December, 2001

One Lunger

Racer rounds the corner The 2nd One Lunger 100 Snowmobile Race was held at the Cora Oval Track, Sagebrush Downs Saturday afternoon. Machines entering had to be older than 1973 and only run on one cylinder. The object of the race was to be on the last machine still running at the completion of 100 laps. The event was organized by Troy Bredthauser.

November, 2001 Updates
October, 2001 Updates
September, 2001 Updates
August, 2001 Updates
July, 2001 Updates
June, 2001 Updates
May, 2001 Updates
April, 2001 Updates
March 2001 Updates
February 2001 Updates
January 2001 Updates
[2001 Updates] [2000 Updates] [1999 Updates]

Monday, December 31, 2001
Happy New Year!
IPSSSDR
Wyoming Ranks 2nd in Nation in Employment Growth
Big Piney has a Hockey Rink

December and January are typically our coldest months, with temperatures dipping into the minus 20s - 40s for about a 2 week stretch. Those who worry about pipes freezing have bleeders running all the time now.  The weather forecast for the next week only predicts a slight chance for light snow showers, with better prospects for heavier snow coming at the end of the week. Some places still have early season conditions so snowmobilers and skiers should still watch for obstacles on the trails.

IPSSSDR
Pinedale Stage Stop January 28-30, 2002
The largest sled dog race in the lower 48 states, the IPSSSDR (International Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race) is slated for January 26 through February 6, starting in Jackson Hole then traversing nearly 450 miles of Wyoming backcountry before ending in Teton Village. The first stage, a 3-mile run, begins at Jackson Hole's Town Square and finishes at Cache Creek Canyon.
   Thirty top international teams will run in the 2002 IPSSSDR including three-time Alpirod Champion Jacques Philip, Nenana, Alaska; 2000 IPSSSDR third place and 2001 IPSSSDR second place winner, Melanie Shirilla from Lincoln, Montana; International Sled Dog Racing Association Gold Medal Winner Joseph Loveless, Roy,Washington; and Grant Beck, Yellowknife NWT, ranked fourth in the International Federation of Sleddog Sports Mid-Distance World Cup Program.
   Now in its seventh year, the IPSSSDR is the largest sled dog race in the lower 48 states and a qualifying event for the Iditarod. With its unique Stage Stop racing format, the race traverses through 12 Wyoming communities, stopping in a different town each night. The 2002 race begins in Jackson Hole, before traveling through Moran, Dubois, Pinedale, Lander, Atlantic City, Mountain View, Lyman, Evanston, Kemmerer/Diamondville, Alpine and returning to Jackson Hole.
  The race will go from the Dubois Snow Oval to Elk Ridge Lodge, 58 miles, at Green River Camp, on the 28th. On Tuesday they will leave Elk Ridge Lodge at 9 am and travel to Pinedale, 33 miles. There will be a Pinedale Musher Reception from 5 - 7 p.m. Wednesday, the teams leave Pinedale at 10 am and ride to Irish Canyon, 17 miles south of Pinedale, and on to Blucher Creek, 30 miles, where they will camp out. This year, the Pinedale Stage Stop finish line has been moved to the park in town on Pine Creek. For more on the Pinedale Stage Stop Schedule, click here.
   The race was founded in 1996 by Frank Teasley to make sled dog racing more accessible to the public. For more information, visit the race Website at www.wyomingstagestop.org, contact the race via e-mail at wystagestop@blissnet.com or call (307) 734-1163.

Wyoming Ranks 2nd in Nation in Employment Growth
Wyoming Business Council Release
According to a report issued by the Wyoming Department of Employment, Research and Planning Division, since Nov. 2000 total employment in the state has grown by 5,500 jobs compared to a national decline of 910,000. Mining employment has increased by 1,900 jobs, construction by 1,000 jobs and services by 1,700 jobs, according to the report.
    "Wyoming continues to grow and is performing extremely well relative to the national economy," said Jo Chapman, manager of research for the Wyoming Business Council. "Wyoming has the highest year over year growth in employment in the West and is second in the nation behind Florida."
   Among all states, only 20 have experienced employment growth, two have not changed and the remaining 30 have experienced declines in employment since November of last year.
   Comparing November 2001 to October 2001 total employment in the state fell by 4,100 jobs. This reflects a seasonal decline, explains Chapman. Hotels and lodging saw a decline of 1,200 jobs and eating and drinking establishments saw a decline of 1,300 jobs. Construction also fell by 800 jobs - a decline due to the weather.
    Wyoming's unemployment rate remains unchanged at 3.8 percent in November while the U.S. unemployment rate increased from 5.4 percent to 5.7 percent during the same period.

Big Piney has a Hockey Rink
Located behind the high school
Big Piney skating enthusiasts are looking forward to their "first class hockey rink". The outdoor rink is located inside the walking path just behind the high school. Two buildings onsite are a warming hut and equipment storage area. The Big Piney Hockey Association reports that the new rink will be up and ready for use on Wednesday, January 2nd, where a ribbon cutting ceremony will be held at 3:30 pm. The Big Piney Viper hockey schedule is being posted on the Big Piney web site, www.bigpiney.com. (more Big Piney hockey info)

Friday, December 21, 2001

Ice Hockey in Full Swing

The Pinedale Midget (High School age) hockey team practiced Thursday night for this weekend's games in Casper. The lighted rink is located on the west end of Pinedale and public skating hours are posted. More about Pinedale youth ice hockey is available on their web site: www.sublette.com/hockey.

