Stirling Wilderness Trail

This is a public trail. You are WELCOME! Much of the land traversed by the trail was purchased in 2010 through the Open Space program of Pitkin County. Much of the other land used for the trail involves unpatented mining land which is jointly held by Buzz Cooper and the federal government (BLM and USFS).

Basically, the trail exists for those person who enjoy nature and the out-of-doors – who welcome the peace and quiet of an area where very few have not had more than a dozen or so visitors during the past 100 years. THERE ARE AREAS WHICH ARE THAT REMOTE!

Also, these are areas with an interesting MINING history. For those persons who want to know more about Aspen’s silver mining days, there are remnants of cabins and tunnels from the late 1800s. If you know where to look, there are silver, lead, zinc and copper ores. (No gold!)

If you want to see wildlife, or feel its presence, there are a few elk, deer, and grouse who also use the trail. Rarely, there is evidence of a bear traveling through, one looking for ants in dead stumps. A bear should pose no threat.

Again, the key word is REMOTE. In less than a half an hour from your car (to the Dick picnic area) you can finish a lunch with the probability of not seeing another person or group. If you are brave enough to climb up to the Quien Sabe, you may not see another person for a week. Take your tent?

The BASIC, easier tour can begin by traveling (by ordinary car) 400 ft. up the Little Annie road and parking in the public lot. (You will be about 6.5 miles from the roundabout in west Aspen.) There is a small sign up on an aspen tree at the start of the trail. It is an easy start, but after a fire hundred feet you will join an old mining “road,” and it goes UP – 20% grade or more in places!

(A note about parts of the Stirling trails: several sections are NOT for “city-slickers” who have trouble walking beyond the end of their cars; some parts have been little more than renovations of game trails or grades for mining mules!)

The first choice you have to make is at about the half-mile point: go left and head town the Storm King cabin. A sign will direct you. Go to the cabin and leave that area going east. Going this loop, past the Dick picnic site, a return to your car should take about 2-3 hours (without lengthy stops). Take water, snacks.

The ADVANCED tour has the same start, but you take the right branch at the high-mile point and head toward the Dick picnic site, Continue up and follow the signs directing you to the Quien Sabe. After visiting the mine entrance, go back to the first switchback and travel east a few hundred feet to the end of the trail. Great views of the Ashcroft area. If you want a full challenge, return to your car by going past the Storm King cabin.

Contact Buzz Cooper at Box 201, Aspen 81612 or email him at buzzval@yahoo.com.”