Lila Wheatley, Event Coordinator for the 10th Coney Classic Alpine Skijor and Dog Party, called into the Weekday Wake-Up on Monday, January 19 to discuss the details on this year’s event. Proceeds benefit Alpine Trail and Pathways and Lucky’s Place.

(0:00) Lila Wheatley joining me over the phone right now this morning. Lila, of course, with the Alpine, (0:06) the Coney Classic Skijor and Dog Party held at Alpine. Lila, as always, it’s a pleasure.

Good (0:12) morning. How are you doing today? Great. Thank you for having me.

How are you doing? (0:16) Doing fantastic. Appreciate your time. Tell us about this annual great event that’s happening (0:21) in Alpine.

How many years now has the Skijor and Dog Party taken place? (0:27) This will be the 10th year. Fantastic. So 10 years.

(0:33) Take us back 10 years ago and maybe talk to us about how this event has grown over those 10 (0:40) years and how maybe it’s a little different than it was in 2016, I guess. Yes. So the reason we (0:47) started it was to raise money to groom the trails and to give some of that money that we raised to (0:56) Lucky’s Place.

And we used the idea from the original Coney Classic, which took place back in (1:04) Jackson. That started in 2001 and ran for about 11 or 12 years. And they were always looking for (1:11) Maria Hayashida, the person who started it in Jackson, was always looking for someone to take (1:16) it over and started in Jackson.

But the logistics just didn’t lend to that. And so when we needed (1:23) an event to raise more money to groom the trails here in Alpine, I called her and asked her and she (1:29) said, absolutely, please take it over and continue it. So we did.

And back then we were also trying (1:36) to raise money for our own groomer, which we did. And that was successful. But we found that the (1:44) groomer that we had, which was smaller, kind of pulled by a razor side by side type vehicle, (1:51) was not quite big enough for what we needed.

And it was just logistically better for us to (1:59) hire that out from a company in Jackson that has the big machine that grooms all the big trails (2:05) everywhere. And so that costs $150 every time they come from Jackson to groom for us. And so we (2:13) started that probably about five years ago.

And it is just logistically better to do it that way. (2:19) And because we have such great trails that our unique facet is that we allow dogs. And a lot (2:30) of the groomed trails everywhere else do not.

And so we have a mutt mitt station that was provided (2:36) by PAWS from Jackson so that we can keep the trails clean. A lot of people say that we don’t (2:41) keep them clean, but it’s up to everybody. We don’t have a poop fairy that goes and cleans the (2:46) trails.

So we have to rely on everybody to do their part. And so the good thing is we do allow (2:55) the dogs. And so in this ski tour event, we ask people if they want to attach themselves to their (3:02) dogs or not.

They don’t have to be attached. As long as they’re under decent, obedient control (3:08) that they’re not going to go crash into another skier, then they can have their dogs loose and (3:13) run with them. So this was just a way that, of course, the event has grown over the years.

(3:20) Originally, it just started with raffle items and pizza and drinks and a little bit of music. (3:26) And now we have a silent auction and a much bigger raffle. And it’s so nice that all the (3:35) local businesses, especially even a lot of the small family owned businesses, donate money or (3:40) donate their in-kind services or donate items for the raffles or for the silent auction.

(3:50) And so it’s so nice to see all the, I mean, we even have new companies that contact us, (3:56) small family owned companies that really want to help out. And so they do, (4:02) they donate. And it’s just so nice to see that.

(4:06) Lila Wheatley, event coordinator with the Coney Classic Alpine Skid Row and Dog Party that takes (4:11) place on January, let’s see, what is the date? Is it 31st, right? Saturday, January 31st. It’s at (4:18) the end of County Road 100 west of the Alpine Airport. One of the great things about this (4:22) event, Lila, is it’s for all levels, right? You have time trials, but then you just have those (4:27) that want to just come do it for fun and give it a shot.

It really is for anybody. (4:32) Yes, that is correct. So we have a 4K loop and it is, like you said, you know, (4:39) the people that are a little bit more serious racers, they might want to go out first.

(4:45) And the time trials start between 11 and 1230 and you just, it’s very relaxed atmosphere. It’s not (4:53) like a race where everybody, yes, you do get registered and you do have a number, but that’s (4:58) for our timers to keep better track of people. And it’s not like you have to be at the start line (5:05) right at 11 o’clock.

You can show up anywhere between 11 and 1230 and say, hey, yeah, I want (5:11) to go out on the trails. Can you find me or not? You can just, you know, anybody that goes on the (5:17) trails who would like to have a number just so we can keep track of them, but they don’t have to (5:22) get timed if they don’t want. And so a lot of people just go out for the fun of it.

