Mountain Man Country

Green River Rondy Sled Dog Race

Date: End of December
Starts: 8:30am each day
Finishes: Teams will be finishing between 10:30am and 12:30pm.

The 2006 Green River Rondy Sled Dog Race, sponsored by BP, is offering a guaranteed purse of $8,600 which is attracting teams from across the country. The field will be limited to 21 teams per division, with 6 and 12 dog classes being offered. This year’s event will take place on Saturday, December 30, and Sunday, December 31 and will start at 8:30 a.m. each day from the Upper Green River parking lot, located 30 miles north of Pinedale on Hwy. 352. Teams will be returning to the finish line between 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. There will be a heated Hospitality Tent with refreshments adjacent to the start/finish lines. A free shuttle will be available from Pinedale.

Racers will wear bibs which feature the brands of 42 local area ranchers, in tribute to Sublette County’s western ranching heritage. Charity Calcutta Friday evening, December 29, 7pm; proceeds will benefit local McKenzie Meningitis Foundation.

More information for spectators and participants may be found at www.pinedaleonline.com/events/greenriverrondy.

2007 IPSSSDR/Pinedale Stage Stop Schedule of Events

The11th Annual International Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race will begin in Jackson on Friday, January 27 at 7pm. It will visit a number of Wyoming communities before finishing in Park City, Utah on February 4th. Following is the schedule for the race’s visit to Pinedale:

Sunday, January 29
Mushers begin arriving in the afternoon after racing in Lander that morning. The musher reception begins at 6:30pm at Rendezvous Pointe. A buffet style dinner of barbequed beef and homemade desserts will be offered for $5 for adults and $3 for children under 12. This dinner is a fund raiser for the Sublette County Chamber of Commerce. A Calcutta to auction off the teams will be held towards the end of the reception, plus a variety of door prizes will be given away throughout the evening.

Monday, January 30
The teams will be starting at the Green River Lakes parking lot at noon. This leg of the race consists of a loop up the snowmobile trail, and is approximately 45 miles. When the mushers complete this leg they will go to Elk Ridge Lodge and prepare for their only camp out of the race. Elk Ridge will be offering dinner for the mushers only, due to a lack of space. Snow machine shuttles will be available to anyone who wishes to go into Elk Ridge, as the road is not passable in a vehicle. Handlers will be staying with their host families in Pinedale.

photo: Mindi Crabb

Tuesday, January 31
Mushers will begin heading into Pinedale from Elk Ridge Lodge at 9am. This leg of the race is approximately 33 miles and offers some of the best spectator viewing of the entire race. In many areas the race runs along side the highway, following the Continental Divide Snowmobile Trail. As the mushers come into Pinedale, they will come directly down Pine Street, turn at the corner between Trona Valley Credit Union and Big J’s Auto Parts, and finish at the American Legion Park. Some of the fastest teams in the race could arrive at the finish line as early as 10:30 or 11:00 am. The winners of the Calcutta will be announced. The mushers will then leave to race in Alpine the following day.

SPECTATORS WELCOME!
This race is designed to allow great viewing opportunities for spectators. Please contact the Sublette County Visitor Center for more information on the best locations to watch this fun family event, and for tickets to the Musher Reception.