Community Information Pinedale, Wyoming
Information about the Pinedale and Sublette County area
General Area Information Location and Historical Information Business Information Transportation Information Community Profile Contacts for More Information
Compiled by Pinedale Online/Wind River Web Services www.pinedaleonline.com
2003 PinedaleOnline and Wind River Web Services
E-mail: [email protected] | Phone: 307-367-6763 | Web Site: www.pinedaleonline.com Pinedale, Wyoming Community Information Pinedale Online/Wind River Web Services
TABLE OF CONTENTS
GENERAL AREA INFORMATION 2003...... 3
Location...... 3
History ...... 3
Overview...... 3
Spring/Summer Activities:...... 3
Fall/Winter Activities:...... 4
Museums...... 4
The Green River Rendezvous and Rendezvous Pageant...... 4
Golf Course ...... 5
White Pine Ski Area ...... 5
Weather ...... 5
BUSINESS INFORMATION ...... 5
Major Industries...... 5
Major Sublette County Industries & Average Annual Wages (2000)...... 6
Taxes...... 6
Business Licenses ...... 6
Job Employment Services ...... 6
TRANSPORTATION...... 6
Public Transportation and Taxi...... 6
Local Bus/Rail Service...... 6
Commercial Airports ...... 6
Local Airport ...... 7
COMMUNITY INFORMATION...... 7
Pinedale Population...... 7
Elevation...... 7
1 Pinedale, Wyoming Community Information Pinedale Online/Wind River Web Services
News and Advertising Media...... 7
Banking...... 7
Cellular Phone Service ...... 7
Churches...... 7
Continuing Education ...... 7
Convention Facilities ...... 7
Agriculture Center Building...... 8
Crime ...... 8
Culture, Arts & Entertainment ...... 8
Driver's Licenses & Exams...... 8
Drug Use/Gang Problems...... 9
Emergency Services...... 9
Housing...... 9
Local Internet Access ...... 9
Mail/Delivery Services...... 9
Medical Services ...... 9
Schools ...... 9
Tourist Facilities ...... 10
Utilities...... 10
RECREATION ...... 10
Activities Overview...... 10
Wildlife ...... 11
FOR MORE INFORMATION ...... 11
Frequently Requested Phone Numbers ...... 11
Contact Information for Agencies & Organizations ...... 12
2 Pinedale, Wyoming Community Information Pinedale Online/Wind River Web Services
GENERAL AREA INFORMATION 2003
Location Pinedale is located in western Wyoming approximately 78 miles south of Jackson Hole and 100 miles north of Rock Springs along Highway 191. The town is located on the western flank of the Wind River Mountains, in the Upper Green River Valley, headwaters of the Green and Colorado rivers. The valley is bordered by 3 mountain ranges: the Wyoming Range to the west, the Gros Ventre to the north, and the Wind River Range to the east. To the south lie the Mesa and the Jonah Field, which hold vast reserves of natural gas deposits. The development of these gas fields has spurred economic development in the area off and on for the last 70 years, with the most recent and biggest surge beginning in 1996.
The area is sparsely populated with towns few and far between. Pinedale's population is approximately 1400 and the town proper is above 7,100 feet in elevation. The surrounding mountains rise to more than 13,000 feet.
The valleys surrounding Pinedale are dotted with sagebrush and high desert vegetation blending in with aspens. Coniferous trees (Douglas fir, lodgepole pine, spruce) thrive in areas protected from wind and cold. The geology of the area shows the marks of the most recent glaciation with classic glacial features visible near Pinedale. 11-mile- long Fremont Lake, the second largest lake in Wyoming, serves as the town water supply and is located about 4 miles northeast of Pinedale. Pine Creek issues from Fremont Lake and flows through town, while the New Fork River skirts the western and southern boundaries of the Pinedale vicinity.
History The first inhabitants of the area were Shoshone, Gros Ventre, Bannock, Sheepeater and Crow Indian tribes. White explorers arrived in the early 1800s. Trappers and Mountain Men were drawn to the area by the tales of streams rich with beaver. Later, ranchers and cattlemen began to winter their stock here and settle the area themselves. Pinedale was platted in 1899 and became the Sublette County seat in 1926.
Overview Pinedale is a small community with a western flavor. It is the county seat of Sublette County and was first created in 1904. In the summers, numerous tourists pass through on their way to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. Tourists from all across the U.S. and many foreign countries visit each year. Pinedale has one main street (Hwy 191), which is about 1 mile long. The majority of commercial businesses are located along this street. Wooden boardwalks and hitching posts still exist in front of some of the buildings. There is not a single traffic light in the town. Ranching is one of the main indutries in the area, and cattle drives still occur down the main street and along the highways, stopping traffic. Moose and deer frequent the town parks and nearby residential areas.