Freestyle Ski Camps at White Pine
Snowmobiling
Hunter Information
Boulder Community Center Annual Christmas Party & Supper
The Drift Editorial Comment

Snowmobiling, Skiing and Ice Skating Update: 12/21
   The weather forecast for the weekend predicts a slight chance for snow showers through Christmas. Some places still have early season conditions so recreationists should still watch for stumps and rocks on the trails. Ice Fishermen: Fremont and Half Moon aren't frozen over yet.

Noble Construction float during the Pinedale Chamber of Commerce Christmas Parade on Saturday.

Utah Olympic Park Freestyle Program Camps
Two Camps to be held at White Pine in January
The Utah Olympic Park has designed several Freestyle Program Ski camps to introduce people of all ages and abilities to freestyle ski jumping and to develop skills in competition-oriented young athletes. The 2 and 3 day camps will be held at White Pine Ski Area in January, 2002. A 3-Day Focus Camp on January 4-6 will give participants a comprehensive introduction to freestyle aerials or to spend time improving existing skills with this longer, more intensive camp (cost is $240). A Competition for the 3-Day Camp will be held on January 6th. A 2-Day Competition Prep Camp will be held on January 26-27 (cost $180) for experienced skiers who either want to learn to jump or improve upon the skills they already have. The Competition for this camp will be held on January 27th.
    All programs will be administered by Chris "Hatch" Haslock who was a 1988 Olympian and member of the US Ski Team. During his six years as Head Aerial Coach of the US Ski Team, he coached 2 Olympics and 3 World Championships including the '95 World Champions in Aerials and Combined. All camps will have an upright jump and single kicker. Snowboarders are welcome.
   Participants in the competitions must have a valid USSA license. Camps are limited to the first 14 registered. Insurance is required to participate in the programs and all participants will be required to sign a release waiver.
   For more information, please contact Tiffany Pezzulo at Utah Olympic Park, (435) 658-4257 or e-mail: Tiffany.Pezzulo@saltlake2002.com.

Snowmobiling- We Have SNOW!!
Snow lovers are all smiles with the series of winter storms that have continued to drop inches and inches of snow. White Pine Ski area is open 7 days a week now in full swing for the winter season. Thursday's snow report was for 6 new inches of powder on the hill. The snow pillows in the Wyoming Range, Upper Green, and Big Sandy area report anywhere from three to almost 6 feet of snow (Blind Bull Summit,
Gunsight Pass, Big Sandy). The NRCS Snow Precipitation Report shows that all our area basins in the Upper Green River are above average in total precipitation (116%) for this time of year. That's great news after several winters of below normal snow conditions. Snowmobilers are reminded that Wyoming requires that all snowmobiles must display a Wyoming Registration or Non-Resident User Fee decal which is available at local sporting good stores.
   Snowmobile trails in the Wyoming Range are now being groomed and have from 6-36" base and 6-12" new snow. There are over 330 miles of trails available for snowmachining in the Wyoming Range and Greys River drainage. Portions of the Continental Divide Snowmobile Trail from Irish Canyon to Pinedale are still ungroomed and have from 3-12" base. From Pinedale to the Upper Green there is some grooming with about 4" base and 3-6" new snow. Services are limited beyond Pinedale along the CDT and
  The Pinedale Snow Explorers Snowmobile Club will be holding their Pinedale Poker Run on Sunday, January 20. The Half Moon Lake Speed Run will be on February 2nd and the Pinedale Drag and Oval Races will be held on February 9-10. The Club will hold their Daniel Poker Run on February 17th.
   Snowmobilers are cautioned that they may encounter training sled dog teams and cross-country skiers on the trails, as well as wildlife.

Hunter Information
Nonresident Elk Applications must be in by January 31, 2002
Wyoming offers some of the best hunting experiences anywhere. Hunting applications need to be in to the Wyoming Game & Fish Department between January and mid-March, depending on the species for which you want to hunt. Elk applications must be in by January 31st; moose, bighorn sheep and mountain goat by February 28th; and deer by March 15th. The 2002 Wyoming Nonresident Hunting Informatin and Applications Booklet is available from the Wyoming Game & Fish Department web site as a downloadable PDF file or by mail by writing Wyoming Game & Fish Department, 5400 Bishop Blvd, Cheyenne, WY 82006-001, or by calling 307-777-4647. Any person licensed to hunt or fish in Wyoming must purchase a Conservation Stamp for $10, which is valid for the calendar year. Stamps are available at local Wyoming Game & Fish Department offices or license selling agents. The stamp must be signed and in possession while hunting or fishing. All hunting license prices include a nonrefundable $10 application fee when appropriate. Licenses that are not issued through a drawing process do not have a required application fee.
    Season opening dates, closing dates and limitations for big game hunting seasons are established each year in late April or early May by the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission. Although several species are included on one application form (Elk/Deer/Antelope), (Moose/Sheep/Goat), the drawing for each species is conducted independently and the result of one drawing has no effect upon other drawings. Success for one species drawing does not guarantee success for another species drawing (ie. success for an antelope license does not guarantee success for a deer license). The minimum age to take any big game or trophy game animal is 12 years of age. Applicants under 14 must have a guardian co-sign any big game or trophy game application.
   Nonresigent big game or trophy game hunters are required to have a professional guide or resident guide if hunting in designated wilderness areas. A list of licensed Outfitters is available from the Wyoming State Board of Outfitters and Professional Guides, 1750 Westland Road, Cheyenne, WY 82202, 1-800-264-0981. Hunters can find information about licensed outfitters and guides for our area on our Outfitter & Guide page on Pinedale Online. New Outfitters to Pinedale Online are Triple Peak Outfitting, who operate in the Wyoming Range with the History Ranch Lodge and guide hunters for elk, deer, antelope and moose; and Black Diamond Outfitting, who have their hunting camp on Tosi Creek in the upper Green River area and hunt in the Gros Ventre wilderness area specializing in elk, mule deer, moose and bighorn sheep. (James Rogers, who writes our Off the Paved Road site, guides for Black Diamond Outfitting).

