Route into Buena Vista Co. then to Wy.

Phil wrote:
We will do some hiking and just enjoy the area. We stay flexible on activities so we can see what the area offers and what looks interesting to us.

You probably know that Buena Vista is a center for rafting on the Arkansas River. Lots of choices of outfitters and the level of "adventure" you want.

From BV you can make a day of driving over to Aspen. After all you can't take your motorhome over Independence Pass anyway, but you can take your toad and enjoy the drive and the day.

Among the many good drives I will mention only a few.

You can drive over Cottonwood Pass into the Taylor River country and on over to Crested Butte. I understand the road is paved all the way now. For many years it was paved UP from BV to the pass but was gravel all the way down to Taylor Reservoir.

Another drive is from Nathrop, south of BV and up Chalk Creek to the "ghost town" of St. Elmo.

North of town, just before the turn off to Aspen there is a nice drive past Twin Lakes to other ghost towns such as Vicksburg (and I forget the other names).

Trails all over the place. I have taken the trailhead for the climb up Mt. Yale--not the peak itself but the trail called "Denny Creek." You may have the vigor to make the peak climb. I was too old by the time I made the Denny Creek Trail. This is off the Cottonwood Pass road. Denny Creek is on the right (north) side of the road. There is another trail which I have taken which follows Ptarmigan Creek on the south side of that same road. Both of these are day hikes, but for those who desire more there are plenty of trails that could be used for back packing.

I think you are going to have a great trip, and you have the right idea about gearing down on the descent from passes, so I don'think you will have any trouble.

I will be up that way in July with our fifth-wheel. I am not quite as much into "adventure" at my age of 87 but we are going to be trying some boondocking on the river out near Johnson Village and the KOA.