Columbine and Deadman Mountain Local photographer Dave Bell has been up in the mountains hiking and taking pictures. Click on this link to see his latest scenic photos of the area: Dave Bell Photo Gallery Photo by Dave Bell.

Talk about the Lander Trail in Sublette County July 22 (posted 7/19/17)
At the Green River Valley Museum in Big Piney
The Green River Valley Museum in Big Piney is presenting a special history talk about the Lander Trail through Sublette County on Saturday, July 22nd at 1:00PM. Special guest is Clint Gilchrist, Executive Director of the Museum of the Mountain Man in Pinedale and President of the Sublette County Historic Preservation Board. As many as 13,000 emigrants passed through what is now Sublette County in the summer of 1859 on the newly built Lander Trail, a cut-off of the Oregon Trail at a time when Indians still dominated the landscape. The Lander Trail was the first federally funded and constructed road west of the Missouri River. Learn about its construction, location, emigrant activities, its builder, Indian relations, and see the oldest know photographs of emigrants on any part of the Oregon Trail system.
Free program, everyone welcome, refreshments will be served. The Museum is open from 11AM to 5PM, Tuesday through Saturday, admission is by donation.

Related Links:
www.grvm.com Green River Valley Museum

BLM holds Open Houses for the Normally Pressured Lance Natural Gas Development Project (posted 7/18/17)
Open House in Pinedale July 25, 2017
Bureau of Land Management
Open houses are being held at the following locations and times:
• July 25, 2017, at the BLM in Pinedale, Wyoming, 1625 West Pine Street, from 4:30 -7:30 p.m.
• July 26, 2017, at the BLM in Rock Springs, Wyoming, 280 Highway 191 North, from 4:30 – 7:30 p.m.

The NPL project is located immediately south and west of the existing Jonah Gas Field in Sublette County, Wyoming. The project area lies within the BLM Wyoming’s High Desert District (HDD) and spans the Pinedale Field Office (PFO) in the north and Rock Springs Field Office (RSFO) to the south.

Jonah Energy LLC is proposing up to 3,500 directionally drilled wells over a 10-year period that could unlock 5.25 Trillion Cubic Feet (TCF) of natural gas. All alternatives in the NPL DEIS conform to the Pinedale Field Office Resource Management Plan Record of Decision (2008), as amended, and the Green River Resource Management Plan Record of Decision (1997). The project encompasses approximately 141,000 acres of public, State, and private lands. Approximately 96 percent of the project area is on public lands.

Comments must be received by August 21, 2017 (45 days after publication of the Notice of Availability in the Federal Register) and can be mailed to
NPL EIS Project Manager
BLM Pinedale Field Office
P.O. Box 768
Pinedale, WY 82941
or emailed to blm_wy_npl_eis@blm.gov.

Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, be advised that your entire comment - including your personal identifying information - may be publicly available at any time. While you may ask us in your comment to withhold from public review your personal identifying information, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

A copy of the entire Normally Pressured Lance (NPL) Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) is available at http://tinyurl.com/hloulms.

Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to contact the individuals below during normal business hours. The FRS is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave a message or question with the below individual. You will receive a reply during normal business hours.

For more information, please contact Liz Dailey at 307-367-5310, or email at blm_wy_npl_eis@blm.gov.

Sublette County Fair offers action-packed fun July 26-29, 2017 (posted 7/18/17)
There will be something for everyone at the 2017 Sublette County Fair, Wednesday, July 26 through Saturday, July 29 at the Sublette County Fairgrounds in Big Piney.

We are excited to feature the four most popular evening events again this year! On Wednesday, July 26 at 7:00PM mud will be flying and the pigs will be trying to get away from the contestants as the Pig Wrestling takes place. Then, the following evening at 7:00PM, Little Buckaroos will be competing for belt buckles in the Little Buckaroo Rodeo. Come watch the kids try to rope the calves, ride the sheep, broncs, and mini bulls, or see how fast they can run in the stick horse barrel competition! Entries for the Pig Wrestling and Little Buckaroo Rodeo are due on July 19. On Friday, July 28, the teams of horses will get down in the dirt and try to pull a weighted sled at the Horse Pulls at 7:00PM. The fair will wrap-up when Chancey Williams and the Younger Brothers Band opens for Restless Heart. The concert will begin at 7:00PM and tickets are on sale now!