The people who call Pinedale home year-round are tough and self-sufficient and don't mind braving the wind and long, cold winters. Some people live in Pinedale only during the warm summers, and choose to "Snow Bird" to warmer climates during the bitter cold months.
Spring/Summer Activities: Hiking & Backpacking (hundreds of miles of trails in the Bridger Wilderness and Bridger-Teton National Forest) Camping (many improved campgrounds & unimproved areas) Fishing (over 1300 lakes in the Bridger Wilderness) Golfing (18-hole designed 9-hole course) Horseback Riding 4-wheeling Boating and Sailing (boat rentals available) Waterskiing Mountain Biking (Continental Divide Mountain Bike Trail) Scenic Car Rides Museum of the Mountain Man Green River Rendezvous (second weekend in July) Picnicking Wildlife Viewing Skateboarding (public skateboard park in Pinedale) 3 Pinedale, Wyoming Community Information Pinedale Online/Wind River Web Services
Tennis Racquetball Rodeos Archery and 3-D shoots Summer Blues Festival Two Town Parks
Fall/Winter Activities: Hunting Snowmobiling (We’re a major access to the Continental Divide Snowmobile Trail, best snow is December through April) Snowmobile races, groomed & ungroomed trail riding Downhill Skiing (White Pine Ski Area is just 10 miles from Pinedale) X-country Skiing (many marked trails close to Pinedale, best snow is December through mid-April)) Snowboarding Sledding Ice Fishing Ice Skating Ice Hockey (Covered hockey arena on the west side of town with public skating hours) Sled Dog Excursions and Races (International Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race )
Museums The Museum of the Mountain Man, Pinedale (open May – Oct.) Green River Valley Museum, Big Piney (open June – Oct.)
The Museum of the Mountain Man, located on a hill overlooking Pinedale, houses a very comprehensive collection of the Rocky Mountain Fur Trade Era (1820s-1840s), including Jim Bridger’s rifle. The 15,000 square foot facility contains exhibits on fur trade, western exploration, Plains Indians, and early settlement history of western Wyoming. A research library offers an extensive collection of literature on the West. The museum is open daily May – Sept. and weekdays in October. Winter visits are available by appointment. Admission is charged.
The Green River Valley Museum, at 206 N. Front St. in Big Piney, was formed to perpetuate and preserve the history and culture of the Green River Valley. Exhibits include prehistoric Indian artifacts and pioneer homestead development exhibits, plus early ranching and family-run coal mines, oil and gas historical exhibits and oilfield tools used throughout history. On the grounds adjacent to the museum, visitors can see a historic cabin as well as numerous tools and equipment used by the hardworking people who settled the area. The museum is open June 15 – Oct. 15, Tuesdays through Saturdays, noon – 4 pm. No admission, but donations are appreciated.
The Green River Rendezvous and Rendezvous Pageant The Green River Rendezvous is held every year the 2nd weekend in July, re-enacting the events of the fur trade Rendezvous of the 1820s-1840s. During this festive long weekend, the Museum of the Mountain Man sponsors many cultural events and displays that bring to life those rough and tumble times. Events include guest speakers and historical programs, as well as a mountain man camp and living history displays. Visitors also enjoy shopping at Trader’s Row, a parade downtown, a re-enactment of Father DeSmet’s first mass on the prairie near Daniel, plus a wide variety of fun community fundraisers. Visitors and locals alike enjoy the 5-mile walk-run, golf course play day, community barbecues and breakfasts, the pie sale, and the beard shave and auction, among other events.
Originally a vitally important gathering where mountain men, trappers, travelers and Indians camped together in a valley "below the Green," the Green River Rendezvous of the fur trade era enabled people on the wild frontier to buy, sell or swap the items they needed to survive or simply desired: skins, pelts, guns, food, clothing, tools, liquor, jewelry and more. The event could last days, weeks or months and was full of story swapping and general rowdiness.
Today, in an hour-long presentation at the Pinedale Rodeo Grounds, the Green River Rendezvous Pageant recaptures the spirit of the time and introduces the famous personalities who defined the fur trade in this region: William Sublette, Jedediah Smith, Kit Carson, Jim Bridger and many others. The Pageant is a lively, historically 4 Pinedale, Wyoming Community Information Pinedale Online/Wind River Web Services
authentic performance produced by local volunteers of the Green River Rendezvous Pageant Association.
