After a relaxing couple of days in Denver I continued my journey West through Colorado. Next on the agenda was Aspen, a popular resort town known for its skiing.

In the 20th century Aspen became a celebrity destination. Popularized, among others, by journalist Hunter S. Thompson and singer John Denver, Aspen became a popular spot for the 1970s counter-culture movement and gained some notoriety for its drug culture.

Some highlights:

• Breathtaking views of the Rocky Mountains
• Continental Divide

Maroon Lake

My first stop in Aspen was the ski resort, where I was hoping to ride a gondola up to the peaks for some photos. To my disappointment the resort was closed.

As consolation I headed to a gift shop and looked at postcards. This was the right move: I was immediately inspired when I saw a picture of the Maroon Bells peaks. Having found new hope for taking worthy photos I headed to Maroon Lake to see these belles with my own eyes.

Independence Pass/Continental Divide

Despite the bells and whistles of the Maroon Bells I was still craving more mountain views, so I headed down highway 82 into the depth of the mountain range. According to Google Maps highway 82 is closed Oct – May, yet here I was in November driving on it! I must have luckily caught one of the last days it was open.

As I gained altitude and entered deeper into the mountains the temperature dropped lower and lower. I was a bit apprehensive about driving on the occasional stretch of icy road, but I was careful and — spoiler alert — things turned out ok.

The forbidden Highway 82 did not disappoint. The winding road was close enough to the edge for me to feel alive but far enough for me to stay alive. I (safely) admired the incredible views, and after an hour of switchbacks finally reached Independence Pass.

Independence Pass was originally the Western border of the European settlement in the area, with land to its West reserved for the Ute people. Some eager prospectors wanted to venture further; they defied the governor’s order and crossed the pass on July 4, 1879, giving the pass its present name.

The Pass is located at the Continental Divide, the topographic line that separates the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean drainages. The Divide runs across the highest peaks from the Bering Strait (the one across which Sarah Palin can see Russia) to the Strait of Magellan at the Southern tip of South America!

Twin Lakes

After reaching the summit I headed back down to “civilization.” I pulled over to check out the scenic Twin Lakes near the base of Mt. Elbert, Colorado’s highest peak. Fun fact: the nearby town of Twin Lakes has a population of 171 (2010 Census).

And with that my time in beautiful Colorado came to an end. Next stop, Utah!