If you are looking to compete, we have plenty of options including:
• Pig Wrestling
• Little Buckaroo Rodeo, sponsored by Jonah Energy
• Recycled Western Art Contest
• Painted Rock Contest
• Chocolate Desert Bake-Off
• Open Class Static Exhibits
• Cowhide Race
• Cornhole Tournament

Acts on the free-stage include:
• Eric Haines, One Man Band
• Kaleb Austin
• Small Town Legend
• Jason Tyler Burton

Other entertainment options include:
• Action Entertainment, Fun Zone and Laser Tag
• Flippin’
• Reptile Adventures
• Lanky the Clown
• BPHS Robotic Demo’s
• Sublette County Fair Dance

Or, you can check out the exhibits, vendors, and art show every day from 10:00AM to 7:00PM. Admission to the fair is free, so come relax and have some fun at our great event!

For complete schedules, times, and attractions, please visit www.sublettecountyfair.com, Find us on Facebook, or call 307-276-5373.

Lynn Thomas Memorial Art Show during Sublette County Fair (posted 7/17/17)
July 23 – July 30 at the Sublette County Fairgrounds
The Sublette County Fair Lynn Thomas Memorial Art Show opens on Sunday, July 23, and will be on display until Sunday, July 30 at the Community Hall at the Sublette County Fairgrounds north of Marbleton. The event, sponsored by the Sublette County Fair Board and Mixed Media Artists, is back for its fourth year. There will be a Paint-Out on Thursday, July 27, followed by a reception at 5:30PM. The public is cordially invited to attend.

The sponsors gratefully acknowledge four individuals/businesses that have committed to Purchase Awards: Jo Crandall, Betty Fear, First Bank, and Laurel Stelting of Farm Bureau Financial Services.

Special guest is Kendall Smith, Wildcat Silver and Goldsmiths, of Reed Point, Montana who will be on hand at the Community Hall on Tuesday, July 25, and throughout the remainder of the week to display his gold and silver jewelry and demonstrate engraving techniques.

The art show is in memory of nationally known Boulder, Wyoming artist Lynn Thomas who died of cancer in 2009. Lynn was a member of Women Artists of the West, president of the Wyoming Artists' Association and Grand Wyoming Artist in 1997, an avid supporter of 4-H and the arts in general throughout the state, a founding member of Mixed Media, and a member of Sublette County Artists' Guild. She and her husband, Joe, owned and operated Big Sandy Lodge for 20 years.

For further information, please contact Charmian McLellan at 307-537-5488.

3rd Annual Mountains of Hope Suicide Prevention Awareness Candlelight Vigils August 8 & 9 (posted 7/17/17)
The 3rd Annual Mountains of Hope Suicide Prevention Awareness Candlelight Vigils will be held August 8th in Pinedale and August 9th in Big Piney. The Pinedale Vigil begins at 8:00PM at the Pinedale High School parking lot and ends at the American Legion Park. The Big Piney vigil the next night begins at 8:00PM at the Big Piney High School parking lot and ends at the corner of US 189. Candles and glow sticks will be provided. For more information contact Ranae Pape, Community Prevention Specialist, 307-360-6382, rpape@pmowyo.org

Free career training for single Moms (posted 7/17/17)
Climb Wyoming
TETON AREA SINGLE MOMS—Are you ready to gain a full-time, year-round, professional career, not just a job? Climb Wyoming’s next FREE career training starts soon! Training includes comprehensive office administration skills. Let us match you with a job that fits your interests, strengths and priorities—we continue to provide support as you settle into your new position. We’ll connect you and your family to community resources right away so you can achieve success. Commuters welcome! We work with moms in Teton, Sublette and Lincoln counties. We want to hear from you. Reach us at 307-733-4088, find us on Facebook or visit climbready.org.

Funeral Service for Richard Gordon July 21 (posted 7/15/17)
Covill Funeral Home
Richard Franklin Gordon, 85, of Marbleton, Wyoming passed away in Idaho Falls Tuesday evening, July 11, 2017. A funeral service will be held Friday, July 21, 2017 at 1:00 PM at the Marbleton Senior Center. Interment and military honors will immediately follow in the Plainview Cemetery. A viewing will take place Tuesday evening July 18th from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at Covill Funeral Home in Pinedale.

Death Notice: Dennis Stefanini (posted 7/3/17)
Sublette County Sheriff’s Office
On Thursday, June 29th, at approximately 11:20 AM Sublette County Sheriff’s Deputies and EMS personnel responded to a call of an unresponsive male at 109 Columbine Avenue in Marbleton.

