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Pinedale Online > News > December 2006 > Green River Rondy 2006

Jon Bunderson. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
Jon Bunderson
Jon Bunderson and his team, from Soda Springs, Idaho, make the climb from the 12-dog starting line over the steep hill into the Moose-Gypsum drainage for the 28-mile course on Saturday. Bunderson wore the "Bootjack" brand from the Jim & Margret Noble Ranch in Cora.

Andy Nelson. Photo by Dawn Ballou, Pinedale Online.
Andy Nelson
Cowboy humorist Andy Nelson hosted the Charity Calcutta on Friday night at Bottoms Up Brewery, auctioning off the mushers. The calcutta raised around $5200.

2006 Rondy Mushers. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
2006 Rondy Mushers
Mushers who raced in the 2006 Green River Rondy pose for a group photo after Saturday's race.

McKenzie Hartwig. Photo by The Hartwig Family.
McKenzie Hartwig
Pinedale High School graduate McKenzie Hartwig died in 2001 from meningococcal meningitis.
Green River Rondy 2006
Sled Dog Race
by Pinedale Online!
December 30, 2006

The 2006 Green River Rondy Sled Dog Race was held Saturday & Sunday, December 30-31 in the Upper Green north of Pinedale.

The event kicked off on Friday night with a Calcutta at Bottoms Up Brewery in Pinedale to auction off the mushers. A portion of the money raised in the Calcutta will be given to charity, with this year's beneficiary being the local McKenzie Meningitis Foundation.

The two-day event had races for 6-dog and 12-dog teams. Racers compete both days and the time for both days is combined to determine the overall winner.

The 6-dog teams ran a 14-mile course along the Continental Divide Snowmobile Trail, looping part the way up the Union Pass Road, then back to the snowmobile parking lot at the Bridger-Teton National Forest boundary. New for 2006 was the course for the 12-dog teams up Moose-Gypsum on a 28-mile course. The 12-dog race left the parking lot and teams climbed a steep hill to the Moose-Gypsum drainage. Their course took them back to the Green River Lakes road to the snowmobile parking lot at the Forest boundary.

Racers came from Wyoming, Idaho, Wisconsin, Utah, South Dakota, Oregon, Montana, Colorado, Alaska and Minnesota to compete. Thanks to the generous support of BP America, the race had a $8,600 guaranteed purse.

Instead of race numbers, mushers wore bibs which featured the brands of local area ranchers, in tribute to Sublette County's western ranching heritage.

The major sponsor for the race was BP, which went to great lengths to make this a fun and entertaining event for the racers and spectators. They erected a warming tent for spectators near the Start/Finish line and had plenty of food and drinks available for spectators. They placed four video cameras at strategic locations along the courses with a live video feed to a 4-way split monitor in the warming tent. Many people opted to watch the race on the monitors from the comfort of the hospitality tent out of the biting wind. With early morning temperatures dipping to -8, and a strong wind and wind chill, the warming tent was a welcome addition for spectators, mushers and race staff.

BP also very generously provided saucer sleds for kids to play on and entertain themselves on the nearby sledding hills. The kids got to keep the sleds and take them home with them.

Many volunteers helped put on the event, including the Sublette County Joint Tourism Promotion Board. Other race sponsors were Electrical Dynamics Inc, Adanac Sleds & Equipment, AmeriHost Pinedale Inn, the Cowboy Shop, NutriSource, Bottoms Up Brewery, Faler's General Store, Randy R. Pitt Construction, Wiggy's, Caribou Creek Gold Pet Food, Mountain Ridge Sled Dog Equipment, James Thomas of High Mountain Real Estate and Pinedale Online.

RACE RESULTS:
Saturday, December 30 race results (PDF)

Photos by Clint Gilchrist and Dawn Ballou, Pinedale Online!



Related Links
  • www.greenriverrondy.com - Green River Rondy Sled Dog Race website
  • www.bp.com - BP America
  • www.themckenziefoundation.org - The McKenzie Meningitis Foundation

  • Getting Ready for the Race. Photo by Dawn Ballou, Pinedale Online.
    Getting Ready for the Race
    Kayla Corcoran, of Rozet, Wyoming, and Allan Berge, of Glenrock, Wyoming, get their sled teams ready for Saturday's race. Kayla wore Grant Beck's "Two Bar Spear" brand and Allan wore the "Bar V R" brand from Robert & Debbie Ray in Daniel.

