Pinedale Wyoming Local News
HEADLINES:

Change in the weather – a little bit of snow maybe (posted 2/9/2026)

Ellie Tolson wins Kelly Walsh SL for Varsity Women (posted 2/9/2026)

Nordic Ski Trail Grooming report – February 8, 2026 (posted 2/8/2026)

Stolen excavator found (posted 2/6/2026)

Unusual 50F degree weather in early February in Pinedale (posted 2/6/2026)

Upper Green Trout Unlimited board to meet March 9 (posted 2/5/2026)

Free community fly-tying nights offered in Pinedale (posted 2/5/2026)

Daniel Community Center 2026 schedule of events (posted 2/5/2026)

Ask Flora–Winter 2026 (posted 1/27/2026)

Where did that story go? Look in the NEWS ARCHIVES
Upcoming Events: Full Year Pinedale Community Calendar
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February 8: Bingo - Every Sunday during February at Wind River Brewing in Pinedale from 2-4PM. Proceeds benefit Happy Endings Animal Rescue.
February 9: Town of Pinedale Public Hearing - 5PM in the main conference room of the Pinedale Town Hall. Purpose is to discuss an application to the Wyoming Office of State Lands requesting $742,800 in state funding to assist with the construction of a fire suppression water system at the Pinedale airport, Ralph Wenz Field. For more info, go to www.townofpinedale.us or contact Abram Pearce, 307-367-4136, abrampearce@townofpinedale.us.
February 10: Lattes and Learning - AI, Productivity, & Marketing with Camden Bennett (Pinedale Properties Real Estate). 9AM in the Lovatt Room of the Pinedale Library and 1PM at the Big Piney Library Community Room. Business owners, managers, entrepreneurs, and anyone interested how they work is encouraged to attend. Bring your coffee, curiosity and questions. Presentation of the Sublette County Chamber of Commerce, 307-231-6051.
February 13-15: Pinedale Winter Carnival - Always the second weekend in February. Hot Dog Eating Contest Feb, 13th. Other evens depend on weather, more details TBA. Sponsored by Main Street Pinedale, more info at www.mainstreetpinedale.com.
February 14: Sublette County Chamber of Commerce 2026 Fundraising Awards Gala - Join us for an unforgettable evening of glamour, fine dining, live entertainment, community awards, and more. Cocktail hour starts at 5:00 PM in the Lovatt Room of the Pinedale Library. Dinner & activities to follow. This Valentine’s Day, dress up, step out, and celebrate local at the Sublette County Chamber of Commerce’s first annual Fundraising Gala. Reserve your seat online now at: https://givebutter.com/UPApZY.
February 15: Wind River Youth Sno-Cross Snowmobile Race at Pinedale Winter Carnival - Tentative. 120cc stock, mod & open, 200 cc stock, mod & open classes. Directly following Winter Carnival Ski Joring. For more info, call or text Kendra at 702-830-1742.
February 17: Solar Eclipse - Unlike a total eclipse where the sky goes dark, an Annular Solar Eclipse leaves a thin, dazzling "ring of fire" visible around the edges of the moon. Unlike a total eclipse, there is no "totality" where you can remove your glasses—keep those filters on the whole time! It’s a rare sight you won’t want to miss! Safety Tip: Remember, you MUST use certified solar eclipse glasses to view this event safely.
February 19: Martin Luther King Jr Day - Federal holiday. Most government offices, banks and schools closed today.

Pinedale Local News

Change in the weather – a little bit of snow maybe (posted 2/9/2026)
A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect until 5:00PM Monday (February 9th) for the mountains of western Wyoming, which could get from 6-12 inches of snow. Travelers can expect winter driving conditions over mountain passes. The forecast is for snow in the mountains and possible mixed snow/rain in the valleys of western Wyoming through Thursday, February 12th. Daytime temperatures are expected to be in the mid- to high-30s and nighttime lows in the teens to 20Fs around Pinedale. Minimal snow accumulation is expected at valley level. Travelers should carry emergency supplies in their vehicles, monitor current road condition reports, and allow more time to reach their destination.