Upon arrival Deputies and emergency medical personnel found a man later identified as 71-year old Dennis Stefanini of Marbleton, Wyoming. He was unresponsive and cold to the touch. Mr. Stefanini was pronounced deceased at the scene. Family members went to check on Mr. Stefanini after their return from being out of town. The Family had went to check on Mr. Stefanini at his residence where he was found unresponsive. There are no indications of foul play.

Mr. Stefanini was a former Law Enforcement Officer with the Sublette County Sheriff’s Office in the 1980’s under Bob Tracy and spent some time also working in Florida. The Sublette County Sheriff’s Office would like to extend our deepest condolences to Mr. Stefanini’s family.

Beware fraudulent credit/debit card activity (posted 5/21/17)
Beginning on Monday, May 15th the Sublette County Sheriff’s Office began receiving calls from citizens in the community stating that they were getting fraudulent transactions on their credit/debit cards.

During the course of the investigation it appears that multiple credit card readers in the Pinedale area may have been compromised. The credit card readers may have had "skimmers" attached to the reader that downloaded credit/debit card information and transferred it to remote locations. It is unknown whether or not an actual physical skimmer device was placed on the reader itself. As reports have continued to flow into the Sheriff’s Office, a portion of the citizens are reporting that they actually used their card inside the business establishments. Law Enforcement is still in the process of determining what method was used to acquire the credit card information. In speaking with citizens that have fallen victim to this fraud, some stated that they had not used their cards in weeks or months. It was initially thought that these intrusions were focused around the gas stations in the Pinedale area, but it has since been uncovered that a number of the local businesses and restaurants have also been affected. As this investigation is still ongoing names of businesses cannot released at this time.

The investigation is ongoing, but the Sublette County Sheriff’s Office is urging the community to monitor their credit card and debit card activity daily, and report any fraudulent transactions to their bank and Law Enforcement.

Contact for more information:
Undersheriff Lance Gehlhausen
Sublette County Sheriff’s Office
35 ½ Tyler Ave
PO Box 701
Pinedale, WY 82941
Office: 307-367-4378
lanceg@subso.com

Spring burns are planned on the Bridger-Teton National Forest (posted 4/28/17)
Fuels reduction projects will create some visible smoke near Pinedale and in Wyoming Range – no closures anticipated
Bridger-Teton National Forest
The Bridger-Teton National Forest is planning to conduct prescribed burning on the Pinedale and Big Piney Ranger Districts in the coming weeks.

Fire Managers will be taking advantage of warming temperatures and road access to begin work on the Skyline and Cottonwood 2 fuels reduction projects. Slash and ground fuels in the Skyline Wildland Urban (WUI) Interface Fuels Reduction project will be ignited to reduce the fuel load in timbered stands near the Sylvan Bay summer homes and limit the spread and intensity in the event of a wildfire fire. This unit includes approximately 120 acres along the Sylvan Bay Road to the south of the subdivision and 20 acres of hand piled slash near the day use area and summer homes.

Crews were busy last fall thinning trees and piling slash in the summer home area and will continue work beginning in May and continuing through a portion of the summer. This project was designed to provide greater defensible space and lower the risk from wildfire to homes and private property by removing hazardous fuel loads. This effort will create more open areas to help moderate fire behavior during a wildfire and increase firefighter and public safety.

The Cottonwood II prescribed burn is located approximately 20 miles west of Daniel, WY on Bare Pass near Red Castles. Fire managers hope to burn approximately 88 acres on Bare Pass in mid-May to late June.

Objectives for this project include; increase aspen stand regeneration, reduce conifer encroachment, increase forage conditions for wildlife habitat, and reduce hazardous fuels build-up while restoring fire-adaptive ecosystems.

Actual ignitions for the prescribed burns will depend on meeting strict parameters for weather and fire behavior conditions. Smoke will be visible from Hwy 191/189, Pinedale and surrounding area during ignition operations and for a short time after lighting has been completed. No closures are anticipated with either of these projects.

For more information on prescribed fire, fuels reduction projects, and defensible space, visit www.tetonfires.com or call the Pinedale Ranger District at 307-367-4326.