Golf Course Rendezvous Meadows Golf Course is an 18-hole designed 9-hole golf course located on the west end of Pinedale. The course is open to the public May through September and has a wonderful view of the Wind River Mountain Range. Facilities include a Pro Shop, Lounge, Practice Green, and Driving Range. Tee times are available. Drive cart, pull carts and club rentals available.
White Pine Ski Area White Pine opened in 1999 for family downhill skiing 10 miles from Pinedale. It offers year-round recreational opportunities and convention/meeting facilities from an attractive, 3-story base lodge at the foot of Fortification Mountain in the Wind River Range. During the winter White Pine hosts downhill skiing and snowboarding, a ski/snowboard sales and rental shop, mountain sports school, ski and snowboard lessons, and access to free cross- country ski trails. Two state-of-the-art triple chair lifts provide access to over 25 downhill trails featuring a variety of slopes from novice to advanced. Summer activities include horseback riding, mountain biking, scenic chair lift rides, fishing, wilderness horseback and llama trips, and dining on the deck. Current weather conditions at the hill can be viewed on their two web cameras at www.whitepineski.com.
Weather The climate at this high elevation (approx. 7,100 ft.) is considered semi-arid, with 8 – 11 inches of precipitation per year. The growing season is approximately 60 days, with hard frosts or snow likely in June and September. The short season plus hungry wildlife make outdoor gardening a challenge, inspiring serious gardeners to have greenhouses or sunrooms. Summer high temperatures range from the 70s to the high 80s Fahrenheit, with late afternoon thunderstorms and cool nights. Average winter high temperatures range from the teens to 20s, but bitter cold spells of -30 and -40 are common in December and January, with wind chill helping to bring the temperature down even further. Average monthly snowfall December through March is about 12 inches.
It can snow any day of the year, on rare occasions even in July and August. The snow is very dry during most of the winter, and children may be a bit surprised when they can't make a snowball with a yard full of snow! The snowmobiling is fantastic, and we’re right on the Continental Divide Snowmobile Trail. The surrounding mountains receive 40 to 100 inches of snow each winter, depending on location.
Power outages are not uncommon due to summer and winter storms. Computer users are wise to have surge protectors and backup supplies. Pumps for well water also shut down when the power is off and rural residences can be without water for hours. Many people store extra water for such emergencies.
For a small town, Pinedale has very good snow removal services. Plows work at all hours during the winter to keep roads cleared. County crews clear school bus routes and main roads first. Road conditions are snowpacked and icy throughout the winter months. Drifting snow on the roads can be a real hazard. Blizzards can create white-out conditions that cut visibility to nothing. In severe conditions, sections of the highway are closed across the state.
BUSINESS INFORMATION
Major Industries Oil & gas (mining), government, retail trade, services, construction, and ranching/agriculture are the main industries. Traditionally, ranching was the mainstay of Sublette County. In 2003, the University of Wyoming Cooperative Extension Service estimated that Sublette County ranches produced approximately 22.5 million pounds of beef, 2.1 million pounds of lamb and mutton, and 126,000 pounds of wool. The Wyoming Agricultural Statistics Service estimates that Sublette County currently produces approximately 7,000 tons of alfalfa and 90,000 tons of other hay. Agricultural production has dropped significantly since the late 1990s due to several years of drought. Livestock graze on public allotments and on private land.
The economic emphasis of the county has shifted with the gas development boom in the Jonah natural gas field and on the Mesa Anticline south of Pinedale. The minerals industry now provides the highest average annual wage for Sublette County workers. Government provides a large number of jobs in the county, mainly in Pinedale, the county seat. Government offices include the US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Natural Resource 5 Pinedale, Wyoming Community Information Pinedale Online/Wind River Web Services
Conservation Service, US Air Force Detachment 489, US Postal Service, Wyoming Game & Fish Department, Sublette County Courthouse and county offices, and the Town of Pinedale.
The services and retail trade industry have been shifting to supplying tourism and recreation, providing basecamp services to people enjoying outdoor recreation in the Bridger-Teton National Forest and Bridger Wilderness in the Wind River Mountains. People passing through on their way to and from Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Parks also find Pinedale a convenient stopping place for shopping, dining, fuel and accommodations.
Pinedale has two banks, with ATMs located in several places. Gas stations offer self-serve credit card capability for after-hours service.
