Fall Color in the San Juans
Story
After three weeks away from the channel, I packed the truck and headed north—chasing peak fall color through the San Juan Mountains. The route carried me from the heat of Phoenix to the cool air above Flagstaff, where I spent the first night camped beside Marshall Lake. From there, I climbed higher into Colorado, past Durango and Silverton, until the peaks around Ouray and Telluride were drenched in gold.
Every turn of the Million Dollar Highway looked like a painting come to life. The aspens were at their brightest—yellow, copper, and green blending into the kind of fleeting beauty you only get once a year. Near Ironton, I found quiet camps among the trees and spent hours filming light breaking through the mist.
At Last Dollar Overlook above Telluride, the calm shifted. Storms moved in fast—dark clouds, thunder, wind, and rain pounding the camper late into the night. I sat inside the Moonlander listening to the storm tear across the ridge, the truck rocking with each gust. It was one of those moments that reminds you what it takes to live this way: the balance between freedom and exposure, between control and surrender.
Reflection
People talk about the freedom of the open road, but rarely about the cost.
Running KPL Studios while keeping This Way Wild alive means constantly moving between two worlds—client calls and deadlines on one side, solitude and stillness on the other. When I’m away from the road too long, I feel it. The rhythm shifts, and so does the clarity that comes from being out here.
This trip reminded me that balance isn’t about control—it’s about rhythm. Seasons change, work ebbs and flows, and every time I return to the road, I’m reminded of what’s worth keeping and what’s worth letting go.
Watch the Episode
🎥 Watch Episode 09 — Chasing Fall in the San Juans
A fall color journey through the San Juans—from quiet mornings near Ironton to storm-soaked nights above Telluride.
Gear + Partners
Partners
Gear Featured
Sony A7S III • DJI Air 2S • Insta360 GO 3S + X5
The Dyrt (campsite finder) • Fall Foliage Tracker (fallfoliage.smokymountains.com)
Rig Build
2024 Nissan Frontier Pro-4X • Radica Moonlander X • Goal Zero + EcoFlow Dual Power System • OVS XD 270° Awning • Tembo Tusk Skottle • Starlink Mini • Maxxair Fan • DECKED Drawer System
Links
This Way Wild — thiswaywild.com
KPL Studios — kplstudios.com