Local Contact Numbers
Big Piney Town Hall
PO Box 70
Big Piney, WY 83113
307-276-3554
www.bigpiney.us

Marbleton Town Hall
10700 US 189
Marbleton, WY 83113
307-276-3815

Flicks & Pins Entertainment Center
Open Sunday through Thursday from 3:00PM to 10:00PM
Friday & Saturday 3:00PM to Midnight
Phone 307-276-4062 for movie times
www.flicksnpins.com/

Big Piney Ranger District
Bridger-Teton National Forest
P.O. Box 218
Big Piney, WY, 83113
307-276-3375 or 276-5800/5200
Fax: 307-739-5235/276-5835
www.fs.fed.us/btnf/

Sublette County Courthouse
21 S Tyler, Pinedale, WY 82941
Big Piney Direct Line 307-276-3827
Marbleton Annex 307-276-3735
Pinedale Information: 307-367-7722

Sublette County Sheriff's Department
PO Box 701
Pinedale, WY 82941
Marbleton: 307-276-5448
Pinedale: 307-367-4378

Big Piney Post Office
401 Budd Avenue
307-276-3772
1-800-275-8777

Sublette County School District #9
Superintendent's Office: 307-276-3322
Big Piney High School: 307-276-3324
Big Piney Middle School: 307-276-3315
Big Piney Elementary School: 307-276-3313
Big Piney Pool: 307-276-9966
www.sublette9.org


Southwest Sublette County Pioneers Senior Citizen Center
429 E First St, Marbleton, WY
P.O. Box 33
Big Piney, WY 83113
Phone: (307) 276-3249
Fax (307) 276-3249
E-mail: southwest001@centurytel.net
Open 8:00am to 4:00pm
Lunch at 12:00 noon Tue. Wed. Thurs. (starting July 1, 2008)
Joan Mitchell / Director
www.bpmseniorhousing.com
Facebook page

Green River Valley Cowbelles
www.greenrivervalleycowbelles.com

More Area Information:
Sublette County Chamber of Commerce (Pinedale)
307-367-2242 or 1-888-285-7282
www.sublettechamber.com

BigPiney.com (Pinedale Online!)
307-360-7689 (days, evenings, weekends, after hours calls ok)

Sublette County Fair
July - August
The Sublette County Fair is packed with entertainment and fun. There is something for everyone to enjoy.

One of the many highlights is the Lil' Buckaroo Rodeo. The audience holds their breath as these young cowboys and cowgirls try their hand at bronc riding. The evening ends with the youngest contestants competing in the stick horse barrel race. The greased pig contest is another favorite, the crowd roars with laughter watching the wave a kids overtaking the slimy critters.

Spend some time viewing the livestock shows and watch the participants as they receive their awards for a job well done. Enjoy the wonderful food which some how tastes more delicious in the atmosphere of the fair festivities. Finish the night off at the rodeos with many local cowboys and cowgirls participating in the fast paced events. Visit the Sublette County Fair web page to enjoy pictures from previous years fairs.

For more information visit - www.sublettecountyfair.com.

Green River Valley Museum
Open June through October
The Green River Valley Museum is located on the main street in Big Piney. Artifacts from prehistoric Indians, pioneers, homesteaders and other various groups that have settled this area are on display at the museum. Many of the items displayed at the museum were donated by local families. 'Hard Hats and Stetsons' is the annual fundraiser for the museum. The name of the fundraiser itself reflects how important the cattle and oil industry have been for this valley.

The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 12:00 Noon until 4:00 PM from June into October (opening date varies, so watch for announcements on the specific date each year). Admission is by donation. Special tours can be arranged by calling Museum Director Jeannie Lockwood at 307-276-3637.

For more information visit www.grvm.com

Chuckwagon Days July 3rd & 4th in Big Piney
Chuckwagon Days takes place each year over the 4th of July holiday in Big Piney. There is a Lil' Buckaroo Rodeo, a parade down Big Piney's main street followed by a free BBQ at the Sublette County Fairgrounds, an afternoon rodeo, street dance and late evening fireworks (on the 4th).

The "Chuckwagon Chug" a 5k and 10k Walk/Run, will be held on July 4th, before the Big Piney Parade. Start/Finish is at the Big Piney High School parking lot. There will be prizes for top finishers and gift bags for all contestants.