Major Sublette County Industries & Average Annual Wages (2000) (State of Wyoming Department of Employment figures for the entire state) Mining - $38,519 Transportation/Communication/Public Utilities - $29,594 Wholesale Trade - $27,090 Manufacturing - $25,609 Finance/Insurance/Real Estate - $25,315 State and Local Government - $22,227 Construction - $16,816 Services - $ 14,623 Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing - $12,346 Retail Trade - $10,186
Sublette County unemployment rate statistics: 2002: 2.6% 2000: 2.5% 1997: 2.9% 1996: 3.6%
Taxes 4% State sales tax 3% County lodging tax No state income tax
Business Licenses None required in Pinedale. Big Piney does require business licenses.
Job Employment Services None local. The Wyoming Department of Employment has an Employment Resources Division office in Rock Springs that services Sublette and Sweetwater Counties. Job information is available from ads in two local newspapers.
TRANSPORTATION
Public Transportation and Taxi The High Country Senior Citizens Center offers senior citizen and public transportation by appointment. The Great Outdoor Transportation Service is operated by the Great Outdoor Shop and has shuttle services during the summer to and from airports, trailheads, and recreation sites. Pinedale Cab Co. offers taxi service around town, to trailheads, and to area airports, including Jackson. Sublink Stage provides regular shuttle service to south county and Salt Lake City airport.
Local Bus/Rail Service None local. Greyhound stops in Rock Springs and Evanston, Amtrak is available in Salt Lake City.
Commercial Airports Jackson - 78 miles; Rock Springs - 100 miles; Salt Lake City - 250 miles; Denver - 450 miles. Rental cars are available at these airports. Sublette County has no car rental service.
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Local Airport Local general aviation airport is Pinedale’s Ralph Wenz Field, located approximately 5 miles south of Pinedale next to US Hwy 191. The runway is 7100' x 100', asphalt surface, with NDB approach, AWOSIII-P/T weather station. Elevation is 7080'. This field is suitable for larger corporate jets. Services include fuel, line service, aircraft maintenance, repair & inspection, transient hangar space, crew car, flight instruction, 24-hour availability. Lodging is available in Boulder and Pinedale.
COMMUNITY INFORMATION
Pinedale Population 1,412 (Year 2000) Sublette County population: 5,920 98% white in race
Elevation 7,175 feet, in town of Pinedale Surrounding mountains rise above 13,000 feet.
News and Advertising Media Newspapers: Two, published once a week on Thursdays: Pinedale Roundup and Sublette Examiner. Radio: Three: KPIN, 101.1 FM, has a mix of country and soft rock music, local news and weather, and broadcasts some Wyoming sporting events. Wyoming Public Radio KUWR broadcasts from a translator near Pinedale on 90.9 FM. Pilgrim Broadcasting, KCSP out of Casper, transmits Christian music on frequency 99.3 FM locally. Radio reception depends on the location of your antenna, though reception has improved greatly the last few years. Translators are subject to outages and technical difficulties. TV: None local. Mallard Cablevision provides local cable TV service. Satellite TV is available through several local satellite TV vendors. Some antenna TV reception is possible in certain locations for TV stations out of Casper, Idaho Falls, Riverton and sometimes Salt Lake City. Most people either subscribe to cable service or have a satellite dish.
Banking Pinedale has two full-service banks. First National Bank of Pinedale is a locally-owned community bank with ATM machines in Pinedale and Big Piney and home-computer and Tel-XPRESS banking services. The Bank of Pinedale is a branch of the First National Bank in Evanston. In addition, First Security Bank of Rock Springs and Rock Springs National Bank also provide banking services to the Pinedale area.
Cellular Phone Service Cellular phone service is available in Pinedale from Union Cellular and Verizon Wireless. Reception is good along the main travel corridors but can be spotty in some areas up in the mountains. Your cell phone may need to be reprogrammed to a different channel to operate here.
Churches All major Christian denominations are represented: Baptist, Bible Church, Catholic, Latter-Day Saints, Congregational, Episcopal, Jehovah’s Witness, Lutheran, United Church of Christ, and Non-denominational.
Continuing Education Western Wyoming Community College in Rock Springs offers a Pinedale Outreach Program through the Sublette Board of Cooperative Education Services (BOCES). In Pinedale, the BOCES office is located in the basement of the high school. Credit and non-credit course offerings vary by season. Video and internet classes are also available.
