Barbara Lawlor, Nederland. He set up his tripod on the edge of the kids' fishing pond in Chipeta Park and mounted his camera, focusing on the shimmering copper and bronze aspens on the opposite shore. When he was satisfied with the golden background, he set the timer and then hurried to the edge of the pond and leaped into the air in front of the camera as the shutter opened and closed.

Then he repeated the process and jumped again. He soared into the air. Set the timer on the camera. Jumped. Again and again.  His yellow shirt blended into the aspens on the other side of the pond.

Three years ago, José Fuentes decided to take a break from his high tech job and travel. As he visited landmarks in major cities of the world, he began to put himself into the pictures he took. But he didn't just stand next to a sign or a building: he jumped. Paris, England, Pisa, New York, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, stretching his arms and legs, finding the right pose for where he was. Making a landscape an action shot.

Last week his goal was Nederland during the glorious aspen season. He found the perfect glittering glade at the pond and added Chipeta Park to his collection of over 300 photos of him jumping all over the world.

"It is fun," he said. "It is good exercise and I will keep jumping around."

Peak to Peak parking

José was one of thousands of leaf-peepers traveling the Peak to Peak over the weekend, turning some areas into parking lots. The three parts of the highway heading into Nederland were jammed up for at least a mile when they bottlenecked into the roundabout. Most of the travelers were generous with allowing people entering and exiting the shopping center parking lot to cut into the stalled line. It was a time for patience; no one was allowed to be in a hurry.

Restaurants with outdoor seating were packed and even had waiting lines. The Sundance Cafe and Lodge offered the best view of the aspens that spread their glow across the highway and into Eldora, with stunning patches of golden color all the way to the Divide. Ice cream eaters at the Blue Owl licked and watched the traffic.

The russet, sugar maple hues of a stand in Gilpin County had drivers pulling over to the side of the highway, joining the crowd that gathered, cameras aimed at the trees, at each other and at themselves, as they stood in awe at the stunning and rare shades of red.

Locals agreed that this past week has been one of the best aspen productions in years. The cool nights and unusually hot days with brilliant sunshine has made for a spectacular show. The big stand north of Nederland was already dimming into grey brown by the weekend but there are still some patches of green, yet to turn if the weather holds.

By Sunday, many of the glittering leaves were on the ground, becoming mulch after presenting an Oriental carpet of color to hikers who walked in wonder in the golden light.

The aspen season is short-lived but long remembered; luring visitors from near and far to experience one of nature's most spectacular autumnal changes: the modern day Colorado gold rush.