This week in Aspen history

“The Pearl Pass Road: The Crested Butte Republican has a long article on this subject,” asserted the Aspen Weekly Times on May 19, 1883.

“It says: The people here do not seem to appreciate the importance of the Ashcroft road to this point. Not to enter into details regarding the extensive territory which it taps, it is sufficient to say it is one of the richest mineral regions in the world, and every day more men and wealthy companies proceed to develop property there. Ashcroft has not only raised the money, but its citizens have turned our voluntarily and worked on the road shoveling snow and breaking a trail. By their efforts the trail has been opened so that three jack trains have crossed the range in the last few days, but work is still progressing on the trail. Mr. W.W. Borom, one of the largest packers in this county, has men at work now shoveling a trail to bare ground from Tibbets’ to the foot of the range which is about timber line. He does not think the present storm will prove much of a set back, as it is so wet, and with a few days sunshine, it will prove as good as a heavy rain on the range. He says with a little more work and ten days of warm weather, a person can ride from here to Ashcroft on horseback without any difficulty.”