More information about Chuckwagon Days can be found here: www.ChuckwagonDays.com

Local Lodging
If you are looking for local lodging and places to stay in the Big Piney-Marbleton areas, be sure to check the Sublette County Chamber of Commerce website under lodging. Big Piney and Marbleton are located about 35 miles south of Pinedale, so look under motels, RV parks and campgrounds specific to our towns.
Lodging Links:
Bed & Breakfasts, Cabins, Motels, Guest Ranches, RV
www.sublettechamber.com

Camping near Big Piney & Marbleton
The closest campgrounds are located on the Big Piney Ranger District of the Bridger-Teton National Forest. They offer two developed campgrounds and many opportunities for dispersed camping in the Wyoming Range west of Big Piney and Marbleton. The forest boundary is approximately 20 miles from local businesses and town services. For detailed information, contact the district office at 307-276-3375.

Sacajewea Campground Located 25 miles west of Big Piney. This campground has 26 sites, basic amenities, and is open June 15th through September 30th. The camping fee is $7.00 per site, per night. This campground has running water, an on-site host, and is well maintained. No electricity, showers or phone.

Middle Piney Lake Campground This is a primitive campground located further down the road from the Sacajewea Campground. This camp area is next to Middle Piney Lake and has 5 tent sites, tables and pit toilets. NO running water, electricity, showers or phone service. NO fees. Because of the narrow winding road to this campground, it is not recommended to take trailers to the lake site.

Forest Service Cabins Big Piney Ranger District offers two Forest Service work centers for rent for overnight stays. One is located at Snider Basin and the other in the Hoback. Contact the Big Piney office for more information on availability and fees.

NOTICE ABOUT BEARS: These campgrounds are in bear country. Both black bears and grizzly bears inhabit the Wyoming mountain range. Visitors are strongly encouraged to practice clean camping techniques and store attractants in a manner that makes them unavailable to bears. Bear-proof canisters are available for rent from the Big Piney Ranger District office. Bear-proof dumpsters are located at various locations at campgrounds and recreation areas on National Forest land.

Dispersed Camping:
There are practically unlimited opportunities for dispersed camping on the Bridger-Teton National Forest near Big Piney/Marbleton. The forest boundary is approximately 20 miles from town. Stay limit is 16 days in any one location. Campers should either bring their own water or boil water obtained from sources in the outdoors to avoid getting sick from organisms that live in lakes and streams. Do not drink untreated surface water. Dispersed camping is available along the Piney, Cottonwood and LaBarge Creek drainages.

Camping on BLM land
There are no developed campgrounds on BLM land near Big Piney or Marbleton, however there are many places for dispersed camping for those who are prepared to bring their own drinking water and camp without developed facilities. For more information, contact the Pinedale Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management in Pinedale.

Private RV Campgrounds
There are several private businesses that offer RV campsites for overnight and extended stays. Most have power, water and sewer hookups. Click here to our sister website, Pinedale Online, for info about private RV campgrounds and services.

Related Links:
Bridger-Teton National Forest/Big Piney Ranger District
Sublette County Chamber of Commerce

Big Piney, Wyoming, "Ice Box of the Nation"

Big Piney & Marbleton
Ice Box of the Nation
Big Piney is the oldest settlement in Sublette County, Wyoming and was named by Dan B. Budd for the Piney Creeks. In 1879, Daniel B. Budd and his partner Hugh McKay brought a thousand head of cattle from Nevada hoping to ship them at Point of Rocks, but winter caught up to them here in the Green River Valley. The following year Dan Budd moved his family here and that is how the settlement of this town began. Big Piney was called "Ice Box of the Nation" when it was officially made a weather station in 1930. Big Piney had the coldest year round average temperature of any place nationally.

It's a curiosity, considering most Wyoming towns are few and far between, that Big Piney and Marbleton would only be a mile apart. They have separate post offices and town governments. Big Piney was incorporated on July 5, 1913. In the early days there was a lot of drainage problems with the site on which Big Piney was built. So Charles Budd, eldest son to Dan B Budd had hope to build the town up on the bench to alleviate this problem. Charles did establish Marbleton on the bench, in late 1913, but it never replaced Big Piney. Any attempts to combine the two towns has been unsuccessful. The truth is people here kinda' like it that way. Both towns cooperate with each other, they have a common school. The citizens of these two towns take a lot of pride in the growth of their little metropolis over the past years and think the founders would be proud too. Both communities have thrived in the last several decades because of the oil and gas industry. In the 1980's Marbleton recieved it's own post office, because of the number of people moving to the area.

To contribute information to this community website,
please e-mail: info@bigpiney.com or info@marbleton.com.
Phone: 307-276-5699 • Fax: 307-276-5414