Convention Facilities Pinedale has facilities and services to host conventions of approximately 150-500 people. Public meeting rooms offer large capacity seating, AV equipment plug-ins, and refreshment handling for large groups. Pinedale has 11 motels, several bed & breakfasts, and numerous guest ranches & lodges. Some of the motels are open only seasonally from May - October. There are 9 motels in Pinedale open year round. Local motels have approximately 224 available rooms in the summer and 169 during the winter. Local guest ranches and lodges also offer meeting 7 Pinedale, Wyoming Community Information Pinedale Online/Wind River Web Services
room facilities in scenic locations. The Pinedale Entertainment Center, a privately owned facility, has a bowling alley, two movie theaters, and facilities to handle meetings and large banquets.
Agriculture Center Building The Ag Center, an insulated 150 x 300’ multi-purpose metal building, is located at the County Fairgrounds north of Marbleton. It has a dirt floor, heat and electricity, handicapped bathrooms with showers, a concessions area with seating, and a 30-ft.-wide lean-to. The Ag Center is ideal for horse-related events, Easter egg hunts, concerts, livestock shows, annual county fair programs and many other uses.
Crime Sublette County contains a little over 1% of the Wyoming’s total population and is fortunate to have a very low crime rate. Very few violent crimes occur. Assaults and alcohol-related incidents account for the majority of the crime activity in the county. Rural areas have a “Ranch Watch” program and the town neighborhoods participate in the “Neighborhood Watch” program.
Law enforcement is provided county-wide by the Sublette County Sheriff’s Department, which is based out of the county courthouse. The Wyoming Highway Patrol has offices on the west end of town.
Culture, Arts & Entertainment Throughout the year, the Pinedale Fine Arts Council hosts a wide variety of performing arts and cultural events for all ages, bringing dance, comedy, children’s theater, and a great diversity of musical genres from all over the nation, Canada and Mexico. In addition, PFAC sponsors numerous artist residencies in the Pinedale and Big Piney schools. Summer usually includes an outdoor production of Shakespeare. Very reasonable ticket prices ($10 for adults; $7 for students) are designed to enable people from a wide range of incomes, and especially families, to attend events.
Art exhibits are common in the Pinedale Public Library’s large meeting room. The library space attracts traveling exhibits, displays by local artists, film festivals, small concerts and book signings. A gardening club, book discussion group, bowling and pool leagues and various other interest groups flourish according to the season.
Pinedale boasts several building-sized painted murals downtown, as well as public sculptures in town parks. A sculpture and several tile murals grace the school grounds.
Several organizations sponsor free public lectures during the spring and summer. The Museum of the Mountain Man, the Green River Valley Museum and the Sublette County Artists’ Guild host speakers and performers on Wyoming history and culture. These events are often co-sponsored by the Wyoming Council for the Humanities or the Wyoming Arts Council.
The summer event that draws the most people to Pinedale is the Green River Rendezvous, held the second weekend in July and described elsewhere in this document. The Pinedale Blues Festival takes place in late June and attracts locals as well as visitors. Rodeos, cuttings and ropings are also very popular throughout the summer. Around July 4, the Chuck Wagon Days Rodeo is held at the Sublette County Fairgrounds and rodeos are scheduled during Rendezvous Days at the Pinedale Rodeo Grounds. Lively rodeo events occur during the Sublette County Fair in early August, including the ever-popular children’s Little Buckaroo Rodeo.
Several outdoor community picnics, including the Old Timer’s Picnic in Daniel and the Bondurant Barbecue, are annual summer traditions that draw enthusiastic crowds. On the 4th of July, the local Volunteer Fire Department sponsors an annual fireworks display in Pinedale.
Each winter, around the end of January, Pinedale serves as a “Stage Stop” for the International Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race (IPSSSDR). This event travels through 14 Wyoming communities in a loop that begins and ends in Jackson Hole. A qualifying event for the Iditarod, the IPSSSDR is the largest sled dog race in the lower 48 states, attracting some of the world's best and most competitive sled dog racing teams from places as far away as Japan and as close to home as Pinedale.
Driver's Licenses & Exams The Wyoming Department of Transportation State licensing officials come to Pinedale once a week (Thursdays) and 8 Pinedale, Wyoming Community Information Pinedale Online/Wind River Web Services
give tests from 9 am - 3:30 pm at 120 S. Cole in Pinedale. Closed during lunch.
Drug Use/Gang Problems Drug activity has increased in the county with the population influx due to oil and gas development of the last several years. Gang problems that have occurred have been attributed to outsiders coming into the area in isolated occurrences.
