• Group gives back to the community in different ways.
Top of the Rockies has expanded to be much more than snowmobile club over the years. The Alpine based organization has become a service organization, helping the community with events, assisting families in need, and promoting year-round outdoor recreation.
Top of the Rockies is a non-profit organization committed to service in many forms.
“We were originally a group focused on snowmachines, but it has become a four-season club,” explained Alex Sinclair, Top of the Rockies President. “But it’s not all just motorized. There is so much outdoors; we are blessed to live in this area. And everyone that is part of this club enjoys the outdoors. And not only do we enjoy the outdoors, we enjoy giving back to our community.”
When it is time to snowmobile, Top of the Rockies enjoys some of the best snow in the Intermountain West as the club is located at one of the major entrances to the Bridger-Teton National Forest in western Wyoming. “It’s some of the best I have seen,” he said of the snowmobile opportunities in and around Alpine.
Other events coordinated through Top of the Rockies include assisting the American Legion with Bingo twice a month, the annual community Thanksgiving dinner and a post-Christmas party, held in January to better accommodate busy holiday schedules.
“We do our own Thanksgiving Dinner,” he explained. “It’s quite a big deal; it’s not just for those in need but for those who need a reason to gather, congregate and have fun.”
The latest community Thanksgiving dinner included 30 volunteers, with a starting time of 9 a.m. and finish time of 5 p.m. They served “just over 220 plates” of Thanksgiving dinners in November.
Additional projects include safety shelters in the Greys River Country. They recently completed the teepee shelter. “About five years ago, working with Next Level, we purchased a teepee and put it up at the top of Squaw Creek, near the top of the mountain,” Sinclair said. “And on the first night it was used as a base of operations for a search that same day. The man that was lost eventually made his way to the teepee.
Top of the Rockies stores a propane tank and a buddy heater for just such events. The teepee is one of three shelters coordinated through the club. Two other safety shelters are located at the trail head of Murphey Lake and another at Steer Creek by McCain Meadows.
The club also helps people who could use assistance. “We gave to eight separate families in need, families that had a tragedy and needed support,” he said. “We reach out to the entire valley. We bring Upper and Lower valley together. We’ve made donations in Freedom and Bedford.” Many of the donations have included fund raising events.
Additional contributions to the community include equipment purchases help with some of the regular events. “We purchase all the safety supplies for Greys River area, help with the Alpine Jubilee, the Pink Ribbon Riders, a cancer fund raiser, and the Rotary Club.
Still more contributions and help from Top of the Rockies, include the Alpine Easter Egg Hunt, Patriots Camp, Jump Start, the food banks in Alpine and Thayne, Lincoln County 4-H, Thayne Senior Center, Lucky’s Place Shelter, Valor Ride and Star Valley Search and Rescue.
We are a group that loves giving back to the community, from donating to needy families, to hosting benefit events,” said Sinclair.”In 2023 we were able to donate $140,000 back to the community in all sorts of ways.”
Sinclair concluded, “We get together and work hard and try to give away as much as we can to help our community grow and prosper.”
For additional information see The Top of the Rockies website, ridealpine.com.