Boulder Community Center Annual Christmas Party & Supper
Saturday, December 22, 6 pm
The Boulder Community Center will be holding their annual Christmas Party and Supper on Saturday, December 22nd at 6 pm at the Community Center. Everyone is invited to come out for an evening of friends, food and lots of fun! Santa will be there to hear all the kid's Christmas wishes. (Parents, please bring a small, inexpensive gift labelled with each child's name on it for Santa to give out.) Those coming are asked to bring a side dish or dessert to help out.
   The Boulder Community Center will be holding their annual meeting & dessert on Tuesday, January 15, 2002 at 7 pm at the Center. They will be holding their officer elections, have the Treasurer's Report and have their year-end review. Refreshments will be served. Annual dues for the BCC are $15 and can be mailed to B.C.C., Box 55, Boulder, WY 82923. To volunteer, or for more information, please call Kathy at 307-537-5855.

The Drift
Holiday musings by Pinedale Online
Some people call western Wyoming "The Land that Time Forgot", some people call it "boring as hell", and some people just call it Heaven. If you're from the Big City, it may be hard to get used to a state that measures distance by time. Ask a local, "How far is it from Pinedale to Rock Springs?" and you'll hear the answer "An hour and a half." Yes, it is 100 miles or so, but we don't measure that way. Salt Lake City is 4 hours away and Jackson is an hour north (if there isn't an avalanche in the canyon.) Live in Wyoming for very long and you'll find your whole way of thinking about life, time, and values, changes somehow. We live in a slower paced world where there are still cattle drives down main street and people don't worry too much about locking their doors. There is a trust and comfort level where people feel safe in our little town.
   There are some real tell-tale signs that classically demonstrate who we are. Drive through the area in the summer and you'll see pick-up trucks with a 4-wheeler in the back. Three out of five drivers wear a cowboy hat. A dog is either sitting next to the driver (co-piloting) or riding in back of the truck. In the winter, the 4-wheeler is replaced by a snowmachine. If a family owns two vehicles, one is almost sure to be a 4-wheel drive vehicle. Where will you find the kids in the winter? Probably involved in some sport like skiing, ice hockey, basketball or swimming. Hockey parents think nothing of braving -5 temperatures to watch the kids play tournaments on the weekends on our outside rink. Local sporting good stores keep hand and feet warming packets in stock. The cold winter temperatures do wonders for keeping the riff-raff out of the area. Those who stay really want to be here knowing the -40 degree temperatures we sometimes get come January. Anyone considering moving here should be aware that the rental market is almost non-existent and housing is scarce. Newcomers are advised to have job in hand and housing arranged before moving here.
   How many people have had their elementary school send a notice out to parents cautioning them to warn their kids not to harass the moose on their way to school? How many town cemeteries are completely fenced in with a tall wildlife fence to keep the deer and moose out? The school calendar gives a day off in the fall for "Hunting Day" so kids can go hunting with their families. Despite being in snow country, rarely do the kids get to miss school from roads being closed from too much snow. Our snow plow road crews are the best anywhere and work day and night to keep main roads and school bus routes open.
   We may be rural, but the people are very educated and keep up on the world-although preferring to keep it somewhat at a distance. Education? Pinedale schools (elementary-high school) have from 100-300 students in the whole school. Each grade level in the middle school and high school has between 40-60 kids with a teacher student ratio of about 16:1, which translates to small class sizes and individual attention for each student. The Middle School, with a total student school population of about 140 kids in the 6th-8th grades, just finished their local Science Fair competition. They had over 100 student projects entered in Science Fair! Caring people? Anyone living here knows that if they step out of their house and look around their neighborhood, many of their neighbors are likely to be members of the local volunteer fire department, ambulance crew, or search & rescue. These folks drop what they are doing in an instant to respond to the calls on the radios to help people in an emergency. Crime? In 2000, Sublette County had 0 murders, 0 rapes, 0 robberies, and 15 total drug abuse violation arrests. The whole year! What crime did we have? 63 DUI and 33 Assaults were the high statistic numbers for the county for 2000. There were 164 TOTAL OFFENSES reported in 2000 in Sublette County, a -3.5% change from 1999. When you hear the "beep-bleep" of a car alarm being activated in Faler's parking lot, you know for certain it is someone from out of the area. Don't mind if we chuckle and shake our heads at you when you do it.
   With the holiday season here and another year almost over, we have to say how glad we are to live in Pinedale and Sublette County, where the people are friendly and honest, the air is clean, the scenery is breathtaking, and the outdoor recreation is unbeatable. Thanks for visiting, and Happy Holidays from all of us here at Pinedale Online! - Dawn Svalberg, Editor

Half Moon Lake

Fremont Lake

Area lakes still have a ways to go before they are frozen over and ice fishermen can go out on them to fish. Neither Fremont or Half Moon is frozen over yet and probably won't be until well into January.

The official Pinedale Christmas tree by the Sublette County Courthouse was lit by Mayor Rose Skinner on Saturday to officially kick off the holiday season.