    Video Cameras. Photo by Dawn Ballou, Pinedale Online.
    Video Cameras
    BP set up four video cameras around the race courses, with the images fed live onto a display monitor inside the hospitality tent. Those who didn't want to venture out into the cold could watch the racers leave and cross the finish line from the comfort of the warming tent.

    McKenzie Meningitis Foundation. Photo by Dawn Ballou, Pinedale Online.
    McKenzie Meningitis Foundation
    Money raised during the Rondy Charity Calcutta went to the McKenzie Meningitis Foundation, a local organization dedicated to raising public awareness of this vaccine-preventable disease.

    Janet Smith-12-dog start. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
    Janet Smith-12-dog start
    Janet Smith, from Fairbanks, Alaska, gets ready for her start at the 12-dog race starting line on Saturday. Janet's team ran wearing the "Circle S" brand of Mary Josie George in Cora.

    Up the 12-dog hill. Photo by Dawn Ballou, Pinedale Online.
    Up the 12-dog hill
    Steven Duren, of Spirit Lake, Idaho, takes off from the 12-dog race starting line to climb the steep hill into the Moose-Gypsum course. Duren wore the "F Bench" brand of Jay & Sandy McGinnis in Big Piney.

    Dan Carter 12-dog race. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
    Dan Carter 12-dog race
    Dan Carter, from Jackson, Wyoming, climbs the steep turns along the 28-mile Moose-Gypsum course on Saturday. Dan's team wore the "River D" brand of Dru Roberts in Daniel.

    Sue Morgan. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
    Sue Morgan
    Sue Morgan, from Richmond, Utah, rides through a scenic aspen grove along the 28-mile 12-dog Moose-Gypsum course on Saturday. Sue wore the "Wave Open V" brand of Sharon Harrell of Daniel.

    Steve Riggs. Photo by Pinedale Online.
    Steve Riggs
    Steve Riggs, from Condon, Montana, raced in the 12-dog class. He wore the "Turtle" brand of Bob & Florence Beard in Daniel.

    Charlie LaBoda. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
    Charlie LaBoda
    Charlie LaBoda's team, from Grand Marais, Minnesota, climbs the steep hills of the 12-dog team Moose-Gypsum course on Saturday. Charlie wore Doc Johnston's "J T Reverse J" brand.

    Warming Tent. Photo by Dawn Ballou, Pinedale Online.
    Warming Tent
    Race sponsor BP America brought in a warming tent for the race. Located near the Start/Finish lines, it was a much-welcome addition for spectators and participants. Temperatures started out at -8 degrees on Saturday morning. BP also generously provided food and drinks. Spectators could view the images from the race video cams on a monitor inside the tent.

    Dual 6-dog start. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
    Dual 6-dog start
    The 6-dog class had dual starts this year, adding more excitement to the race start. Saturday morning started off very cold negative number temperatures and an icy wind, but later warmed up into the 20s.

    David Benson. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
    David Benson
    David Benson was one of the first two teams out of the starting gate for the 6-dog race. He is from Sandpoint, Idaho, and raced under Irv Lozier's "IRV" brand.

    Frank Caccavo. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
    Frank Caccavo
    Frank Caccavo, from Deer Park, Washington, ran in the 6-dog class wearing the "A Cross" brand of the Zembo Brothers in Boulder.

    Curt Roth. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
    Curt Roth
    Curt Roth, from Post Falls, Idaho, leaves the starting line on the 14-mile course for the 6-dog race. He wore Mike Beard's "Steerhead" brand.

    Clint Hallam. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
    Clint Hallam
    Clint Hallam, from Lyman, Wyoming, has been racing for 10 years. His team ran under the "Lazy H Hangin' X" brand of John Wardell.

    Watching the race cameras. Photo by Dawn Ballou, Pinedale Online.
    Watching the race cameras
    BP set up four live video cameras at strategic locations on the race course. The images were fed into a monitor inside the hospitality tent near the Start/Finish line so spectators could watch from the warmth of the tent. Race organizers hope to be able to have more cameras on the course next year.

    Casey Boulter. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
    Casey Boulter
    Casey Boulter, from Big Piney, competed in the 6-dog race on Saturday. He wore the "Lazy K Slash Lazy B" Richard Brewer brand.

    Jean Wise. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
    Jean Wise
    Jean Wise, from Rapid City, South Dakota, competed in the 6-dog race under the Norm Pape "Runnin' M E" brand.

    Race Video Cameras. Photo by Dawn Ballou, Pinedale Online.
    Race Video Cameras
    There were four video cameras at strategic locations on the race courses showing sled dog teams and snowmobilers. One camera had technical difficulties, demonstrating the challenges of using technology in remote locations, but the rest worked great!

