to the Castles. If you want something closer, you'll need to strap on the hiking boots.
The journey from Crested Butte via the Kebler Pass road to Aspen will take you over McClure Pass on Hwy-133, another stellar aspen hot spot.
Save some time to shoot along the Independence Pass route. Great aspen stands right on the road on the Aspen side, incredible groves of tall aspens flanking Mount Elbert, La Plata Peak, etc. on the eastern side.
I've never found Grand Lake to be a particularly photogenic area. You really have to head up the trail and into RMNP for the scenery. I'd drive over Trail Ridge Road, where you'll see tons along the way, and spend a few days working the eastern side of the park. The elk will be in rut, and you'll find it easy to get shots of massive bulls bugling. (Just look for the tangle of traffic.)
This ought to give you some food for thought. Others will pipe in, too.
Jennifer... I agree with Todd - he knows the state as well as anyone. In my experience, that's a lot of driving and you may be underestimating how much time you'll want to spend shooting, especially once you see what the Kebler / Ohio Pass area looks like. This is what I would do with that time, focusing on most of the areas that you've mentioned.:
1. Sunday: After GotG for sunrise, I'd skip everything including the Buena Vista stop (it's a charming town, but... it is fall in one of the most gorgeous areas on the planet at that time of year!); I'd head for Crested Butte via Cottonwood Pass. You could make it there early to mid afternoon without rushing and either shoot in that area, or do the shopping you planned on.
2. Monday & Tuesday: shoot in the Kebler / Ohio Pass area. You could easily spend more time there - you'll be in awe, really. Tuesday evening, head to Aspen.
3. Wednesday: sunrise at Maroon Bells (early is best - there will be competition for good spots amongst the 200 other photographers). Head for Independence Pass and then onto Grand Lake. Grand Lake isn't anything special, imo, but you could head up for sunset on Trail Ridge Road, assuming it's open. You could stay either in Grand Lake or Estes that night.
4. Thursday & Friday: explore Rocky Mountain NP, Estes and the Indian Peaks area (Peak-to-Peak Highway); head towards Denver for your night shots.
Check out the "Hot Spots" link above for more ideas. There's a couple on GoG Park that are worthwhile. You might also check out a few of this group's Web sites for local photos...
Your schedule has you spending way too much time on the "east" side. Concentrate your time and photography on the "west" side.
I'm only half kidding. For your limited time and the time of year - I'd suggest taking your locations on Monday thru Wednesday morning and spread it out all week long (or maybe throw in an excursion to the San Juans). You can see the other stuff later and at another time of year maybe.
Oh man, those Manitou Cliff Dwellings are terrible. Don't bother.
As for Pikes Peak, not sure about that, either. I've seen tons of great shots OF Pike's Peak, but not many FROM Pike's Peak. Lots of great views of the mountain from GoG, or Rampart Range Road. On the mountain, the views are far, but not all that interesting, although you may run across some mountain goats or something. The cog railway is enjoyable for part of a family vacation, but not great for photography.
As for Maroon Bells, I kind of agree with what others have said above. Be there early to get a good spot, but you are correct about sunrise. I've seen very few good shots from right at sunrise. I've had to stake out a spot, then just wait a couple hours for the sun to get a little higher. But you could be blessed with some great clouds or something that would really make sunrise interesting.
I haven't really shot the west side of RMNP, so I don't have much advice there. But Trail Ridge Road at sunset is good. And almost anyplace on the east side at sunrise.
Other than that, I don't know that I have much to add to what was already said above.
If you're set on Going up Pikes Peak just to go up, the Cog Railway is the best over all for scenic views you can take in and not wear out the breaks on your rental.
That trip sounds a little crazy for my taste. Perosnally I'd prefer just to pick a spot, stay there for a week and work the area. 9/23 - 9/30 would probably be about perfect for Crested Butte.
The problem with travel photos is that the odds are against you. I get the RMNP shots I do because I live right by it and photograph there 2-3 days a week. If I picked any given day at random I'd probably have about a 1/10 shot of getting the photo I want.
I've tried to shoot the classic Marroon Bells shot 12 times, and I've gotten a calm lake with a reflection only once! I agree you should go there for sunrise, although only the tips of the Bells get lit up by a bit of Alpenglow in fall.
Most of RMNP should be accessible in late September, but it lacks the spectacular Aspen groves of central & western Colorado. I'd reccomend you spend all week in Crested Butte & Aspen, skip the Springs, and head back through RMNP briefly on your way back to Denver.