Friday, December 14, 2001
Nordic Ski Meet, Pinedale Classic Sled Dog Race, and Christmas Weekend

Pinedale Classic Sled Dog Race
Saturday & Sunday, Dec 15 & 16
Upper Green River

The Pinedale Classic Sled Dog Race is being held Saturday and Sunday from the upper Green River parking lot. The race is a precursor to the IPSSSDR to be held next month in Wyoming. (more

Nordic Ski Invitational
Pinedale Christmas Weekend
Pinedale Classic Sled Dog Race
Science Fair
White Pine Ski Area is OPEN
Boulder Community Center Annual Christmas Party & Supper
Black Tie & Blues Cancelled
Wyoming Cowgirl is back
Pinedale Christmas on the Web

Snowmobiling, Skiing and Ice Skating Update: 12/14
SNOWMOBILER'S NOTICE: The Pinedale Classic Sled Dog Race will be taking place Saturday & Sunday, December 15 & 16 in the upper Green River. The parking lot at the BT-NF boundary will be extra full with vehicles for the sled dog racers as well as sled dog teams. Parking for snowmachine trailers will be hard to find both days that weekend there.
   The weather forecast for the weekend predicts another storm over the weekend with 2-4" expected. The snow has settled a bit since our storms last week and snowmobilers should be careful of stumps and rocks on the trails. The NRCS snowpillow reports up in the mountains have 2-4 feet now, a bit less than last week. That should come up with the storm that is coming in this weekend. 15-25 mph winds may cause drifted snow in places, and roads may be slick or icy in spots. Ice Fisherman: Fremont and Half Moon aren't quite frozen over yet. Four inches of clear ice is usually safe for ice fishing, but even with a foot of ice the Game & Fish Department recommends ice fishing on the "buddy system" for safety. Anglers are urged to call local sources to confirm conditions and to drill test holes when venturing onto lakes or reservoirs. Winter travelers are urged to keep an emergency survival kit in their car and check the Wyoming Road Condition reports either online or by calling 1-888-996-7623 (in Wyoming only) or (307) 772-0824.
 
   Backcountry users should check the avalanche forecast hazard reports if they plan to recreate in avalanche prone areas. White Pine Ski Area is shooting for opening the middle of next week on Wednesday, December 12th. Watch the updates for the latest info here and on the White Pine web site. They will not be open this weekend.
   The ice skating rink now has lines and they are putting on the final coats and grooming with the Zamboni. Squirts have a hockey tournament this weekend in Rock Springs, and Midgets have a tournament in Riverton. Public ice skating hours are posted at the rink and on the Pinedale Hockey Association web site, www.sublette.com/hockey.

Pinedale Nordic Ski Invitational
Friday & Saturday, December 14-15 at White Pine Ski Area
The Pinedale Nordic Ski Invitational Meet takes place Friday and Saturday at White Pine Ski Area. This is the first meet of the year for the 12-member Pinedale High School Nordic ski team, and the only home meet of the season. The Pinedale team is coached by Holly Thayne, who has coached the Nordic ski team for almost eight years, and is composed of 1 freshman, 5 sophomores, 3 juniors and 2 seniors. Team members are: Amanda Northrup, Tillie Bennett, Kari Boroff, Sara Domek, Aubree Haffey, Mae Peterson, Tessa Schwab, Ben Storrud, Krystal Winters, Sage Sulenta and Cody McMurry. The races are at 1 pm on Friday, December 14 and 10 am on Saturday, December 15. Other upcoming meets will be on December 21-22 (Lander Invitational), January 11-12 (Lander Nordic Invitational), January 25-26 (Jackson Nordic Invitational), February 8-9 (Cody Nordic Invitational), February 14-15 (Nordic Olympic Opp), and February 22-23 (State Nordic at Casper).

Pinedale Christmas Weekend
Santa, Tree Lighting, Christmas Parade
This weekend is filled with fun events for the holidays for young and old. The Pinedale Area Chamber of Commerce has been working hard to put together their annual holiday events. Kids can visit Santa at the Sublette County Library December 14 & 15 from 10 am-6 pm on Friday and 10 am-5 pm on Saturday.
  The Tour of Homes will be from 2-5 pm on Saturday with maps available from the Pinedale Chamber. The annual Tree Lighting Ceremony will take place at 5 pm at the Courthouse on Saturday, just before the parade which begins at 5:30. The Christmas Parade is always fun and this year's theme is "Red, White and Blue Christmas", in memory of the September 11 attacks. After the parade, the 1st Annual Kid's Christmas Party will be held from 6:30 pm-8:30 pm at the Sublette County Library. Call the Pinedale Area Chamber of Commerce for event details, 307-367-2242.
   In addition to Chamber events, many local businesses will be open late with Open Houses and specials for holiday shoppers. The Barn Door, located next to Office Outlet at 31 S Sublette, will be having 'Christmas Cheer' and hors d'oeuvres. Rock Rabbit Gallery, located next to Moose Creek Trading Company downtown, will also have an Open House from 6 pm-? Pinedale's newest business, Coffee Etc, located on the corner of Pine & Franklin across from the Cowboy Shop, will be open until 6:30 pm with hot coffee, lattes, cappuccino, espressos, hot chocolate, hot teas, wassail and desserts.

Middle School Science Fair
46 projects advance to Regionals to be held February 14th, 2002 in Rock Springs
The Pinedale Junior Science Fair was held Tuesday, December 11 at the Pinedale Middle School with over 100 projects entered in 15 categories. The Best of Fair winning project was by Logan Maclean entitled "Scream9... I Know What You did Last Summer", which showed how friction causes loss in the speed of moving objects. In all, there were 46 projects which won 1st, 2nd or 3rd place and will advance to Regional Science Fair which will be held February 14th at Western Wyoming Community College in Rock Springs. Each year the Middle School Science Fair project is the result of many months of research and preparation by the students and middle school teachers. In addition, each year many members of the community help students with their research, presentation board preparation and as judges. Click here for more on this year's Science Fair Results.

