As leaf season winds down in Summit County, hillsides that blazed gold just weeks ago soften to copper and straw, with aspen leaves drifting like confetti onto quiet trails and the shoreline of Dillon Reservoir. Cooler nights sharpen the air, the elk’s bugle carries a little farther, and the first sugar-dusting of snow teases the high peaks above Breckenridge, Keystone, and Copper. It’s a peaceful shoulder-season pause—fewer crowds, cozy fireplaces, and one last chance for crisp morning hikes, bike rides through leaf-strewn paths, or a reflective drive over Hoosier or Loveland Pass—before winter flips the switch and the mountains trade their amber glow for glistening white.