Emergency Services County Sheriff, Volunteer Fire and Ambulance, Enhanced 911, Volunteer Search & Rescue. Emergency services are staffed almost entirely by dedicated and specially trained volunteers.
Housing Rentals are scarce. Prices range from $450/month for a one-bedroom, unfurnished apartment to $950 a month for a 4 bedroom home. Pinedale homes range in price from $125,000 to millions of dollars. Property prices are climbing rapidly. Between 2002-2003, real estate prices increased an average of 12%.
Local Internet Access Local: www.wyoming.com located in Riverton, provides internet access. Wyoming.com offers dial-up DSL Internet service, available through Office Outlet in Pinedale. OneWest, based in Jackson, also offers local internet service. The toll-free number is 866-663-9378. Internet access for AOL and most other major providers is through long- distance phone call. Wireless service is available in Pinedale through Wyoming Wireless. Satellite Internet is available through Pinedale True Value/RadioShack and Communication Concepts.
Mail/Delivery Services US Postal Service: All local mail delivered via PO boxes. House mail delivery to some rural addresses only. Next day service not guaranteed to or from this zip code. UPS and Federal Express service available at Pinedale True Value/RadioShack.
Medical Services Pinedale is served by a medical clinic with 24-hour on call emergency service. The nearest hospital is in Jackson, 77 miles away. Rock Springs also has a hospital. For serious emergency needs, Lifeflight helicopter services to Salt Lake City and Idaho Falls are available. Pinedale has two local dentists, one eye doctor and two chiropractors. A variety of specialized practitioners from Jackson and Rock Springs hold limited office hours at the Pinedale Clinic or Sublette Center, the local convalescent center. Sublette Center offers a range of care options, including 24-hour medical supervision, assisted-care rooms, and independent living retirement apartments.
Some home health care services are available, as are volunteers from the local Hospice/Caregivers group. Immunization and flu shot clinics are held periodically at the Public Health Office, located in the clinic building. Public Health also sponsors community blood drives, blood testing and a yearly health fair. Proactive Rehabilitation, located east of Sublette Center, provides a full menu of physical therapy and a membership gym with extensive exercise equipment.
High Country Counseling and Resource Center offers mental health services, substance abuse services, DWUI/MIP evaluations and alcohol education classes. Sublette Sexual Assault & Family Violence Task Force (SAFV) offers a 24-hour crisis hotline and free & confidential counseling services in the Pinedale and Big Piney areas and maintains safe houses in local communities. Other services include prenatal and parenting classes, free developmental screenings for young children, and a variety of support groups. The Pinedale Food Basket collects non-perishable food items for local distribution to the hungry.
Schools Sublette County School District #1 (includes Bondurant). Pinedale Elementary and Middle Schools are National Blue Ribbon Schools. Pupil/Teacher Ratio: 13:1
2003 Fall Student Enrollment: Pinedale Elementary School: 294 9 Pinedale, Wyoming Community Information Pinedale Online/Wind River Web Services
Bondurant Elementary: 7 Pinedale Middle School: 175 Pinedale High School: 210 Gifted children programs and National Honor Society are available. Band and choir courses are also offered.
High School colors are green and white, and the school mascot is "the Wrangler". The sports conference rating is 2A. High School sports include football, volleyball, basketball, swimming, Nordic & alpine skiing, and track. Extra curricular activities include Student Council, FFA, Drama, Yearbook, Art Club, and TARGET. Most students graduating from Pinedale High School go on to two or four-year colleges. Information packets are available upon request from the high school (307) 367-2137. The school facilities that are open to the public include an indoor swimming pool, outdoor tennis courts and running track.
Tourist Facilities The Pinedale Area Chamber of Commerce Hut/Sublette County Visitor Center, located downtown on the main street, is open weekdays during the summer, part-time during the winter, and provides visitor information services and literature about local attractions and businesses. Information is also available at the Pinedale Town Hall, 210 W. Pine. Pinedale has one privately owned RV campground with dumping facilities located on the west side of town. Other commercial campgrounds exist in the surrounding area as well as many public campgrounds maintained by the US Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management. Public restrooms are located in the American Legion Park on the west end of Pinedale (year-round) and in the Town Park (seasonally).
The Sublette County Joint Tourism Promotion Board provides a website with area information at www.VisitSubletteCounty.com. Another website, www.PinedaleOnline.com, provides local news, calendar of events and visitor information. Local business listings are also available at www.pinedalechamber.com.