White Pine Ski Area is OPEN!
Upcoming Events:
December 14-15, Pinedale Nordic Invitational at White Pine, 1 pm Friday, 10 am Saturday
February 22-23, Pinedale High School Alpine Ski Invitational at White Pine Ski Area
White Pine Resort and Ski Area is open 7 days a week now for the season! Hours are 9 am-4 pm daily for skiing and snowboarding. Rates are $22 for an all day pass and $16 for half day pass. New Season Pass rates announced are: $199 Season Pass & Value Card, $285 Employer Pass, $365 Gold Medallion Pass, and $100 Student Christmas Break Package. The downtown ski shop at Two Rivers Emporium is now open 7 days a week from 8 am until 6 pm. The Ski Shop at the White Pine lodge is open 9 am - 5 pm. White Pine is hosting the Pinedale High School Nordic Ski Invitational Friday & Saturday, December 14-15, and the Pinedale Alpine Invitational will be held February 22-23 at the ski area. Please visit the White Pine web site for the latest information, www.whitepineski.com, or call their Sno-Phone 24-hour recorded message line at 307-367-6606.

Boulder Community Center Annual Christmas Party & Supper
Saturday, December 22, 6 pm
The Boulder Community Center will be holding their annual Christmas Party and Supper on Saturday, December 22nd at 6 pm at the Community Center. Everyone is invited to come out for an evening of friends, food and lots of fun! Santa will be there to hear all the kid's Christmas wishes. (Parents, please bring a small, inexpensive gift labelled with each child's name on it for Santa to give out.) Those coming are asked to bring a side dish or dessert to help out.
   The Boulder Community Center will be holding their annual meeting & dessert on Tuesday, January 15, 2002 at 7 pm at the Center. They will be holding their officer elections, have the Treasurer's Report and have their year-end review. Refreshments will be served. Annual dues for the BCC are $15 and can be mailed to B.C.C., Box 55, Boulder, WY 82923. To volunteer, or for more information, please call Kathy at 307-537-5855.

Black Tie & Blues Cancelled
   The Pinedale Fine Arts Council Black Tie & Blues Committee Members have announced that the December 31 New Year's Eve event has been cancelled. The annual fundraising event was to be held at the new Pinedale Entertainment Center, which is still under construction. The Pinedale Entertainment Center owners have been working hard to have the construction completed by December 31st, however use of the building and State Fire Marshall certification could not be guaranteed in time for the New Year's Eve event. The Black Tie & Blues Committee has had enormous community support in planning the event and regrets having to cancel the New Year's Eve celebration, but they are already making plans for a replacement spring fundraising event which will be announced at a later date. Stay tuned for more details. The next PFAC event is a performance by the Montana Logging & Ballet Company on Friday, January 25, 2002, a season ticket event that will take place at 7:30 p.m. at the Pinedale Auditorium. For more information on PFAC programs, please visit their web site at: www.pinedaleonline.com/pfac.

Wyoming Cowgirl is back!
Cowgirl Cris has been absent for a couple of months now taking care of the home front. We want to thank all of you who have written asking about her! Cris has been writing her Wyoming Cowgirl "On the Ranch" diary entries for three years now about daily life on a Wyoming ranch, with all its ups and downs, joys and sorrows. She's back with her latest diary entry and new pictures. "I'm sitting here, now, searching over the scratchy, little notes I've kept near-at-hand...some scrawled in my little, hip pocket cow book, some on scraps of feed sacks, some on old envelop backs...just so I won't forget all the things I wanted to tell you...Some of the notes make sense...some do not...some are happy...some are sad..." For more, please click here to go to her web site: www.wyomingcowgirl.com.
   (If you enjoy Cowgirl Cris's stories, you may also like "Off the Paved Road" by James Rogers, www.offthepavedroad.com.)

Pinedale Christmas on the Web-Suggestions for unique gifts from Sublette County
Looking for something unique from Pinedale for your special someone for a last minute Christmas gift? Many local businesses now have web sites and offer things that are uniquely western or hard to find anywhere else. The Cowboy Shop has an online shopping cart with cowboy hats & boots, western clothing, jewelry, and gift items at www.cowboyshop.com. The Huckleberry Patch offers fabric, quilting supplies & kits, and notions on their web site, with very unique western and wildlife fabric designs at www.huckleberryfabrics.com. Love Wyoming beef? Visit the Barney Ranch web site where you can order premium Wyoming beef (sold to the high end restaurant market) and have it shipped direct to your door, www.barneyranch.com.
   Know someone who loves books about Mountain Men or the west? Moosely Books in Pinedale specializes in books about the Rocky Mountain West, the mountain men, Wyoming history, and has many listed on their web site, www.pinedaleonline.com/mooselybooks. Have a horse lover in your family? The Fold-a-Feeder is a feed bag for horses was developed by two Wyoming cowboys, Espenscheid Bros, in Big Piney. The Fold-a-Feeder is a hay bag that is easy to fill with an adequate portion of hay for a horse and allows the horse to eat more naturally-www.foldafeeder.com. Rocky Mountain Home Center has beautiful furnishings and accessories for your home or log cabin mountain hideaway, www.rmhomecenter.com.
   What do you get for someone who has just about everything? How about a fishing trip on the Green or New Fork River? Two Rivers Emporium, www.2rivers.net, in Pinedale has full day float trips on area streams and is offering an exclusive Wind River Fly fishing Pack Trip with Black Diamond Outfitting, www.blackdiamondoutfitting.com, next summer. You can take your special someone and get away from it all and rent a cabin for exclusive private snowmobiling on 2,000 acres of private land at Cow Cabins, www.cowcabins.com, remotely located on the Hoback Rim, 45 miles from Jackson Hole. Cow Cabins has access to the Gros Ventre mountains and the Wyoming Range and has a main cabin lodge and smaller log cabin available for rent winter or summer.
   Always dreamed of going on a cattle drive or a horseback adventure? You can through the David Ranch, www.davidranch.com, Lozier's Box R Ranch, www.boxr.com, and High Wild & Lonesome, www.hwl.net. Another very unique vacation trip is to go on a 5-day, 40 mile, wagon train adventure along the historic Lander Cut-Off of the Oregon Trail with Wagons A+ Wyoming, www.wagonsacrosswyoming.com. Hunters wanting a unique experience might be interested in a mountain lion hunt which is available through the winter to the end of March. Mule Shoe Outfitters, www.muleshoeoutfitters.com, offers mountain lion hunts as well as hunt trips for other big game species. Another great gift idea is the Sublette County afghan, depicting famous landmarks in the county, created by Sublette County locals.
    Do you want to keep up with the news in Pinedale and Sublette County? The Pinedale Roundup newspaper is offering 2 for 1 subscriptions through January 1, 2002. If you buy one subscription to the Roundup, you'll get a second one for free. Call or e-mail the Roundup at 307-367-2123, editor@pinedaleroundup.com. Know someone in the military who is from Sublette County? During the month of December, the Sublette Examiner newspaper is offering a free 3-month subscription to people with ties to Sublette County who are serving our country in the armed forces. Contact the Examiner at 307-367-3203 or e-mail them at: examiner@wyoming.com for more information.
    Many more Pinedale and Sublette County business are online and have websites and e-mail. If you can't think of that perfect gift for your special loved one, you might consider a gift certificate for a horseback pack trip into the wilderness, a float fishing trip on the Green River, a romantic weekend in a secluded log cabin overlooking a beautiful mountain lake, a snowmobile steak ride into the forest, or a ski pass up at White Pine Ski area! Click here for more businesses online: http://www.pinedaleonline.com/businesses.ht