    Steven Duren. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
    Steven Duren
    Steven Duren takes his team high above the Green River Valley along the 28-mile Moose-Gypsum course on Saturday.

    Kermit Price. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
    Kermit Price
    Kermit Price, from Millville, Utah, ran in the 6-dog race on Saturday. He wore the Big Piney Cottonwood Ranch "Double Dishpans" brand.

    Mark Levitski. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
    Mark Levitski
    Mark Levitski, from Bryant, Wisconsin, heads towards the finish line on Saturday. Mark wore Garlie Swain's "V Slash K" brand.

    Kate St Onge. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
    Kate St Onge
    Kate St. Onge, from Millville, Utah, rode under Tharon Greenwood's "Bar Flyin' V" brand. One of Kate's sled dogs is tucked in the sled getting a ride for the last part of the course.

    Katie St Onge. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
    Katie St Onge
    Katie St. Onge rode in with a passenger during Saturday's race.

    Elizabeth Levitski Janet Smith. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
    Elizabeth Levitski Janet Smith
    Elizabeth Levitski, of Bryant, Wisconsin, leads her 6-dog team, with Fairbanks musher Janet Smith right behind her with her 12-dog team on the way to the finish line. Elizabeth wore the "Dot Diamond Dot" brand of Mark Steele.

    Doug Willett. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
    Doug Willett
    Doug Willett, from Seeley Lake, Montana, raced in the 12-dog class wearing the "Bar Cross" brand of John Blatt of Cora. Kayla Corcoran's team is behind him.

    Kayla Corcoran. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
    Kayla Corcoran
    14-year old Kayla Corcoran, from Rozet, Wyoming, raced in the 6-dog class. She wore Grant Beck's "Two Bar Spear" brand.

    Barrie Raper. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
    Barrie Raper
    Barrie Raper, from Pinedale, raced under Charlie & Cindy Mitchell's "Rafter C Runnin' M" brand in the 6-dog race.

    Leslie Fields. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
    Leslie Fields
    Leslie Fields, from Loveland, Colorado, raced in the 6-dog class. She wore the "Snowcap" brand of Bill & Phyllis Mayo in Boulder.

    Dave Turner. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
    Dave Turner
    Dave Turner, from Sandy, Oregon, wore the "R U Lazy 2" brand of Roy & Peg Snow in Big Piney. Dave was the winner of the 6-dog race in last year's Green River Rondy.

    Pat Potts. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
    Pat Potts
    Pat Potts, from Helena, Montana, had the "red team". Potts wore the "Open A P" brand of the Sommers Ranch in Pinedale.

    Robin Beall. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
    Robin Beall
    Robin Beall, from Grand Marais, Minnesota, competed in the 12-dog race under Bondurant rancher, Kevin Campbell's "Double Flyin' U" brand.

    Ryan Anderson-Leslie Fields. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
    Ryan Anderson-Leslie Fields
    Ryan Anderson, from Ray, Minnesota, rode in the 12-dog race under the Lary Lozier "Anvil" brand. Leslie Fields, from Loveland, Colorado, competed in the 6-dog race under the "Snowcap" brand of Bill & Phyllis Mayo of Boulder.

    Tabetha Berge. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
    Tabetha Berge
    Tabetha Berge, from Glenrock, Wyoming, competed in the 6-dog race under Bob & Carolyn Bing's "Lacy J C" brand.

    Bruce Harper. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
    Bruce Harper
    Bruce Harper, from Rifle, Colorado, raced in the 6-dog class. He wore Mike Ramsey's "Rockin' R Diamond" brand.

    Jerry Bath. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
    Jerry Bath
    Jerry Bath, of Lander, Wyoming, competed in the 6-dog race. He wore Edna Swain's "Grubbin' Hoe" brand.

    Lanette Kimball. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
    Lanette Kimball
    Lanette Kimball, of Pegram, Idaho, wasn't wearing her bib for some reason. She was listed as being under Lance & Lana Kopperhafer "Reverse L K Quarter Circle" brand in the 12-dog class.

    Tory Corcoran. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
    Tory Corcoran
    17-year old Tory Corcoran, from Rozet, Wyoming, competed in the 6-dog race. He wore Julie Bain Soderberg's "U P Bar" brand. Tory's father, Danny, and 14-year old sister, Kayla, also competed in this year's Green River Rondy.

    Allan Berge. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
    Allan Berge
    Allan Berge, from Glenrock, Wyoming, competed under Robert & Debbie Ray's "Bar V R" brand in the 12-dog race.

