Fall Color Trip to Kebler Pass, Raggeds Wilderness and West Elk Loop drive. September 22-24, 2020

Up and over Cottonwood Pass west of Buena Vista, down the Taylor River valley, to the Ohio Creek Valley north of Gunnison.  Then an 8.5 mile day hike into the Raggeds Wilderness north of Kebler Pass area, followed by a scenic drive around the West Elk Loop.  Aspens weren’t peaking yet but probably will next week and it was still gorgeous.  This area and the Ridgway area are my two favorite spots in the state for fall colors...and really any time of the year.  Side story:  I had a fantastic campsite my second night near Ohio Creek Pass, but my last morning when I got up and after making coffee, I went to start the car, and dead battery.  It was only 6:30 AM, and around 30  degrees.  I dug out my jumper cables, walked the 100 feet back to the Ohio Creek Pass gravel road and in about ten minutes a Tacoma pickup came along and the young man graciously agreed to drive down the rutted side road to my car and give it a jump.  That worked, but I decided to do the West Elk loop drive instead of doing a second day hike, since I figured I’d come out to a dead battery again after the hike.  I could have used the exercise but the West Elk loop drive was gorgeous, so it worked out fine.