Friday, December 7, 2001
Museum Wreath Auction

Sweet, Sweet Harmony!

Sweet Harmony performed "A World of Christmas" Thursday night to a packed house at the Pinedale Auditorium. (more)

Wreath Auction
Sweet Harmony
White Pine Ski Area-mid next week
Boulder Community Center Annual Christmas Party & Supper

Snowmobiling, Skiing and Ice Skating Update: 12/7
Our unofficial backyard measurement of the snow from yesterday and today shows 13" of accumulation here in Pinedale. The NRCS snowpillow reports up in the mountains have 3-5 feet now. This is all fresh powder that you snowmobiliers are going to love! Snowmobilers, be aware that the weekend of December 15 & 16 we will be having the Pinedale Classic Sled Dog Race in the upper Green River. The parking lot at the BT-NF boundary will be extra full with vehicles for the sled dog racers as well as sled dog teams. Parking for snowmachine trailers will be hard to find both days that weekend there.
   Backcountry users should check the avalanche forecast hazard reports if they plan to recreate in avalanche prone areas. White Pine Ski Area is shooting for opening the middle of next week on Wednesday, December 12th. Watch the updates for the latest info here and on the White Pine web site. They will not be open this weekend.
   The ice skating rink is being flooded now and will soon have enough layers for laying down the lines and then putting on the final coats. Recent snowfall on the rink has been keeping the ice from freezing well so hockey practices are being moved back to begin next week starting December 10th. Public ice skating hours will begin once the rink opens. Hours are posted at the rink and on the Pinedale Hockey Association web site, www.sublette.com/hockey.

Museum Wreath Auction
   The 8th annual Museum of the Mountain Man Open House and Wreath Auction was held in the Lovatt Room of the Pinedale Library on December 7th. Wreaths from individuals, businesses and organizations were offered for sale during the festive event. Making a wreath for the Museum Wreath Auction is a fun tradition for many members of the community. Jay Fear was on hand as auctioneer, helped by Chopper Grassell and Julie "Vanna" Early. The traditional silent auction was also held. Some of the wreaths sold for over $300. Money from the fundraising event helps the Museum of the Mountain Man in Pinedale.

Sweet, Sweet Harmony
Sweet Harmony gave the first of their two Christmas concerts Thursday night at the Pinedale High School Auditorium to a packed house. Living up to their name, the 10-member group entertained the audience with their program, "A World of Christmas", celebrating Christmas with songs from a variety of countries. Despite an unplanned fire alarm after their lively song, "Rockin' on a Christmas Eve", the show went off without a hitch and the delighted audience didn't hesitate with their standing ovation at the end. If you missed Thursday's performance, you can catch Sweet Harmony's final one on Saturday, December 8th, at 7:30 pm in the Pinedale Auditorium. Admission is by bringing a canned good donation for the Food Basket.

White Pine Ski Area hopes to open mid next week
Slopes won't be open this weekend, but lodge ski shop will be open 9-5
"Wednesday", is the official word about White Pine opening as of 1 pm today, Friday. White Pine officials are targeting December 12th as the hoped for opening date for the resort. Of course that depends on the weather, but we got 6-8" new snow overnight here in town, and the mountains got more from this latest series of storms, so things are looking good. The downtown ski shop at Two Rivers Emporium will be open this weekend from 9 am until 6 pm. Their blowout sale on last year's skis will begin on Saturday. They also will be selling ski tickets and season passes downtown. Once the ski area opens, the downtown shop will be open 7 days a week from 8 am until 6 pm. The Ski Shop at the White Pine lodge will be open this Friday and Saturday from 9 am - 5 pm for equipment sales as well as season tickets. Please visit the White Pine web site for the latest information, www.whitepineski.com, or call their Sno-Phone 24-hour recorded message line at 307-367-6606.

