Hi Kris,
Thank you for contacting the Master Gardener Office. 
Any time you plant a tree in Colorado its important to do a soil test because Colorado soil is notoriously alkaline, and most Maple trees require acidic soil. 

Here is a link to to the CSU Soil Lab.
agsci.colostate.edu/soiltestinglab/

Maple Autumn Blaze trees do not tolerate any alkaline soil.

We are sending you information below on the correct way to plant a tree.
  
https://static.colostate.edu/client-files/csfs/pdfs/planting-trees.pdf

You may want to consult a Colorado Certified Arborist for a consultation.

Thank you.   

It appears you have two separate issues here. The vertical crack looks like a frost crack. This is not uncommon in Colorado. Normally, the trees natural responses will help heal a wound of that size, so I don’t think you need to take action about that issue. https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/frost_cracks_in_trees

For the leaves turning color: Sometimes leaves will turn a bit early if the tree has been stressed. Maples are notoriously easy to stress in Colorado soils and climate. I would recommend evaluating your watering schedule and checking soil moisture. The rule of thumb is 10 gallons of water per inch caliper diameter of the trunk. Also, winter watering is critical to avoid drought stress here, which generally shows up in the growth of the tree during the following summer. Trees should be watered at least once a month in the winter when the temperature is above 50 degrees Fahrenheit. inhttps://cmg.extension.colostate.edu/Gardennotes/657.pdf

https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/yard-garden/fall-and-winter-watering-7-211/

Best wishes with your tree!