Finn McGuire, Slater Bell, Ellie Tolson, Roxy Melinkovich, Tristan Robertson, Dune Mecartney, Nora Davis

Ellie Tolson wins Kelly Walsh SL for Varsity Women (posted 2/9/2026)
Jeff Wohl
The Pinedale Wrangler Alpine Ski team had a good meet in Casper, Wyoming on February 5th & 6th, 2026. The high school alpine ski meet was hosted by Kelly Walsh at Hogadon Basin Ski Area.

The meet opened with a giant slalom run under the lights of Hogadon Mountain. Ellie Tolson skied to a solid 4th in the giant slalom, then went on the win the slalom race the next day.

In GS for the varsity men, Dune Mecartney skied to a 4th, and Case Ingle 6th, while Grant Carter, Tristan Robertson, and Garrett Saunders had mistakes that had them finishing lower than their usual bests.

For JV women, Nora Davis won both the GS and SL. The JV men continue to be one of the strongest teams in the state with good finishes in the GS and even better in the slalom.

For the varsity women in slalom, Roxy Melinkovich skied to a 4th, Addison Davis 7th, Charlie Irrgang 10th, Ivy Ward 21st.

Coaches Dan William and Jeff Wohl are very proud of the effort this team continues to put into their training and meets, and see improvements in technique and tactics at every training.

This coming week the team will go back to Casper, Wyoming, for the Natrona County meet, again a GS and SL race.

The following week, Feb 20-21st, Pinedale will host their home meet.

"We hope people from the community can come up to White Pine Friday and Saturday to support this great team, or volunteer for the race," Coach Wohl said. For more information or to volunteer send an email to Coach Wohl at jwohl@sub1.org.

Day 1 GS
Womens Varsity
Ellie Tolson 4th
Addison Davis 15th
Ivy Ward 17th
Roxy Melinkovich 8th
Charlie Irrgang 20th

Mens Varsity
Dune Mecartney 4th
Case Ingle 6th
Grant Carter 13th
Tristan Robertson 25th
Garrett Saunders 27th

Womens JV
Nora Davis 1st
Elisa Cuel 16th

Mens JV
Finn McGuire 4th
Braxton Hanson 9th
Tate Williams 10th
Slater Bell 19th
Arlo Swenson DSQ

Day 2 SL
Womens Varsity
Ellie Tolson 1st
Roxy Melinkovich 4th
Addison Davis 7th
Charlie Irrgang 10th
Ivy Ward 21st

Mens Varsity
Tristan Robertson 4th
Dune Mecartney 5th
Garrett Saunders 7th
Grant Carter 12th
Case Ingle 18th

Womens JV
Nora Davis 1st

Mens JV
Slater Bell 4th
Finn McGuire 5th
Braxton Hanson 6th
Tate Williams 7th
Cade Filkins 15th

Nordic Ski Trail Grooming report – February 8, 2026 (posted 2/8/2026)
Mike Looney, Groomer
Sunday, 8:53AM: Most of the multi-use trails have been groomed this morning. It was 23F degrees at the equipment building at 8:00AM.
This Nordic ski trail grooming report has been brought to you courtesy of the Sublette County Recreation Board.

Related Links:
www.sublettetrails.org Additional information on winter and summer trail recreation in Sublette County, including maps and requestedtrail etiquette
White Pine-Kelly Park Ski Trail Map - (10.3MB PDF)
CCC Ponds Ski Trail Map - (1.84MB PDF)
Road and Weather links
www.visitpinedale.org>Pinedale tourism website (links to lodging, dining, area information)
www.whitepinewyoming.com White Pine Resort, 307-367-6606, (Nearby alpine skiing, food services, restroom)
www.greatoutdoorshop.com The Great Outdoor Shop, 307-367-2440
www.sublettechamber.com Local businesses & services, 307-367-2242
www.golfpinedale.com Rendezvous Meadows Golf Course (Additional Nordic ski trails, food services, restroom)

Photo courtesy SCSO

Stolen excavator found (posted 2/6/2026)
Pinedale Online!
The Sublette County Sheriff’s Office reported on their Facebook page on Wednesday, February 4th, that the excavator stolen in November (2025) has been located. "Thank you to the public for sharing!!" The incident is still under investigation. More details will be released once they have further information that can be made public. "We just wanted to start with it’s recovered," responded Public Information Officer Detention Lieutenant Travis Bingham.

