Google Earth satellite image of route

Click to enlarge (132 KB)

Rating: 6/10

This route goes between Aspen and Crested Butte. I started this on the Crested Butte side and was wanting to combine this with Taylor Pass and Italian Creek Road. As is often the case with this road though, it was blocked with snow just short of the summit, so I had to alter my plans. There was a storm a few days prior to my arrival in late September that closed it for the season. I had to back down the shelf road (which is always fun) for a considerable distance to get to a point suitable enough for turning around.

This high road is one of the most scenic in the state and it borders the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness boundary on its higher reaches. The views on this south side are great looking toward Mt. Crested Butte and on the horizon, the San Juan Mountains to the southwest. The road itself is long with some fun rocky sections. From what I've read, the northern section should prove to be just as good and maybe even better on the scenery scale. More pictures to come next season.

11/24/03 update:

A year after my first trip on the southern half of this road, I finally was able to drive the northern section. It ended the same way as the first attempt as well, being blocked by snow just short of the summit. I guess I should travel this road in August instead of September each time! In addition to the Pearl Pass road pictures that I've added, I have also included the wonderful Montezuma Basin side trip which starts in the third row on this page.

I still only have the 9 pictures from the Crested Butte southern approach. In 2002, I never had any intentions to make any trail reports, let alone a web site, thus the limited amount of pictures from it. Now, armed with a digital camera, I intend to add many more here from the southern half. Once again, next year. In the meantime, I will work on re-scanning the ones I do have as they turned out pretty poor.

Here is a video panorama from the summit (6.9 MB)