Boulder Community Center Annual Christmas Party & Supper
Saturday, December 22, 6 pm
The Boulder Community Center will be holding their annual Christmas Party and Supper on Saturday, December 22nd at 6 pm at the Community Center. Everyone is invited to come out for an evening of friends, food and lots of fun! Santa will be there to hear all the kid's Christmas wishes. (Parents, please bring a small, inexpensive gift labelled with each child's name on it for Santa to give out.) Those coming are asked to bring a side dish or dessert to help out.
   The Boulder Community Center will be holding their annual meeting & dessert on Tuesday, January 15, 2002 at 7 pm at the Center. They will be holding their officer elections, have the Treasurer's Report and have their year-end review. Refreshments will be served. Annual dues for the BCC are $15 and can be mailed to B.C.C., Box 55, Boulder, WY 82923. To volunteer, or for more information, please call Kathy at 307-537-5855.

Tuesday, December 4, 2001
White Pine hopes to open mid next week if we get a bit more snow
Won't be open this weekend

A Rare Sight

This mountain lion, or cougar, was seen in the Big Sandy area of the Wind River Mountains last week. Lions are elusive and many people who spend a lot of time in the backcountry still have never seen one. Photo by Mule Shoe Outfitters LLC of Pinedale.

White Pine Ski Area-mid next week
Sweet Harmony & Wreath Auction
Enron files for bankruptcy
Pinedale BLM has new website
2002 IPSSSDR
No new leads in wild horse shootings

Snowmobiling, Skiing and Ice Skating Update: 12/4
We have a couple of inches on the ground here in town, mountains have around 3 feet or so. There's fresh powder for snowmobiling up Horse and Beaver Creeks, and the Continental Divide Trail has 6-16" but is not yet being groomed. The winter snowmobiling and skiing season typically runs from mid-December until March, depending on the weather. Backcountry users should check the avalanche forecast hazard reports if they plan to recreate in avalanche prone areas. White Pine Ski Area hopes to open the middle of next week. Watch the updates for the latest info here and on the White Pine web site.
   The ice skating rink is being flooded now and will soon have enough layers for laying down the lines and then putting on the final coats. Recent snowfall on the rink has been keeping the ice from freezing well so hockey practices are being moved back to begin next week starting December 10th. Public ice skating hours will begin once the rink opens. Hours are posted at the rink and on the Pinedale Hockey Association web site, www.sublette.com/hockey.

White Pine Ski Area hopes to open mid next week
They just need a little bit more snow, so "keep doing the snow dance", says the staff up at White Pine ski area. Everyone is anxious for the resort to open and they had hoped to be able to start their season this Wednesday. We don't yet have quite enough snow, so word now is that they hope to open the middle of next week if they can get a couple more feet of snow on the slopes. The weather forecast is for 30-50% chance of snow showers through the week, so things look promising. Please visit the White Pine web site for the latest information, www.whitepineski.com, or call their Sno-Phone 24-hour recorded message line at 307-367-6606. The downtown ski shop at Two Rivers Emporium will be open this weekend from 9 am until 6 pm. Their blowout sale on last year's skis will begin on Saturday. They also will be selling ski tickets and season passes downtown. Once the ski area opens, the downtown shop will be open 7 days a week from 8 am until 6 pm. The Ski Shop at the White Pine lodge will be open this Friday and Saturday from 9 am - 5 pm for equipment sales as well as season tickets.

Sweet Harmony and Museum Wreath Auction
There are many events planned for the upcoming holiday season. December begins with Pinedale's own Sweet Harmony giving two concerts, one on Thursday, December 6th and the other on Saturday, December 8th, at 7:30 pm in the Pinedale Auditorium. Admission is by bringing a canned good donation for the Food Basket.
   The annual Museum of the Mountain Man Open House and Wreath Auction takes place in the Lovatt Room of the Pinedale Library on December 7th at 6 pm. Wreaths from individuals, businesses and organizations will be offered for sale during the festive event. Jay Fear will be on hand as auctioneer and there will also be the traditional silent auction. The auction and holiday reception are free to members of the Sublette County Historical Society (please bring your membership cards). There is a $5 admission fee for non-members. Hor-d'oeuvres and a cash bar will be available.

Enron files for bankruptcy
Enron Corporation filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Sunday in an effort to protect itself and 14 subsidiaries. The company is involved with trading, gas exploration and telecommunications and is based out of Houston, Texas.
   Enron Corporation's interests in Sublette County, Wyoming, were split apart a couple of years ago. EOG Resources (Enron Oil & Gas Resources), which still operates in Sublette County, become a separate entity at that time. Locally, a number of former Enron employees now working for EOG Resources have felt the impact of the bankruptcy because of the sudden plummeting value of stock in the company. Some employees had used the stock as their 401K retirement plans and now find themselves having lost it all when stock values dropped from $90.75 in August 2000 to 26 cents on Friday. Enron was once ranked seventh among the Fortune 500 and was the top U.S. energy trader with $100 billion in revenues and $1 billion in profits last year, according to a CNN news report.
   The bankruptcy filing was not unexpected by analysts and stockholders when revelations about dubious bookkeeping practices were brought to light earlier this year. Congressional leaders are calling for hearings into the Enron fallout and the Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating. The Securities and Exchange Commission has issued subpoenas related to auditing of Enron's accounts after revelations that its chief financial officer had kept half a billion dollars in debt off its books and had overstated more than $580 million in reported income. Enron has posted information about the Chapter 11 filing on their website: www.enron.com/corp/. Local newspapers have been following the Enron situation and the impacts it is having on the local community. So far the local impact seems to be to individual investors and the economic losses they have suffered from the drop in Enron stock values.

