Amazing Scenic Drive... Turquoise Lake, Leadville to Aspen, Colorado over Independence Pass.

[Sunny]

Last weekend, we went camping in Turquoise Lake in Leadville.
It's a beautiful but pretty big (over 7 miles long) lake.
Night was so clear with sparkling stars and I saw Milky Way. One of the few times I ever saw it that clear.

In the morning, the lake was so calm and clear, you could see the bottom and so relaxing.
Here are few snaps from phone :



Click for larger size:




Next morning, we went to Aspen driving over Indepencence pass.

I'll post video of interesting parts, well all are interesting so I'll post them one clip by one clip.
Put it in your bucket list.

We took my friend's SUV that has G1W. I wish I had taken a better dashcam for the trip but this will do.
Next time...

More pics from Sony Nex:





How many men fishing???




The future car:

 

[Sunny]

Mountain range starts @ 00:35: Obviously, dashcam has wide FOV so everything looks far away but they look so big and majestic in real.

Watch in 1080p...

 

[Gibson99]

My dad lives in Buena vista, just south of Leadville, next to the collegiate peaks (Mts. Princeton, Harvard and Yale). Pretty view indeed. When we visited in March this year we hit quite the traffic jam coming back into his neighborhood:

 

[Sunny]

@Gibson99 , we saw few herds of deer and antelope but not on the road.

Clip 02:

Clip 03:

Clip 04:

Note: You can play faster in Youtube if you want but I uploaded at normal speed to give real driving time and my friend drives pretty fast.

 

[Deleted member 46308]

Last weekend, we went camping in Turquoise Lake in Leadville.
It's a beautiful but pretty big (over 7 miles long) lake.
Night was so clear with sparkling stars and I saw Milky Way. One of the few times I ever saw it that clear.

In the morning, the lake was so calm and clear, you could see the bottom and so relaxing.
Here are few snaps from phone :

View attachment 15583

Click for larger size:
View attachment 15584

View attachment 15585

Next morning, we went to Aspen driving over Indepencence pass.

I'll post video of interesting parts, well all are interesting so I'll post them one clip by one clip.
Put it in your bucket list.

We took my friend's SUV that has G1W. I wish I had taken a better dashcam for the trip but this will do.
Next time...

Beautiful

 

[Sunny]

Twin lakes at the end:
Clip 05 & 06.

Note: You can play faster in Youtube if you want but I uploaded at normal speed to give real driving time and my friend drives pretty fast.

 

[Sunny]

Twin Lakes to small Twin Lakes town where speed limit is 25 mph and a cop's car is parked on the side.
There was no cop but all had to slow down before they realize it.
Clip 07 & 08.

Note: You can play faster in Youtube if you want but I uploaded at normal speed to give real driving time.

From Sony Nex:

 

[Gibson99]

My dad brought us up to Twin Lakes in March as well. it was already thawing, but people were still out there ice fishing, even with their trucks and SUVs parked on the ice.

 

[Sunny]

Now almost at the bottom of the mountain, start of winding roads with nice pine and aspen trees:
Clip 09 & 10:

From Sony Nex:

 

[kamkar]

Mmmmmm Mmmmm / me making fly casting moves with right arm, and the sound of a fly line with the mouth.

Leadville Reach for it stranger.

 

[Sunny]

Beautiful scene starts at 6:25...
Clip 11, 12 & 13.

 

[Sunny]

Now the serious climb starts... @ 2:55, you can see the roads down below we came from and then it's up and up and away...
Clip 14 & 15
Beautiful open scenery @ 00:40, climb few minutes and again nice open scenery @ 4:10.

Finally on top of the mountain @ Independence pass: You can see some snow still there below the roads @ 3:40
Clip 16 & 17.

 

[kamkar]

The American i want to experience, and hence the reason as to why i would need several months over there to take it all in.

 

[Sunny]

The American i want to experience, and hence the reason as to why i would need several months over there to take it all in.

Yes, US is too big but the central part is not something you want to visit unless you want to see hours and hours of grain fields.

I added more pictures on 1st post of the Turquoise lake and Leadville and some more in between.

Not sure if anyone noticed waterfalls in the videos...
Here are some pictures of the Independence Pass I took from Sony Nex.
There are areas scenic designated to stop and enjoy.
These give more sense of beauty compared to dashcam.




The road we came from:

Top of the mountain @ Independence Pass:


Lots of wild flowers even at this elevation:








******************************************
Now heading down to Aspen... it's even more pretty.

 

[kamkar]

I am used to grain fields, but maybe not to a American degree

I just hope i dont get lost and go the way of the Donner party

 

[Sunny]

From Independence Pass to Aspen downhill...

Here are some pictures from my DSLR... followed by dashcam videos...



How many waterfalls can you see?


Up in the left corner is the road we just came down from:


Lots of Aspen trees:



Video clips 18,19,20:
Dashcam: G1W

Video clips 21,22,23:

Continued...

 

[Deleted member 46308]

I am used to grain fields, but maybe not to a American degree

I just hope i dont get lost and go the way of the Donner party

Well, if you have to go you would be in a beautiful area at the Donner pass

 

[Deleted member 46308]

Great job, beautiful pics!

 

[Sunny]

Video clips 24,25,26:
@ 1:33, all of a sudden, the road narrowed down with rocks on one side and oncoming traffic on the other side.
Had to almost stop and maneuver around.

Finally in Aspen: you can see Aspen ski resort on the left @ 8:30-8:45.
Video clips 27,28,29:

Our plan was to go to Moraine Park but didn't work...

 

[kamkar]

True Summer. 4-5 houres in LAX and a short taxi ride around LA waiting for my plane to Copenhagen is not what i count as been to the US.

I will need at least 3 months over there to get under the skin of you guys and your wonderfull diverse country, but i would prefer 6 months as i hate to be in a hurry.
Hell i would take a whole year if INS would allow me to, and the lotto win i need to realise this was big enuff

Nothing here is tying me down, only lack of money keep me from realising my dreams ( as its the case for so many ppl )