Have to agree with the rest. If you're partly being touristy and want to do Pikes Peak, take the cog; the car route is unimpressive, and the cog is one of only a couple in the country. I'll echo Todd re: the cliff dwellings - don't bother. If you're really desperate for cliff dwellings, cut a day or two out elsewhere and detour to Mesa Verde; the San Juans along the route are very scenic and photo-worthy, too. Florissant is interesting, but not terribly photogenic in Fall; a few historic buildings are probably the best scenery at that time of year, and it's almost entirely pine forest - no Aspen.
You can easily do GotG for sunrise and make it over Cottonwood Pass before sunset with stops along the way; the eastern side of the pass is lit well into the afternoon, and there are no spectacular peaks on the east side that warrant a sunrise there; spend an extra morning in Crested Butte and catch more sunrises along Kebler or Ohio passes. BTW, Cottonwood, Kebler, Ohio, and McClure passes are all spectacular in Aspen season; Crested Butte probably won't occupy you for more than a couple of midday hours; you can easily spend a day touring ghost towns in the area, but most are accessed via jeep... The town of Independence along Independence Pass has some nice ghost town buildings; I like to stop there on my way back from a Maroon Bells sunrise sometimes.
Do be sure to stop for any wildlife (aka traffic jams) in RMNP; on the West side it's as likely to be Moose as Elk. There's not an overabundance of Aspen in RMNP, but the Elk like to congregate in the afternoons at some of the better stands of Aspen in the park - very scenic, very crowded; the rangers keep everyone at a respectful distance - usually.
Independence Pass and Trail Ridge Road will close in the event of too much snow/ice; alternate routes are available, but will add a couple of hours to your trip.
Have fun - get out of Rot'nFester for some (hopefully) sunny skies! We don't calibrate off of 18% gray clouds out here - we need cards! (helpful hints from a former long-time Rochester resident...)
Posted by Jennifer Geck on September 10, 2006 at 12:10 AM
Hi everyone. I didn't forget about you. It got busy here for awhile with graduations, a wedding, and photography stuff, various other things. I want to apologize for taking so long to reply.
Based on everyone's suggestions and research I've decided to change my schedule a little bit. I will be starting in RMNP and working my way counter-clockwise versus going from south to north. I will spend 2 nights in RMNP, 1 in Aspen, 2 in Crested Butte, and 1 each in Colorado Springs and Denver. I now wish I had another day or two (at least) to spend in Colorado.
Todd Caudle - Thanks so much for your reply and all the info and suggestions you shared. I'm glad you mention the Cliff Dwellings being a trap. I didn't realize they were brought in! That stinks. Also, Florissant Fossil - I had actually read in a magazine (Outdoor Photography?) that it (well, Wheeler) is a great spot for rock formations with nice light. *shrug* Who knows. I'm sure there are hundreds of other, better places to explore than that. Maroon Bells - I will be there early for sure. Thanks!
Rick - 200 photographers?! Please tell me that is a gross exaggeration! I'm very intimidated, you know! They're liable to push me in the lake. :-/ My new schedule will be more like what you posted, except in reverse. :-)
Ken - Thanks! Good links and info there.
Chuck - I wish I had time to squeeze in the San Juans. Six days is just not enough time. I'd have to leave out RMNP or something else in order to fit that in. I think I will save the San Juans and the south portion of the state for another trip. (Yes! I'm already thinking about the 'next' trip and I haven't even been there yet. :-D ) Thanks for replying!
Brent - Sounds like the only people that like the Cliff Dwellings are the ones that don't know any better! That would have been me if I hadn't heard from all of you. Great point about images 'of' Pike's Peak versus images 'from' Pike's Peak. I'm definitely planning to go to GoG. I would like to do the Peak if I can (just so I can say I did). I was recently reading about Rampart Range Road. Does that run north/south or east/west? Just wondering if that would be a nice ride heading back to Denver. As for TRR in RMNP, I'm crossing my fingers that the snow holds off so I can get up there. Thanks for your reply!
Tony - Thanks for writing. I'm hoping I have a little luck on my side and get a smooth lake or two. While I hope to take tons of pics in CO, I'm okay with not getting the perfect 10 photo. I know we'll still have a good time. The '10' photo would be great though. ;-) I know the schedule is a little hectic. It's my first trip out there (out west, period) and I'm sort of trying to get a taste of several places. Next time I will have a better idea of what I liked best and make it my hub to work from.