Related Links:
Public’s help sought in theft of mini excavator on US 189 SCSO, Nov. 20, 2025, Pinedale Online!

Unusual 50F degree weather in early February in Pinedale (posted 2/6/2026)
Pinedale Online!
January and February have been unusually warm around Pinedale this year, with very little snow accumulation at valley level. Temperatures are expected to get to 50F degrees on Friday, February 6th. Residents are enjoying not having to have shoveled their driveways for the past two months. The wildlife have had a very mild winter so far. Forecast through the weekend is for daytime temperatures in the mid-to high 40s and nighttime lows in the teens. Wyoming SNOTEL data for the Wind River Range shows snow water equivalent at 104% as of February 3, 2026. The Upper Green Basin is at 97%. Yellowstone is 111%. Eastern Wyoming watersheds are mostly below 90% of average for snowpack. There is a 20-30% chance of snow showers early next week with daytime temperatures in the 30Fs.

Upcoming weather forecast for Pinedale from the National Weather Service:

Friday, February 6, 2026: Sunny, with a high near 50. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Friday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 23. Light northwest wind.

Saturday, February 7, 2026: Sunny, with a high near 47. Light northwest wind increasing to 6 to 11 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 19. Northwest wind 5 to 7 mph.

Sunday, February 8, 2026: Mostly sunny, with a high near 45. North northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the afternoon.
Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 22. Calm wind.

Monday, February 9, 2026: A 30 percent chance of snow showers, mainly before 11am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 39. Breezy, with a light and variable wind becoming west northwest 13 to 18 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 29 mph.
Monday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 13.

Tuesday, February 10, 2026: A 20 percent chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 34.
Tuesday Night: A 20 percent chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 13.

Wednesday, February 11, 2026: A chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 35.
Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 11.

Thursday, February 12, 2026: Sunny, with a high near 36.

Upper Green Trout Unlimited board to meet March 9 (posted 2/5/2026)
The Upper Green Chapter of Trout Unlimited will hold its annual board meeting at 6pm on Monday, March 9 at the Pinedale Game & Fish Office (432 E Mill St). Board agenda will include officer elections, 2026 events and outing schedule, volunteer and project opportunities, and updates on WYTU. Please register in advance at
https://tu.myeventscenter.com/event/Upper-Green-Trout-Unlimited-Annual-Meeting-121295.

Free community fly-tying nights offered in Pinedale (posted 2/5/2026)
Two Rivers Fishing Co. is hosting another round of (free) community fly-tying nights on Thursdays in February and March.

Two Rivers Fishing Co. presents weekly fly-tying nights, Thursdays from 6–8 PM. These free sessions cater to all skill levels, with specific dates reserved for beginners. Attendees are invited to follow instructor-led patterns. While shop equipment is available via RSVP, personal tools are recommended. For info and RSVP, visit tworiversfishing.com/fly-tying-nights

Schedule:
Feb 5th- Beginner's Night: Hot Head Mohair Leech
Feb 12th- Beginner's Night: UV Midge Hosted by David Bowers
Feb 19th- PMD Emerger Hosted by Travis Gilbert, Trout Unlimited
Feb 26th- Rubberlegs Jig Bugger
March 5th- 20 Incher Hosted by Travis Gilbert, Trout Unlimited
March 12th- Chubby Chernobyl Hosted by Harley Edwards
March 19th- Beginner's Night: Simple Pheasant Tail
March 26th- Hitman Hosted by Conner Bailey

Two Rivers Fishing Co is located at 232 W Pine Street in Pinedale. For more information, call 307-367-4131.

Daniel Community Center 2026 schedule of events (posted 2/5/2026)
March 14, 2026: Aniel Daniel Chili Cookoff, entry 4pm, judging 5pm, eat 6pm
April 4: Easter Egg Hunt, 2pm
May 9: Mother’s Day Tea, 2pm
July 19: Old Timers Picnic, noon
TBA – send us ideas! Harvest Party
December 13: Christmas Party, Dinner 5pm, Santa 6pm

Rent the Schoolhouse: Base fee $25/hour. Please ask about multiple day rentals. Table or chair rentals also available. Call Rena at 307-360-8438, We appreciate donations and they are tax deductible. Please contact any Board Member if you would like to support an event in any way: Rena Looney, Jean Hayward, Tonya Koch, Andi James, Tracy Neidig, Danielle Thornton, Jackie Marincic.

