STIRLING 2027

$450 to Friday, April 30, 2027. $500 from Saturday, May 1. 19 of 20 places left.

Date: Thursday, October 7 to Monday, October 11, 2027

Location: Pisgah National Forest, North Carolina

Places: 20 · 18+

Duration: 5 days

Total distance: 76 miles (+/-)

Load: 25–50 lbs dry

MISSION

Five timed routes on five consecutive days, with the load and distance rising. Complete Days 1 to 4 to the required standard to earn a place on the Day 5 Test Route.

Day 1, Operation SCOUT: 10 miles (+/-) · 25 lbs dry · timed. AllTrails route

Day 2, Operation BUCKWHEAT: 12 miles (+/-) · 30 lbs dry · timed. AllTrails route

Day 3, Operation PILGRIM: 12 miles (+/-) · 35 lbs dry · timed. AllTrails route

Day 4, Operation FAN DANCE: 16 miles (+/-) · 40 lbs dry · timed. AllTrails route

Day 5, Test Route: DRAGONS DANCE: 26 miles (+/-) · 50 lbs dry · timed, including night movement. AllTrails route

A place on the Test Route is earned. Only candidates who complete it earn the STIRLING Dog Tag.

AWARDS

STIRLING Dog Tag: Complete the Day 5 Test Route. Days 1 to 4 alone do not earn it.

EXECUTION

Brief: 0730, Thursday, October 7, at Art Loeb/Cold Mountain Trailhead, North Carolina. Mandatory. No late starts.

Step off: 0800 daily unless GBF staff direct otherwise.

Format: Five routes over five consecutive days. Progression is conditional: candidates who miss the required standard do not progress to the next stage.

Navigation: Download all five AllTrails routes for offline use before the event. Cell service must not be relied upon.

Assessment: Candidates are assessed throughout. Physical performance is one element of STIRLING.

Assignments: Special Forces history and current-affairs work is issued during the event. Bring a notebook and pen.

Rest: Recovery time shrinks as the event goes on. Limited sleep and cumulative fatigue are part of STIRLING.

SITUATION

STIRLING is GBF's most demanding and exclusive endurance event, built on the principles of the Aptitude phase of UK Special Forces Selection: progressive loaded marches against the clock, cumulative fatigue, rising pressure and the requirement to get up the next morning and prove yourself again.

Day One is 10 miles under 25 lbs. Each day after it asks for more from a body with less time to recover. Day Four is the 16-mile FAN DANCE under 40 lbs. Passing it earns the right to start Day Five: the 26-mile Test Route under 50 lbs, continuing into darkness.

Between the mountains come Special Forces history, current affairs, written work and limited sleep. STIRLING takes a maximum of 20 candidates a year, so staff see every candidate, every day, and progression is earned individually.

PREPARE

Prepare covers dry weight, ways to make ruck weight and downloading AllTrails routes. Train with the full Day 5 load of 50 lbs dry.

EQUIPMENT

Load: Required dry weight rises from 25 lbs on Day One to 50 lbs on Day Five, carried in a rucksack. No weighted vests or sandbags.

Water: Carry enough for each route plus an emergency reserve. Bottled water at the finish.

Rations: Minimum 3 bars and 0.5 L water as an emergency reserve. Carry enough nutrition for each day's route.

Medical: Personal medical kit required. Disclose medical conditions to GBF staff before the start. Staff may withdraw any candidate considered medically unfit to continue.

Accommodation: Not included. Arrange your own for the full five days.

Kit list: Standard GBF kit. See the GBF Standard Equipment List (PDF).

Additional kit: Notebook and pen.

Dress: Your choice, but carry equipment for mountain conditions, cold weather and night movement.

SAFETY AND RULES

Conditions: Mountain terrain in October. Prepare for cold, rain, wind, reduced visibility and big changes in conditions across the five days.

Fatigue: STIRLING builds physical and mental fatigue on purpose. Report injuries or medical concerns and follow GBF staff instructions immediately.

Terrain: Sustained climbing and descending, uneven trail, rocks, roots and difficult footing.

Navigation: Have all required routes downloaded and available offline before you start.

• Required weight is carried dry at all times.

• Weight cannot be disposable items such as water, food, stones or anything meant to be used or discarded.

• Complete each stage within the required standard to progress.

• Candidates removed from progression may not re-enter a later stage.

• Candidates are solo and self-sufficient on course. No outside material assistance unless directed by GBF staff.

• Follow the designated route.

• No vehicle or other transport may be used to gain an advantage.

• Only candidates who complete the Day 5 Test Route earn the STIRLING Dog Tag.

ADMIN

Cancellations: GBF voucher only. Request it 60 or more days before the event. Vouchers are valid for one year.

Event changes: Routes, timings, standards and activities remain at staff discretion, based on safety, weather and operational requirements.

Places: Maximum 20 candidates. Registration closes when all places are filled.

Payment plans: Available. Email info@greenberetfitness.com to find out more.

Contact: info@GreenBeretFitness.com

TICKETS

To April 30, 2027: $450

From May 1, 2027: $500

From June 1, 2027: $550

From July 1, 2027: $600

NEXT ON THE PATH

STIRLING is the top of the GBF ladder. The tactical lane is SHOOTER 2027: two days and one night of live-fire assessment at The SawMill Training Complex, South Carolina, on December 11–12, 2027.