Les - Hi, Les. Thanks for the reply and for echoing the Cliff Dwelling warning. Thanks for the tips on the ghost towns. I do hope to visit Gothic as well as Paint Boy Mine(?) where there's an old rusty truck. Ashcroft and Indepence are on my list as well, if everything works out okay. LOL, Rot'nFester. Love it! :-) I'm actually down here in Watkins Glen (where it's much sunnier...lol). It's just cheaper to fly out of Rochester than Elmira. Only paid $498 (including taxes and fees) for 2, yes count them, TWO round trip tickets! ;-)
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So, I think I'm pretty well set. I was able to get an SUV rental for $197 for the week which will be great for some of the back roads. I have most of my rooms reserved and got good deals on them too. My only worries now are high altitude sickness/breathing, the leaves falling prematurely, and snow. Please pray for good weather for me...for all of us, actually.
Thanks again everyone. I wanted to be able to take the time to properly respond to each of you. It just got really hectic here this summer and it will be starting up again soon. It seems like everything happens at once. You go for weeks with nothing going on and then bam, everything.
Hope to see some of you 'around town'! Thanks again!
Discussion
10 repliesNote: Sunrise and Sunset will be around 6:30am and 6:30pm around that time.
Here goes:
Saturday, 9/23
12:00 noon - Arrive in Denver, get rental
1:00pm - Begin trip to Colorado Springs area. Swing by Air Force Academy. Scout GoG for sunrise shooting. Depending on time, maybe squeeze in the Cliff Dwellings or another. Suggestions?
Stay the night in Manitou Springs area.
Sunday, 9/24
6:00am - Garden of the Gods for sunrise then begin trip up Pike's Peak.
1:00pm - Visit cliff dwellings OR Florissant Fossil or other? Suggestions?
3:00/4:00pm - Head to Buena Vista area for the night.
Monday, 9/25
8:00am - Take Cottonwood Pass to Crested Butte (get there about 10am)
Spend the day around Crested Butte, maybe head to Gothic ghost towns
and/or do Ohio Pass as well as some leisurely shopping.
Stay the night in Crested Butte
Tuesday, 9/26
8:00am - Head to Aspen via Kebler Pass with a side trip to Ohio Pass's Castles...nice, easy trip stopping often
Stay the night in Aspen
Wednesday, 9/27
6:00-7:00am - Maroon Bells for sunrise.
Head towards Grand Lake via Independence Pass.
Stay the night at Grand Lake (RMNP)
Thursday, 9/28
Stay another night in RMNP near Estes Park.
Friday, 9/29
Spend the day in RMNP traveling the Peak to Peak highway, stay the night someplace closer to Denver so I can get some skyline shots that are requested by a customer. Anyone have locations suggestions for the best view? He prefers a night shot but I would like same daylight shots for myself.
Saturday, 9/30
Fly out at 11:00am, be to the airport by 9:00am.
Other questions:
Which is better for photography - Pikes Peak by car or by cog? The cog takes just over 3 hours (according to their website). How long would it take by car?
I've heard that Maroon Bells isn't really a sun rise shot - that's it's more of an "hour after sunrise shot" due to heavy shadows on the left. Could someone confirm this?
Instead of stayin in Grand Lake should I stay two nights in Estes and make that my base? I guess the road from Grand Lake to Estes could be closed if it snows. Is Aspen to Estes possible in one day including frequent stops for photography?
Is this schedule doable? Or way too ambitious? Am I missing anything?
Anything you would eliminate?
What would you do with 6 1/2 days in Colorado?
Sorry to bombard you with all these questions but since CO isn't around the corner I want to make sure I've got it right. Thanks in advance for any advice you can give! I appreciate it.
- Jen
Once upon a time I used to put together schedules like this, and invariably, reality would set in. I'd loosen it up a bit, so you're not spending quite so much time running from one place to the next. Other thoughts include:
Sunrise at GofG is great, but I'd skip Pikes Peak. There are some aspens on the road, but unless there's fresh snow, the higher reaches will just be brown. But if you decide to go, TAKE THE CAR! Don't get stuck in that train as it makes its way past anything you might want to stop and shoot.
The Cliff Dwellings is nothing but a tourist trap. These "dwellings" were brought here from who-knows-where. Might as well go to the North Pole in Cascade, it's about as authentic. (skip 'em both) Florissant Fossil Beds is a very interesting place to visit, but might leave you wanting in a photographic sense.
Cottonwood Pass is one of my favorite places, good for sunrise and sunset.
Pyramid Peak does indeed block much of first light on the Maroon Bells, but I'd definitely want to be there at sunrise, and not an hour later. Mountain mornings often have a way of giving us something unexpected.
All sorts of great places to shoot around Crested Butte. The Gothic road is nice, but I'd suggest concentrating on the Kebler Pass road (25 miles of the best aspen forests in Colorado) and nearby Ohio Pass road. From just over the Ohio Pass summit there's a great view out to the Castles. If you want something closer, you'll need to strap on the hiking boots.
