The Magic of Fall

While science explains the transformation, the magic of Telluride’s fall leaves goes beyond biology, with a rich history and stunning views to match

by ALLISON BILLS

Fall colors may be rooted in science, but anyone who has seen the mountainsides of Telluride and Mountain Village burst into vibrant shades of yellow, orange and red knows there’s a magic to autumn that goes beyond biology. And the area’s plentiful aspen trees have a lot to do with it.

Quaking aspens are the most widely distributed native North American tree species, covering nearly 5 million acres in Colorado alone. Telluride and Mountain Village, which are known for their plentiful aspen groves, have become must-visit destinations for leaf peepers and photographers.

THE CHANGING OF THE LEAVES

“When do the leaves peak in Telluride?” It’s a common question that we’d all love the answer to.

While it’s always safe to answer with, “late September through early October,” predicting the peak point of fall can be traced back to spring.

Aspens favor sunlight and moist soil, so drought, frost and too much rain late in the season can dull their brightness or cause the leaves to drop early.

“What you really want is a healthy stand of trees that gets plenty of moisture, sun and nutrients in the spring and summer,” says Jessica Tenenbaum, special project manager at the Pinhead Institute. “Plus, then you need a fall that is sunny and cool, but not freezing, for the brightest colors.”

Since an aspen clone, or a genetically identical organism made up of multiple aspen trees with a shared root system, has the same genetics, its trees all change at the same time. There can be many aspen clones in an aspen grove, which is evidenced by the various color patches on the tree-laden ski slopes.

“As you reduce the day length and the sun angle and bring on colder temperatures, deciduous trees will cease chlorophyll production,” says Tenenbaum. “Chlorophyll is the green pigmentation in leaves, so that’s when the green fades and becomes less visually dominant.”

When the trees stop producing chlorophyll, anthocyanins, which create red hues, and carotenoids, which create yellow pigments, become visible.

“When the leaves are on fire and we’ve gotten snow, that is one of the times when Telluride is so aesthetically spectacular it’s hard to breathe,” says Tenenbaum. “Even if you live here, it never gets old.”

THE MINERS’ ROLE IN THE TRANSFORMATION

While there’s a science behind fall’s changing colors, there’s also a reason why this area’s hillsides are so colorful — and it all started with the miners.

“Anytime you cut down a forest, the aspen tree is one of the first things to come back,” says Johnnie Stevens, who played an integral part in building and running Telluride Ski Resort.

And that’s exactly what happened in Telluride in the 1880s.

According to Stevens, miners arrived and began deforesting the hillsides surrounding the town for building and heating.

“It was clear-cut from the town of Telluride to the top of Lift 9,” explains Stevens. “It was all cut by hand and pulled down the mountain by horses.” The land was also cleared above the tailings pond toward the Idarado Mill, as were parts of Bear Creek.

Aspens are fast-growing and can establish canopies quickly. They thrive when land is cleared due to their ability to regenerate via shoots and sucks along their lateral roots. Aspens can grow more than 2 feet per year, while evergreen trees typically grow less than 1 foot a year.

“There was less sunlight on the north exposure [of the ski area], but there were also no evergreens to stop the growth, so the aspens grew right up,” says Stevens.

As time goes on, evergreen growth may catch up to the aspens and the hillsides surrounding Telluride will become evergreen-dominant. But for now, we’ll enjoy the aspen trees and their vibrant fall colors.

FALL FOLIAGECENTRIC HIKES

Looking for the best hikes to catch the fall colors? Telluride Mountain Club’s Executive Director Sophie Fabrizio shares her favorite local trails for leaf peeping.

EASY HIKES

Valley Floor Trail

The Valley Floor Trail is a flat, meandering path that wanders the length of the Valley Floor (3 miles, one way). You can make it a loop by hiking back on the bike path, or continue east toward Bridal Veil Falls on the Idarado Legacy Trail. There is minimal elevation gain and the aspens are plentiful.

Breckenridge Trail aka Penelope’s

This trail has a gradual incline and offers sweeping views of Telluride, Mountain Village and the Wilson range. It is short, at 2.7 miles, and is fairly exposed, offering stellar views of the area’s fall foliage.

INTERMEDIATE HIKES

Ridge Trail

This trail is considered “easy” when you begin at the Gondola’s San Sophia Station and hike down into Mountain Village. But to increase the difficulty, simply hike the route in reverse: start in Mountain Village and hike up to the San Sophia Station. Either way, the 2-mile route is well-marked and weaves through aspen groves.

Eider to Mill Creek Connector

This is a great intermediate trail that clocks in at 1.9 miles and 776 feet of elevation gain. According to Fabrizio, there’s a bit of initial vertical, but once you’re on the trail it is well graded and leads to plentiful aspen groves and sweeping views.

DIFFICULT HIKES

Deep Creek Trail

Deep Creek is the trail to hike in the fall, according to Fabrizio. The full route is 6.8 miles one-way, with 1,508 feet of elevation gain, but you can always turn around early to shorten the hike.

Sneffels Highline Trail

As Fabrizio’s must-do fall hike, you really can’t go wrong with a day spent hiking the Sneffels Highline Trail. It’s 12.4 miles oneway, with 4,356 feet of elevation gain, so it’s definitely not for the faint of heart, but if you’re looking for a little bit of everything, this is the trail.

BONUS

If hiking isn’t your thing, Last Dollar Road, Alta Lakes and Woods Lake are all vehicleaccessible areas with great fall foliage. Four-wheel drive is recommended, and be sure to check the weather before you go!