Utilities Water and sewer service are available in the town proper only, although water is not yet metered. Out-of-town residents have wells and septic systems. Natural gas and propane are available. Trash pick-up service is available weekly in town, once every two weeks in rural areas. No local landfill. Pinedale is serviced by transfer dumping stations. A local recycling center run by Sublette Citizens for Recycling accepts paper, newspaper, cardboard, aluminum cans and steel cans, plastic milk jugs, plastic soda bottles, and paper and plastic shopping bags. The recycling center currently does not accept glass, styrofoam, coated cardboard or hazardous wastes.
RECREATION
Activities Overview Backpacking, biking, birdwatching, boating, fishing, 4-wheeling, hiking, hockey, hunting, ice fishing, ice skating, museums, photography, skiing, snowmobiling, swimming, rodeos and wildlife viewing comprise the most popular recreational activities. Many of the wilderness trailheads begin at higher elevations of up to 9,100 feet. Visitors are cautioned to be aware of symptoms and treatment of altitude sickness while enjoying the area. Also, because of the high elevation and thinner atmosphere, serious sunburns can occur within a very short time. Sunscreen is a must, and protective clothing strongly advised, when participating in outdoor activities.
Insect repellent is advised for warm-weather recreation. Ticks can emerge in April or May, while mosquitoes, horseflies and other biting insects are particularly bothersome to hikers and stock in July and August. No poisonous snakes live in the Pinedale area.
Developed campsites are available throughout the Pinedale Ranger District of the Bridger-Teton National Forest. Maps, specific campground information, and location of boat docks are available at the Ranger Station. Golden Age or Golden Access Passports for Senior Citizens give discounts for fee-use areas. Reservations are strongly recommended in popular campgrounds during holiday weekends. Dispersed camping opportunities exist for those wanting a more rustic experience. No motorized vehicles are allowed within the wilderness boundaries. The Pinedale Ranger District has information about regulations and suggested safety precautions. Snowmobile, hiking, horsepacking and mountain biking trails are numerous and offer spectacular views.
There are no food services or showers at any of the National Forest or Bureau of Land Management campgrounds in 10 Pinedale, Wyoming Community Information Pinedale Online/Wind River Web Services
our area. Some do not have handicapped accessible restrooms or drinking water, many are open only seasonally. Check with the Pinedale Ranger District and Pinedale BLM offices for campground facilities and availability. Fishing is an all time favorite pastime here and the nearby Bridger Wilderness offers over 1300 lakes and hundreds of miles of streams to fish. Local lakes and streams abound with rainbows, brookies, goldens, mackinaw, native cutthroat, browns, wild as well as stocked fish. Records for fish caught in area lakes include: Green River Lake, 9.69#, 24.5” brook trout; Meadow Lake, 19.63” 2.36# grayling; Cook’s Lake, 11.25#, 28” golden trout (this is a world record); Burnt Lake, 23#, 25.5” rainbow trout; Native Lake, 15#, 32” cutthroat trout.
The Wind River Mountains offer technical and bouldering challenges for rock climbing enthusiasts. This range stretches more than 100 miles from South Pass to Jackson Hole, offering numerous mountain peaks in excess of 13,000 feet. The highest peak in Wyoming, Gannett Peak (13,804’), and the seven largest glaciers in the continental United States are found in the Wind River Range. Gannett Peak, Woodrow Wilson (13,502’), Warren (13,722’), Sacajawea (13,569’) and Helen (13,620’) offer the mountaineer challenges of snow and ice climbs. Hard rock technical climbers can find the greatest challenges in the southern part of the range, especially in the Cirque of the Towers which has countless sheer granite faces rising above Lonesome Lake. The central part of the range southeast of Boulder Lake is popular for bouldering with large rock outcroppings which offer a wide range of routes for several levels of climbing. Square Top Mountain and Fremont Peak are good climbs for the novice and can be climbed with sturdy boots.
Sublette County is a mountain biker’s paradise! The elevation of lands open to mountain bikers ranges from 7,175 feet to well over 10,000 feet with topography ranging from flat and gently rolling sagebrush prairies to incredibly steep, aspen and sagebrush-covered mountains. Mountain bikes are allowed on the Bridger-Teton National Forest, but not within the Bridger Wilderness area. There are tracks and terrain to suit all levels of mountain biker’s experience. The Wyoming Range and Mesa also offer many mountain biking opportunities. Mountain bikes can be rented at White Pine Ski Resort. The Continental Divide Mountain Biking Trail runs from Union Pass through Pinedale and Boulder, and on to South Pass.
