"Uncle Wiggly’s Tree Farm" is near the Jackpot run on Aspen Mountain.  Howard L. (Howie) Mayer (1928-2009) was a ski patroller from 1955 to 2002.  He earned his nickname, “Uncle Wiggly” because of the shape of the ski tracks he’d leave while skiing under chairlifts.  One December, he cut down a tree on Aspen Mountain and took it home and used it for his Christmas tree.  This got him into a bit of trouble, so in January, he brought the tree back to the mountain and created "Uncle Wiggly’s Tree Farm."  The only thing there is a sign posted high on a tree that says "Uncle Wiggly's Tree Farm."  The location is not shown on the official trail map, but has been shown on the official "Kids' Mountain Guide" map for a number of years; however, it is spelled "Wiggley's" on this map.  (See the Aspen Times newspaper article "Find Your Shrine on Ajax" February 18, 2006:  https://www.aspentimes.com/news/find-your-shrine-on-ajax/)

According to Ed Cross Howie did this around 1980, to the chagrin of many and most notably Patty Spilsbury, and that Erik Kinsman came up with the name and the sign.

Photos of the "Uncle Wiggly's Tree Farm" sign are below. 

For more photos and information, including photos of a new sign in which the spelling was changed from "Wiggly" to "Wiggley" see this Facebook photo album (you do not need a Facebook account in order to view the album):  https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.448435318561771.101174.100001859201674&type=1&l=cdcc6fdfd4  (So now the sign and the Kids Map both say "Wiggley.")

If you have information about this item that you would like to share for use on this page, please send to the author at [email protected].

This sign is covered in the book, "Sanctuaries in the Snow--The Shrines and Memorials of Aspen/Snowmass."  The book may be purchased on this page on this site:  http://www.aspensnowmassshrines.com/index.php?The-Book

(There is also a Howie Mayer bench on Aspen Mountain; see this page on this site:   http://www.aspensnowmassshrines.com/index.php?The-Howie-Mayer-Bench)

This item is part of a Facebook photo album that covers various signs and plaques on Aspen Mountain (you do not need to have a Facebook account in order to view the album):  https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.451981024873867.101778.100001859201674&type=1&l=9577c13e9e

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