    Mary Jane Davies. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
    Mary Jane Davies
    Mary Jane Davies, from Post Falls, Idaho, ran in the 6-dog race under the Bondurant Little Jenny Ranch "Quarter Circle G T" brand.

    Terry Adkins. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
    Terry Adkins
    Terry Adkins, from Sand Coulee, Montana, competed in the 12-dog race. He wore the "Rockin' Chair" brand of John Chrisman of Big Piney.

    Kathy MacKay. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
    Kathy MacKay
    Kathy MacKay, of Pinedale, seems to be saying, "Look Ma, no hands!" as she comes up over the hill and sees the photographer during the 12-dog race on Saturday. Kathy is one of the organizers for the Green River Rondy sled dog race.

    Snowmobilers. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
    Snowmobilers
    The Green River Rondy sled dog race took place on trails that are also part of the Continental Divide Snowmobile trail system. Snowmobilers sharing the trails during the race were very courteous and most pulled over to the side and stopped when sled dog teams came near.

    Sled Dogs on Trail Sign. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
    Sled Dogs on Trail Sign
    A sign warns snowmobilers that they may also encounter sled dog teams on the snowmobile trail. The area is also used by elk, deer and moose for winter range habitat.

    Vicky Massey. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
    Vicky Massey
    Vicky Massey, from Spirit Lake, Idaho, competed in the 6-dog race under Ade & Eric Peterson's "U X" brand.

    Danny Corcoran. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
    Danny Corcoran
    Danny Corcoran, from Rozet, Wyoming, raced in the 6-dog class under the "Circle Slash" brand of the Big Piney Circle Cattle Company. His 17-year old son, Tory, and 14-year old daughter, Kayla, also raced in this year's Rondy. J.R. Anderson is behind him in the distance.

    Curt Roth. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
    Curt Roth
    Curt Roth, from Post Falls, Idaho, on the 6-dog course. He ran under Mike Beard's "Steerhead" brand.

    J R Anderson. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
    J R Anderson
    J. R. Anderson, from Ray, Minnesota, has been racing sled dogs since he was 7-years old, according to his biography announced at the Calcutta. He competed in this year's 12-dog class, and wore Kip & Bonnie Alexander's "A Reverse N" brand.

    Return View. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
    Return View
    The view looking south down the Upper Green River Valley on the return leg of the race course. Curt Roth and Tory Corcoran are about a mile from the finish line.

    Martin Koenig. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
    Martin Koenig
    Martin Koenig, from Seeley Lake, Montana, ran in the 12-dog race under Brad Bousman's "K Nine Bar" brand.

    Emily Wade Finish. Photo by Dawn Ballou, Pinedale Online.
    Emily Wade Finish
    12-year old LaBarge, Wyoming, musher Emily Wade, crosses the finish line on Saturday. Emily raced under the "Bar 33" brand of Gordon & Joan Mitchell of Big Piney. Steve Riggs, from Condon, Montana, brings in his 12-dog team behind her.

    Emily Wade after the race. Photo by Dawn Ballou, Pinedale Online.
    Emily Wade after the race
    Emily Wade is congratulated by family and friends, and gives her dogs a hug, after finishing her first Green River Rondy sled dog race on Saturday.

    Sledding Fun. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
    Sledding Fun
    BP generously donated sleds for the kids to use to play on the nearby hills while waiting for the sled dog teams to come back in. The kids got to keep the sleds.

    Water and Food. Photo by Dawn Ballou, Pinedale Online.
    Water and Food
    Musher Kathy MacKay, of Pinedale, gives her dogs water and food after their race on Saturday. This is the first year Kathy has competed in the 12-dog race class.

    Frozen Green River. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
    Frozen Green River
    This area of the Green River has historical significance. In the late 1860s, this was the site of a bustling tie hack camp. Lumberjack crews spent the winter cutting trees from the nearby sidehills. They then shaped them by hand into uniform ties and slid them down to the Green River, where a boom across the river held them back and kept them from floating down stream. When spring thaw high waters came, the stockpiled ties were released and swept downstream 130 miles to Green River, to be used by the Union Pacific railroad in building lines. The Rondy sled dog teams rode past a historical sign marking the site during their races.

    Tie Hack Sign. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
    Tie Hack Sign
    Historic Marker Sign on the Green River Lakes road describing the early tie hack history of the Upper Green River area.

    Snow paw print. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
    Snow paw print
    A sled dog's paw print impression is left in the snow after the Green River Rondy sled dog race on Saturday.
    Pinedale Online > News > December 2006 > Green River Rondy 2006

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