Winter offers many recreational opportunities in the area. White Pine Ski area offers family downhill skiing within minutes of Pinedale. There are many x-country and nordic skiing trails throughout the area, as well as many rural roads to ski on. Pinedale is located along the Continental Divide Snowmobile Trail and there are many miles of groomed trails within the county as well as thousands of acres of off-road snowmobiling country. The Upper Green River Valley and Horse Creek are popular snowmobiling areas. Local businesses offer snowmobile, trailer and clothing rentals. Ice fishing is a popular winter sport and enthusiasts will find many lakes frozen over in the winter to fish. Lakes which offer good ice fishing are Willow, Half Moon, Fremont and New Fork, to name a few. Pinedale offers one small outdoor ice skating rink for youngsters, and a large indoor ice arena which is also used for ice hockey, a popular sport for all ages here.
Town facilities include a public golf course, baseball diamonds, tennis courts and indoor swimming pool. A fenced skateboard park across from the public library has a low bank ramp, Kicker ramp XL, straight rail, a 2’ launch ramp, fun-grind box, a three-sided fly box with ledge, and a 4’ halfpipe. There are two public parks: the American Legion Park on the north side of Pine Street with horseshoe pits, gazebo, restrooms and large grassy area; and the Town Park off Franklin Ave., south of Pine Street, which has playground equipment, picnic tables, kids’ fishing pond, restrooms and paved walking/exercise path. Pine Creek flows alongside both parks.
Wildlife Deer, antelope, moose, elk, mountain lions, black & grizzly bear, red fox, coyotes, wolves, bald & golden eagles inhabit the area. Summer brings osprey, Canada geese, sandhill cranes, great blue herons and many ducks and other waterfowl. Fish include lake, rainbow, cutthroat, brown and brook trout, Kokanee salmon, mountain whitefish, grayling, the rare Kendall Warm Springs dace and numerous other species.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Frequently Requested Phone Numbers Natural Resource Conservation Service, 307-367-2257 Pinedale Medical Clinic, 307-367-4133 Pinedale Roundup Newspaper, 307-367-2123 11 Pinedale, Wyoming Community Information Pinedale Online/Wind River Web Services
Rendezvous Meadows Golf Course, 307-367-4252 Sublette Center (convalescent center), 307-367-4161 Sublette County Clerk, 307-367-4372 Sublette County Sheriff, 307-367-6593 Sublette County Zoning Administrator, 307-367-4375 Sublette County School District #1, 307-367-2139 Sublette Examiner Newspaper, 307-367-3203 US Postal Service, Pinedale Post Office, 307-367-2650 Wyoming Road & Travel Information, 888-996-7623 (in Wyoming) 307-772-0824 (outside Wyoming) Wyoming Game & Fish Sportsman Information, 1-800-452-9107
Contact Information for Agencies & Organizations Bureau of Land Management Pinedale Ranger District 432 E. Mill St., PO Box 768, Pinedale WY 82941 Bridger-Teton National Forest 307-367-5300 29 Fremont Lake Rd, PO Box 220 Web site: www.wy.blm.gov/pfo Pinedale WY 82941 307-367-4326 Green River Valley Museum Web site: www.fs.fed.us/btnf 206 N. Front, P.O. Box 12, Big Piney WY 83113 307-276-5343 Sublette County Ag Center Web site: www.grvm.com Information: 307-276-3007 Web site: www.sublette.com/agcenter Museum of the Mountain Man 700 E Hennick, PO Box 909, Pinedale WY 82941 Sublette County Joint Tourism Promotion Board 307-367-4101 1-888-285-7282 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Web site: www.museumofthemountainman.com Web site: www.VisitSubletteCounty.com
Pinedale Area Chamber of Commerce Wyoming Game & Fish Department 32 E Pine St, PO Box 176, Pinedale WY 82941 Pinedale Office 307-367-2242 117 S. Sublette Ave., Pinedale WY 82941 E-mail: [email protected] 307-367-4352 Web site: www.pinedalechamber.com Web site: http://gf.state.wy.us
Pinedale Fine Arts Council P.O. Box 1586, Pinedale WY 82941 307-367-7322 E-mail: [email protected] Web site: www.pinedalefinearts.com
Information researched and compiled by Dawn Svalberg and Sue Sommers for PinedaleOnline. 2003 PinedaleOnline. Find more Pinedale, Wyoming information at www.PinedaleOnline.com.
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