The journey from Crested Butte via the Kebler Pass road to Aspen will take you over McClure Pass on Hwy-133, another stellar aspen hot spot.
Save some time to shoot along the Independence Pass route. Great aspen stands right on the road on the Aspen side, incredible groves of tall aspens flanking Mount Elbert, La Plata Peak, etc. on the eastern side.
I've never found Grand Lake to be a particularly photogenic area. You really have to head up the trail and into RMNP for the scenery. I'd drive over Trail Ridge Road, where you'll see tons along the way, and spend a few days working the eastern side of the park. The elk will be in rut, and you'll find it easy to get shots of massive bulls bugling. (Just look for the tangle of traffic.)
This ought to give you some food for thought. Others will pipe in, too.
1. Sunday: After GotG for sunrise, I'd skip everything including the Buena Vista stop (it's a charming town, but... it is fall in one of the most gorgeous areas on the planet at that time of year!); I'd head for Crested Butte via Cottonwood Pass. You could make it there early to mid afternoon without rushing and either shoot in that area, or do the shopping you planned on.
2. Monday & Tuesday: shoot in the Kebler / Ohio Pass area. You could easily spend more time there - you'll be in awe, really. Tuesday evening, head to Aspen.
3. Wednesday: sunrise at Maroon Bells (early is best - there will be competition for good spots amongst the 200 other photographers). Head for Independence Pass and then onto Grand Lake. Grand Lake isn't anything special, imo, but you could head up for sunset on Trail Ridge Road, assuming it's open. You could stay either in Grand Lake or Estes that night.
4. Thursday & Friday: explore Rocky Mountain NP, Estes and the Indian Peaks area (Peak-to-Peak Highway); head towards Denver for your night shots.
Should be a great trip!
Check out the "Hot Spots" link above for more ideas. There's a couple on GoG Park that are worthwhile. You might also check out a few of this group's Web sites for local photos...
Ken
I'm only half kidding. For your limited time and the time of year - I'd suggest taking your locations on Monday thru Wednesday morning and spread it out all week long (or maybe throw in an excursion to the San Juans). You can see the other stuff later and at another time of year maybe.
As for Pikes Peak, not sure about that, either. I've seen tons of great shots OF Pike's Peak, but not many FROM Pike's Peak. Lots of great views of the mountain from GoG, or Rampart Range Road. On the mountain, the views are far, but not all that interesting, although you may run across some mountain goats or something. The cog railway is enjoyable for part of a family vacation, but not great for photography.
As for Maroon Bells, I kind of agree with what others have said above. Be there early to get a good spot, but you are correct about sunrise. I've seen very few good shots from right at sunrise. I've had to stake out a spot, then just wait a couple hours for the sun to get a little higher. But you could be blessed with some great clouds or something that would really make sunrise interesting.
I haven't really shot the west side of RMNP, so I don't have much advice there. But Trail Ridge Road at sunset is good. And almost anyplace on the east side at sunrise.
Other than that, I don't know that I have much to add to what was already said above.
That trip sounds a little crazy for my taste. Perosnally I'd prefer just to pick a spot, stay there for a week and work the area. 9/23 - 9/30 would probably be about perfect for Crested Butte.
The problem with travel photos is that the odds are against you. I get the RMNP shots I do because I live right by it and photograph there 2-3 days a week. If I picked any given day at random I'd probably have about a 1/10 shot of getting the photo I want.
I've tried to shoot the classic Marroon Bells shot 12 times, and I've gotten a calm lake with a reflection only once!
Most of RMNP should be accessible in late September, but it lacks the spectacular Aspen groves of central & western Colorado. I'd reccomend you spend all week in Crested Butte & Aspen, skip the Springs, and head back through RMNP briefly on your way back to Denver.
Have to agree with the rest. If you're partly being touristy and want to do Pikes Peak, take the cog; the car route is unimpressive, and the cog is one of only a couple in the country. I'll echo Todd re: the cliff dwellings - don't bother. If you're really desperate for cliff dwellings, cut a day or two out elsewhere and detour to Mesa Verde; the San Juans along the route are very scenic and photo-worthy, too. Florissant is interesting, but not terribly photogenic in Fall; a few historic buildings are probably the best scenery at that time of year, and it's almost entirely pine forest - no Aspen.
