Breckenridge Real Estate Blog

Recently, the days have even started to smell different. First the nights get colder. The light softens from the brilliance of summer. The tundra changes into her fall colors first up there above tree line where the weather is more extreme. Then come the first hits of the golden magic that marks the aspens changing. The nights get colder, the light even softer, and the aspen leaves brighter. Soon enough we'll wake to the first dusting of snow on the peaks, with a blaze of golden aspen meadow below. The heat in your home kicks on for the first time. More seasonal people arrive to town, energy running high with expectations of a big winter. Passes are purchased, gear is prepared, roommates gathered, wood chopped, split and stacked. The first whiffs of your neighbors wood-fired stove hits your nose as you walk outside on a crisp morning. You crave stews and soups and roasted vegetables and boots and sweaters. Its fall.

We are not quite to winter yet. There are still festivals to be celebrated, Oktoberfest beers to be quaffed, hikes to be hiked, fish to be fished, ski fitness programs to be crushed (this is a good thing) and passes to be driven before they close for the winter.

We always keep a list of upcoming festivals and events and what happening year round.

Where to See the Aspens 

Boreas Pass is an old railway grade that runs between Breckenridge and Como and has some of the best leaf and view peeping available. This road closes to motorized traffic in the winter, so fall is your last chance to get up and over until next spring. Look out for hikers and bikers as this is a shared space. Don't miss stopping at the top to visit the Section House.

From Como, it's a short 20 mile drive on Hwy 285 to Grant, where you can turn north onto Guanella Pass Road. This newly repaved road takes you past the old Geneva Basin Ski Area and over the pass with views toward Mt. Bierstadt and other high peaks. Within 25 miles of your turn from Grant, you arrive at Georgetown, another old mining town like Breckenridge, only there's no ski area rising up from Main Street. Georgetown is on I-70 so you can head back toward Summit County, which is only 20 minutes away. Some options as you head out of Georgetown are to jag onto Loveland Pass Road instead of continuing into Silverthorne via I-70. This takes you into Keystone, where you can go over Swan Mountain Road back to Breckenridge or Frisco (to Hwy9) instead of going around Lake Dillon. 

From Silverthorne, Ute Pass is a nice foray into Grand County and will have big hills covered in gold trees. From Silverthorne to Parshall, over the pass is about 20 miles. You can loop back to Silverthorne through Kremmling and past Heeney and Green Mountain Reservoir on Hwy 9. This highway follows the Blue River which is beautiful in fall.  

Just north of Kremmling is a little driven road that leads over Gore Pass. This is a long but beautiful drive taking you over to Toponas. Go south to get back to I-70 where you'll arrive at Wolcott and be west of Beaver Creek. Come back over Vail Pass to Summit County. (Silverthorne to Copper Mountain is about 150 miles and 2.75 hours without stops) 

As always, each and every one of the Broker/Partners of Breckenridge Associates Real Estate are happy to share our own favorite fall tips. (office: 970 453-2200)  Reach out today!