Tennessee Pass – Perhaps it was Hugh Hefner who first revealed those two critical principles of pleasure – timing and lighting – to the masses. But on this side of the Playboy Mansion, the revelation can be credited to far more humble origins.
Time certainly is of the essence for those feeling light’s flight as the earth’s axis begins its northern tilt toward winter. Colorado’s all-too-short autumn is in high gear, and as the nights grow longer, the peep-show pleasure is rapidly reaching its peak.
It comes as no surprise that many Coloradans suddenly find themselves challenged to make the most of this spectacular season. There simply aren’t enough hours in the day.
The upshot, according to the U.S. Forest Service, is that Colorado’s colors this fall are expected to burn bright into the second weekend of October. And while that only puts time on your side for about a dozen more days, there’s always the option of immersion.
“They call this a ‘shoulder season,’ and it has been pretty slow to be discovered,” said Jim Farrell, owner of Vance’s Cabin on Tennessee Pass. “A lot of people think of these places as ‘skiing only.’ But fall really is one of the nicest times of the year to be up here.”
Managed as a part of the 10th Mountain Division Hut Association system (www.huts.org), Vance’s Cabin is one of only four 10th Mountain Division huts to link the more popular summer and winter seasons by remaining open for public rental past Sept. 30.
The 20-year-old log cabin purchased by Farrell about six years ago sits on a timbered mountainside just off the flanks of Chicago Ridge and Ski Cooper, and is joined by the three huts of Shrine Mountain Inn (Jay’s, Chuck’s and Walter’s) near Vail Pass as the only autumn offerings by the association. And at $28 a night, it’s cheaper than the Motel 6.
“We sort of inherited the arrangement when we bought the place,” Farrell said from his 11,000-foot perch overlooking the tallest peaks in Colorado. “We thought about closing like some of the others, but decided it was a good opportunity to share a great experience with other people during this amazing season.”
Because of its elevated proximity, the forest immediately surrounding Vance’s tends more toward lodgepole pine than golden aspens. Still, the colors of autumn illuminate the neighboring landscape, from the Top of the Rockies Scenic Byway (Colorado 24) driven to access the hut to the yellow-striped ramparts of mounts Elbert and Massive visible from its open-air deck. A 20-minute walk up nearby Taylor Hill reveals incredible 360-degree views of the Gore, Ten Mile, Mosquito and Sawatch ranges, with frames burnished in shades of the season.
Walk on the wild side
Farrell, a bow hunter and backcountry skier from Eagle-Vail, knows the land well, making use of the cabin’s drive-up seasonal access to share it with his wife and two young children. The terrain is well-suited to hiking, mountain biking and hunting on nearby public land. Recent naturalist outings on the property have revealed a pair of great horned owls and the signs and sounds of nearby elk.
“It’s incredibly convenient for families,” he said. “With the forest road coming all the way up here, it’s probably the easiest hut to access, but it’s still far away enough to feel that sense of serenity.”
Those who have visited the cozy cabin in the past might also appreciate some recent improvements, including a new water pump, hardwood flooring, a raised deck and upgrades to the kitchen and wood-burning heating system, keeping the “roughing it” to a minimum.
Get away from it all
Those seeking a slightly more immersed experience have some other options as well. Hidden Treasure Yurts (www.backcountry-colorado-yurt.com) perched atop New York Mountain near Eagle offers a pair of well-equipped canvas structures sandwiched between a sea of gold and 12,500-foot glacial cirque. Drive-up access out of Yeoman Park is in itself a sensory overload in the fall, while nearby hikes and bike rides through the luminous landscape push autumn over the top.
Farther north, the yurts and huts of Never Summer Nordic (www.neversummernordic.com) in the Colorado State Forest State Park near Gould are slowly being discovered for their fall setting between the Medicine Bow and Never Summer mountain ranges.
“Our fall colors are there right now,” said Anne Graves, who operates the five yurts and two huts with her husband, Greg, as concessionaires of the 70,000-acre park. “It seems like a lot of Front Range folks have caught on to that and our weekends are really jam- packed right now. The days really are perfect.”
With lodging at elevations as low as 9,000 feet (and as high as 10,000), Never Summer Nordic may be the best budget autumn immersion experience short of the nearby KOA for late-season leaf peepers. And a seemingly endless system of old roads and trails offer hiking and mountain biking of all skill levels. Bigger treks up the nearly 13,000-foot Mount Richthofen and Clark Peak are also nearby.
“Our mountain biking is starting to get there. You can do a full-day ride and never hit the same trail twice,” Graves said. “Then you can come back to the yurt, start a fire in the wood-burning stove, and get all the benefits of a cozy evening with the whole place to yourself.”
Never Summer Nordic is located on the flanks of Rocky Mountain National Park about two hours north of Fort Collins on Colorado 14. Discounts are offered throughout the fall season, with additional discounts offered on weeknights and through Internet coupons.
Scott Willoughby: 303-954-1993 or swilloughby@denverpost.com