You can easily do GotG for sunrise and make it over Cottonwood Pass before sunset with stops along the way; the eastern side of the pass is lit well into the afternoon, and there are no spectacular peaks on the east side that warrant a sunrise there; spend an extra morning in Crested Butte and catch more sunrises along Kebler or Ohio passes. BTW, Cottonwood, Kebler, Ohio, and McClure passes are all spectacular in Aspen season; Crested Butte probably won't occupy you for more than a couple of midday hours; you can easily spend a day touring ghost towns in the area, but most are accessed via jeep... The town of Independence along Independence Pass has some nice ghost town buildings; I like to stop there on my way back from a Maroon Bells sunrise sometimes.
Do be sure to stop for any wildlife (aka traffic jams) in RMNP; on the West side it's as likely to be Moose as Elk. There's not an overabundance of Aspen in RMNP, but the Elk like to congregate in the afternoons at some of the better stands of Aspen in the park - very scenic, very crowded; the rangers keep everyone at a respectful distance - usually.
Independence Pass and Trail Ridge Road will close in the event of too much snow/ice; alternate routes are available, but will add a couple of hours to your trip.
Have fun - get out of Rot'nFester for some (hopefully) sunny skies! We don't calibrate off of 18% gray clouds out here - we need cards!
Based on everyone's suggestions and research I've decided to change my schedule a little bit. I will be starting in RMNP and working my way counter-clockwise versus going from south to north. I will spend 2 nights in RMNP, 1 in Aspen, 2 in Crested Butte, and 1 each in Colorado Springs and Denver. I now wish I had another day or two (at least) to spend in Colorado.
Todd Caudle - Thanks so much for your reply and all the info and suggestions you shared. I'm glad you mention the Cliff Dwellings being a trap. I didn't realize they were brought in! That stinks. Also, Florissant Fossil - I had actually read in a magazine (Outdoor Photography?) that it (well, Wheeler) is a great spot for rock formations with nice light. *shrug* Who knows. I'm sure there are hundreds of other, better places to explore than that. Maroon Bells - I will be there early for sure. Thanks!
Rick - 200 photographers?! Please tell me that is a gross exaggeration! I'm very intimidated, you know! They're liable to push me in the lake. :-/ My new schedule will be more like what you posted, except in reverse. :-)
Ken - Thanks! Good links and info there.
Chuck - I wish I had time to squeeze in the San Juans. Six days is just not enough time. I'd have to leave out RMNP or something else in order to fit that in. I think I will save the San Juans and the south portion of the state for another trip. (Yes! I'm already thinking about the 'next' trip and I haven't even been there yet. :-D ) Thanks for replying!
Brent - Sounds like the only people that like the Cliff Dwellings are the ones that don't know any better! That would have been me if I hadn't heard from all of you. Great point about images 'of' Pike's Peak versus images 'from' Pike's Peak. I'm definitely planning to go to GoG. I would like to do the Peak if I can (just so I can say I did). I was recently reading about Rampart Range Road. Does that run north/south or east/west? Just wondering if that would be a nice ride heading back to Denver. As for TRR in RMNP, I'm crossing my fingers that the snow holds off so I can get up there. Thanks for your reply!
Tony - Thanks for writing. I'm hoping I have a little luck on my side and get a smooth lake or two. While I hope to take tons of pics in CO, I'm okay with not getting the perfect 10 photo. I know we'll still have a good time. The '10' photo would be great though. ;-) I know the schedule is a little hectic. It's my first trip out there (out west, period) and I'm sort of trying to get a taste of several places. Next time I will have a better idea of what I liked best and make it my hub to work from.
Les - Hi, Les. Thanks for the reply and for echoing the Cliff Dwelling warning. Thanks for the tips on the ghost towns. I do hope to visit Gothic as well as Paint Boy Mine(?) where there's an old rusty truck. Ashcroft and Indepence are on my list as well, if everything works out okay. LOL, Rot'nFester. Love it! :-) I'm actually down here in Watkins Glen (where it's much sunnier...lol). It's just cheaper to fly out of Rochester than Elmira. Only paid $498 (including taxes and fees) for 2, yes count them, TWO round trip tickets! ;-)
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So, I think I'm pretty well set. I was able to get an SUV rental for $197 for the week which will be great for some of the back roads. I have most of my rooms reserved and got good deals on them too. My only worries now are high altitude sickness/breathing, the leaves falling prematurely, and snow. Please pray for good weather for me...for all of us, actually.
Thanks again everyone. I wanted to be able to take the time to properly respond to each of you. It just got really hectic here this summer and it will be starting up again soon. It seems like everything happens at once. You go for weeks with nothing going on and then bam, everything.
Hope to see some of you 'around town'! Thanks again!
- Jen