If you know anything about the geography of Denver, you know that the city lies on the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains. We were headed west and drove through the mountains on Interstate 70. There’s a gradual incline up the mountains. We kept track of our elevation on our GPS. Along the way we passed by quaint towns situated between the mountains and interstate. One in particular had a stadium proclaiming the school’s mascot – the Gold Diggers – how appropriate given Colorado’s history. Kanye West would be proud.
We stopped at Georgetown – a village with the mountains as a backdrop on either side. Its historic district with period buildings is the draw for most tourists. We stopped at the Georgetown Valley Candy Company to pick up some of their chocolate.
The entrance to Guanella Pass is within the city limits of Georgetown. We decided to journey up the pass for a great view of the surrounding area. Although Georgetown itself is around 8500 feet in elevation, we reached heights of 11000 feet at the top of Guanella Pass. On this two lane road we encountered road construction and rams along the way. I guess the wildlife is always there, although the road construction only happens in the summertime for obvious reasons. At the top there was a parking area for some great views of the surrounding countryside. Hikers were there preparing to make their own adventure. After taking some video and photos we decided to drive down the mountain back to Georgetown for lunch.
It was time to get back on the interstate to continue our journey west. As we drove down we saw signs directing truckers to emergency areas where the could drive uphill in case their brakes gave out. This reminded me of the area around Monteagle, Tennessee.
Next was Independence Pass – a road only open from May through November – or whenever the first snow hits. This road took us up the side of the mountain. Since there were no guardrails it was obvious as to why it is only open in the summer. The area was picturesque. Photos and video do not do this area justice. On top of the mountain, just a few hundred feet from the road we saw perma-ice.
Independence Pass is somewhat the backdoor to Aspen. From its shops like Gucci, Louis Vitton, and Ralph Lauren to its art shops, I discovered that Aspen is mainly for the super rich. I felt it was a little too high brow for my tastes. Even postcards were 60 cents and above. I felt that the common man could not afford to live in Aspen. Our waiter probably commuted from a surrounding community like Snowmass Village. In fact we decided to stay in Snowmass Village, as rates for rooms in Aspen was outrageous.
Already looking forward to our drive to Moab, Utah, today.