Absolutely. (5:27) You mentioned all the community support and the business donations. What are maybe some of the (5:31) top raffle items and some things that people could win if they attend this? Okay.

So in our (5:38) silent auction, those are the, usually the higher valued items. We have a round of golf for four (5:44) at Snake River Sporting Club. We have two different companies donating sled dog tours.

(5:51) That’s Jackson Hole Iditarod in Bondurant. And then we also have out at Teton Village Call of (5:57) the Wild. And then we have river rafting trips from Dave Hanson Rafting.

And we have, let’s see, (6:08) those are the top ones in the, oh, and we have overnight guests, overnight accommodations at (6:16) Boxfly Guest Ranch up the Grace River Road. So, and then we have different prize packages that (6:24) we’ve put together some larger items and combined them with other items. Like we have a big grilling (6:31) package with a grill and a certificate from Jack Nice Beef and the grill was donated by (6:38) Ace Hardware and, you know, different things like that.

We have a spa package where we have (6:43) Mountain Oasis spa and then lots of other items that were donated from other places (6:49) that make up a little spa. And then we have a big dog basket, of course, (6:54) since we have lots of people that donate dog items. So on those bigger raffle baskets, we are (6:59) putting, doing those deck of cards.

So you have one chance in 52 where we cut the deck of cards in (7:06) half and then everybody buys a ticket. I believe those raffle tickets are like $20 each. So there’s (7:13) a little bit of everything.

Absolutely. So again, January 31st, 10 to 2 with the time trials from (7:19) 11 to 1230 in Alpine, the annual Coney Classic Alpine Skid Row and Dog Party, 10th year for this. (7:25) Lila Wheatley, the event coordinator joining me today.

Lila, you mentioned how this all goes (7:29) towards Alpine Trails and Pathways. They do so much around the community of Alpine and maybe (7:35) just touch on that a little, if you would, what the funds will be used for again that is raised (7:39) from this event. Yes.

So we do have to pay the company that comes down from Hoback, (7:48) Bouchon Grooming, and they have the big machine that they have to trailer down and then they groom (7:53) for us. And then the other money goes towards our smaller groomer, which we have a couple different (8:00) ones that volunteers do around Alpine. So we have the smaller groomer roller that goes behind a (8:07) snowmobile that grooms on the bench, the Grays River bench that goes up the Grays River.

And (8:13) then we also have, we just started this year grooming some more trails near the 4-H camp. (8:18) And so again, we have a smaller groomer that’s a pole behind the snowmobile that goes up in the (8:22) woods across the highway from the Alpine campground up in the woods near the 4-H camp. So (8:28) those are two fairly newer ones that we’ve been grooming so that if people want to take off in (8:34) the woods, they can do that and not have to be out in the open.

So we have three different sets (8:40) of trails that are being groomed at this point. And of course Lucky’s Place benefits from this (8:45) event too, correct? Yes, yes. So we always try to split the proceeds with Lucky’s and they have (8:52) some volunteers that we’re very grateful for that always come and help us, Lisa and Diane.

And they (8:59) kind of head up the registration and they head up the music and help us with getting the tent (9:06) set up. The big thing, that’s one of the big things that’s different from the beginning is (9:10) we always used to have to rent a tent. Now we have our own tent.

But we always are looking for (9:15) people to help us come and set it up because it’s more than a four-person deal. It takes about (9:21) a dozen people to get that set up. So we always are looking for volunteers to do that.

So (9:29) there are posters around the valley that tell all the different items and it also has my phone (9:34) number on there too if people want to help. And they can also contact us on the Facebook page if (9:41) they would like to help. And then the other thing that we always mention is we try to make it really (9:48) fun and people are laughing the whole time because we have costume class.

So there are prizes for the (9:53) prizes for the first few places in the competition for the time trial. (10:01) Love it. Great event.

Excellent community event. Well run. Lila Wheatley, event coordinator with (10:07) the Coney Classic Alpine’s Gadroin Dog Party, January 31st, west of the Alpine Airport.

Lila, (10:12) as always, thank you. Anything we missed we need to mention today? (10:16) No. I just think that bring the kids and the families and the dogs.

It is a really funny, (10:26) fun event to see all the dogs running around having their own party. And it’s just the dogs (10:32) are having a good time just running around like crazy. And a lot of people are throwing balls (10:38) and sticks and it’s just it’s kind of chaotic but it’s very funny to watch.

Absolutely. Well, (10:44) that’s Lila Wheatley and the Coney Classic, January 31st, 10 to 2, (10:48) with time trials from 11 to 12 30. It’s the Weekday Wake Up on SVI Radio.