Aspens On Ohio Pass
ASPENS ON OHIO PASS
Near Crested Butte, CO
Images and location summary by Tim Wier
Trail Difficulty - MODERATE
I would rate the difficulty of this trail as a 2 on a scale of 1-5 (with 5 being most difficult). The hike to the location of this shot is about 50 yd. up a hill to position yourself to be level with the shot (across the road).
GPS Coordinates & Elevation
8,935 Ft. Elevation
Downloads
View In Google earth
Directions
CLICK HERE to get driving directions to the location of this shot
From Crested Butte - travel west on CO RD 12 (Kebler Pass) for approx. 6.6 miles until you see a turnoff on your left for Ohio Pass. Take the road to Ohio Pass for 5.3 miles (over the summit) and down toward Gunnison. The location of this shot is approx. 500 yds past a parking area (usually with several horse trailers).
The shot above was taken up the hill from the road.
Photography Tips
The aspen trees on this stretch of the Ohio Pass (facing east) tend to be tall and clean with intermittent reds and deep orange leaves. The best way to capture these nice aspen trees is to climb the hill on the opposite side of the road and find the best light.
Because your shot is facing east, you can either shoot this scene in the early morning (before the sun crest the hill the trees are on) or wait for the late afternoon and have some nice warm defused lighting.
EXIF Data
Focal Length – 200 mm
Exposure – 45 th sec @ f 8.0
ISO – 100
Date – Sept 27th
Time – 3:01 pm
Best Time of Day to Shoot
Because your shot is facing east, you can either shoot this scene in the early morning (before the sun crest the hill the trees are on) or wait for the late afternoon and have some nice warm defused lighting.
Best Time of Year
The best time of year to shoot Aspen trees is during the fall color season (depending on the year, this ranges between the last week in September to the first week in October).
The above shot was taken on September 27th
Lens(es) Needed
Because you are taking this picture across the road from the aspen trees, you will need a medium telephoto lens. The image above was taken at 200 mm.
Birds-Eye View
Permits
There are no permits required on the Kebler pass.
Direction of the Shot
The direction of this shot is eastward around 90°.
Equipment Needed
Number of Other Photographers to Expect
No special equipment is needed for this shot.
Weather
The weather in Colorado is normally mild in the summer, cold (lows in the 20’s) in the spring and fall. This location is almost 9,000 ft. elevation – so the temperatures are colder than most locations around this area.
Cell Service
Cell service on the Ohio Pass is spotty at best.
Lodging & Camping
There are a few campsite near and/or several places where dispersed camping is available/allowed on the Kebler pass.
Camping - click on the campground below for directions
Lodging - click on the lodging below for a TripAdvisor review
Lodge at Mountaineer Square
620 Gothic Road, Crested Butte, CO
Grand Lodge Crested Butte
6 Emmons Loop, Crested Butte, CO
Nearby Restaurants
The closest town is Crested Butte, home to plenty of very good eating and drinking establishments. It is a GREAT little town and one of my favorite places in all of Colorado. When in Crested Butte, make sure you stop by McGills or Butte Bagels for breakfast. They will both be busy but worth the wait. The secret for Butte Bagels is to call in your order and pick it up in the back.
For a nice Italian dinner, eat at Marchitelli's and for a great steak, try Elk Ave Prime (make sure you make a reservation for both).
Area Guides and Workshops
None