Ask Flora–Winter 2026 (posted 1/27/2026)
Sage & Snow Garden Club
Dear Flora,
We’ve accumulated a lot of wood ash over the winter. Can we add it to our garden soil or compost? I’ve heard conflicting advice on this.
Signed–Woody

Dear Woody,
I would caution you on using wood ash in your garden or compost pile. You would really need to have your soil tested to see if the pH is below 6.0 (meaning soil is moderately acidic). If your soil is acidic, adding wood ash can increase soil fertility by increasing the availability of phosphorus, calcium, and potassium, along with some micronutrients. Most Wyoming soils are naturally alkaline, so adding ash can quickly raise pH too high, harming plants. Most vegetables prefer a pH around 6.0–7.0 (The Old Farmer’s Almanac has a list of ideal soil pH levels for growing different types of plants–get the latest copy from the Big Piney Library or https://www.almanac.com/plant-ph). Ideal pH allows plants to absorb nutrients from the soil to produce healthy plants with better production. Moderation is the key–you can add small amounts of wood ash to your compost pile or into garden soil in the winter or early spring into moist soil. At most, a five gallon pail of ash can be spread over 1,000 square feet per year, but always check the pH of your soil first. You don’t want to risk ruining the soil conditions in your garden. Soil testing information can be obtained from Colorado State University Soil, Water, and Plant Testing Laboratory. Go to their website for pricing and instructions on how to submit soil samples for testing–
https://agsci.colostate.edu/soiltestinglab/soil-water-plant-testing-laboratory/soil-sampling/

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Dear Flora,
I recently moved to Sublette County and am hoping to start a garden here in the spring. Do you have any special considerations for growing plants in Sublette County that you can share with me?
Sincerely—Hope For Spring

Dear Hope,
There are many considerations for growing in a short season like we have here in Sublette County. Here are just a few of the most important:
- Start small and focus on growing veggies that really do well in a cool climate–try spinach, lettuce, potatoes, carrots, broccoli, peas, radishes, beets, onions, garlic. We generally have 50-75 frost-free days in the summer for growing. Look for varieties that mature quickly and don’t mind a bit of frost.
- Warm up that soil by using raised beds, row covers, or other types of season extenders. Raising the soil allows the sun to warm the growing area more quickly, which means your roots will be warmer and allow the plant to grow more easily. Row covers can heat the soil and protect your plants from the wind.
- Don’t underestimate the wildlife that would like to enjoy your harvest! Deer, moose, rabbits, voles, gophers–can all wreck havoc on your garden. Fencing, raised beds with hardware cloth underneath & protective hoops over the top, lick tubs or planter gardens are all ways to deter unwanted guests.
- Learn about gardening from other gardeners here by joining the Sage and Snow Garden Club. Members are generous in sharing information, answering questions, and always striving to improve their knowledge about growing in our climate.

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Dear Flora,
I would love to learn more about gardening in Sublette County. Does the garden club have any upcoming activities?
Ever Grateful,
Sage Snow

Dear Sage,
You are in luck! "Gardening Goes Underground" is an upcoming class taught by Arlinda McLaughlin, Master Gardener, on Saturday, March 7th from 9AM–12Noon at Sublette BOCES. Learn all about growing root vegetables in Sublette County.

The Sage and Snow Garden Club welcomes gardeners, from novice to expert, to join our club to learn more about successful techniques and plants that grow in Sublette County. We just hosted our annual business meeting and are working on our updated 2026 schedule for gardening events.

For more information, to ask questions for our next Ask Flora column, or to join the club—go to our website at https://www.sageandsnowgardenclub.org/ or contact Arlinda McLaughlin, Master Gardener at 307-231-9402.

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US 189 north of Marbleton - View looking south

US 191 at Farson