Pinedale BLM has a new website
The Pinedale BLM office website just came online earlier this week at: www.wy.blm.gov/pfo/pfoindex.htm The local office manages 956,000 acres of federal surface/federal minerals and 300,000 of private surface/federal minerals with Oil and gas activity being a large part of the workload. They also have a large grazing program. The BLM administers over 18 million acres of public land in Wyoming. BLM focuses on providing undeveloped recreation opportunities such as fishing, four-wheeling, sightseeing, river floating, hiking and hunting. Unless otherwise posted, all public lands are available for recreation use. The website has information on the 1,300-mile long Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (CDNST) which runs from Canada to Mexico through the states of Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico and passes through the Bridger-Teton National Forest. The website also has information about local field offices, press releases, job information and links to other web resources.

2002 IPSSSDR (IPSSSDR news release)
Iditarod Champion to Race in 2002 International Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race
Four-time Iditarod Champion Doug Swingley from Lincoln, Montana, will be among the world-class mushers racing in the 2002 International Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race (IPSSSDR), announced Race Director Frank Teasley. The largest sled dog race in the lower 48 states, the IPSSSDR is slated for January 26 through February 6, starting in Jackson Hole then traversing nearly 450 miles of Wyoming backcountry before ending in Teton Village. Thirty top international teams will run in the 2002 IPSSSDR including three-time Alpirod Champion Jacques Philip, Nenana, Alaska; 2000 IPSSSDR third place and 2001 IPSSSDR second place winner, Melanie Shirilla from Lincoln, Montana; International Sled Dog Racing Association Gold Medal Winner Joseph Loveless, Roy,Washington; and Grant Beck, Yellowknife NWT, ranked fourth in the International Federation of Sleddog Sports Mid-Distance World Cup Program.
   A new twist to this year's event is the addition of a rest day in Kemmerer, followed by a 98-mile stage from Kemmerer to the Box Y Campout. In previous years, this leg of the race was divided into two stages. "As in the past, we will see top level competition in the 2002 International Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race," says Teasley. "The long stage from Kemmerer to the Box Y will add an additional challenging aspect to the race."
   Now in its seventh year, the IPSSSDR traverses through 12 Wyoming communities, stopping in a different town each night. The 2002 race begins in Jackson Hole, before traveling through Moran, Dubois, Pinedale, Lander, Atlantic City, Mountain View, Lyman, Evanston, Kemmerer/Diamondville, Alpine and returning to Jackson Hole.
   Pedigree Food for Dogs is the title sponsor of the IPSSSDR. The Pedigree brand actively supports a wide range of programs that promote responsible pet ownership and highlight the contributions dogs make to society. Such programs include Homeward Bound, a national pet adoption support program to encourage adoption of the nation's 12 million homeless animals; the National Association for Search and Rescue; police canine units; and non-profit organizations that train and place service dogs for hearing and visually impaired people. During the 2002 IPSSSDR, Pedigree will host a daily web cast on its web site, mypetstop.com, that will feature video footage of the race. Through HOMEWARD BOUND, Pedigree will make a donation to animal shelters for each visitor to the site during the race.
   The International Rocky Mountain Stage Stop Dog Sled Race was founded in 1996 by Frank Teasley to make sled dog racing more accessible to the public. The Pinedale leg of the race will be January 28-30. For more information, visit the race website at www.wyomingstagestop.org, contact the race via e-mail at wystagestop@blissnet.com, or call (307) 734-1163.

No new leads in wild horse killings
According to a news report which appeared on www.trib.com on December 4th, investigators say they have no new leads in the shootings of 37 wild horses late last year and early this year outside Rawlins and in the Red Desert north of Rock Springs. Wild horses are a federally protected species and about 6,200 of the west's 42,000 wild horses are in Wyoming, mostly in the southwestern part of the state. The penalty for shooting one is up to a year in prison and $100,000 in fines. A $30,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to a conviction in the shootings. The reward is funded by the BLM, conservation groups and a ranching association. Anyone with information is asked to contact the BLM in Rock Springs at (307) 352-0214 or in Rawlins at (307) 328-4211. More information is available from the BLM Wild Horse and Burro Program: http://www.wildhorseandburro.blm.gov.

This bull moose rests in the snow on the outskirts of Pinedale Tuesday.

View of Pinedale from Orcutt Hill on Sunday.

Horses don't mind the brisk winter morning air this week.

Snow Depth Data:
Blind Bull Summit
Gunsight Pass
Big Sandy
Snow depth data is from the USDA NRCS, Natural Resources Conservation Service. Blind Bull Summit is in the northern Wyoming Range, Gunsight Pass is on Pinion Ridge near Green River Lakes, and Big Sandy is in the southern Wind River Mountains. Data is from snowpack readings on sensor pillows and gives depth in inches. Data is updated daily at 5:30 pm PT.

Road Report:
Roads can be snowpacked and icy during the winter season. The Hoback Canyon on Hwy 191 between Pinedale and Jackson may be closed at times due to avalanches. Watch for wildlife on the roads. Keep an emergency survival kit in your car and check the Wyoming Road Condition reports either online or by calling 1-888-996-7623 (in Wyoming only) or (307) 772-0824.
Road construction between Pinedale and Jackson Hole on US Hwy 191 in the Hoback Canyon is now completed for the season and there are no longer any construction delays.

Drivers should be alert for possible icy conditions on highway bridges during the winter season as well as avalanche hazards in the Hoback Canyon on Hwy 191 between Pinedale and Jackson. Under severe winter road conditions, the highway gate may be closed on Hwy 191 just past Stanley's Junction and Hwy 189 and travelers may be turned back.

Drivers should also be aware that the Continental Divide Snowmobile Trail parallels US Hwy 191 between Cora and Boulder. Snowmachiners and sled dog racers use the road right of way next to the highway during the winter.

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