◆ Teams begin leaving the chute at 9 a.m.
Continuing an annual tradition, Alpine is hosting a leg of the Pedigree Stage Stop Dog Sled Race Friday, February 3. Eighteen teams of dogs are scheduled to leave the chute from the Greys River trailhead at Greys River Road/Forest Service Road 10138 beginning at 9 a.m. Each team must race to the Box Y Lodge up the Greys River and back to the trailhead, totaling nearly 60 miles for the stage.
“This is one of the most unique events that you can experience in the mountain west,” said stage chair Angela Kinn in an interview with SVI News. “Not many states have them. It’s really cool that we have such a unique one that is done in stages.”
Alpine is the sixth of seven stage stops in the 2023 race, with mushers typically emerging from the canyon around 2 p.m. Each stage takes place at a different location in the Wyoming and Idaho area. Teams are timed and the shortest cumulative time wins the race, with the champion musher taking home a $165,000 purse.
The schedule this year includes a ceremonial start in Jackson that took place Friday, February 27. Mushers raced through downtown Jackson Hole with the community cheering them on, and Jr. Mushers riding in the baskets.
The Stage schedule includes:
• Teton County, Wyoming on January 28
• Lander, Wyoming on January 29
• Pinedale, Wyoming on January 30
• Big Piney and Marbleton, Wyoming on January 31
• Kemmerer, Wyoming on February 1
• February 2 is designated as a travel day
• Alpine, Wyoming on February 3
• Driggs, Idaho on February 4
With local businesses sponsoring individual teams, Pedigree sponsors the race and brings in food trucks, offering light refreshment and warm drinks for the public and for mushers coming in from racing. The public is invited to attend at the start and finish of each stage.
“It’s super exciting at the start line to see all of the dogs and hear where the mushers are from,” said Kinn. “They are here from all over the country and sometimes all over the world, which is really cool. It’s exciting to see how unique and diverse the mushing world is.”
For more information about the race, visit wyomingstagestop.org.
Pedigree Stage Stop Dog Sled Race 2023 Calendar Friday, January 27 – Ceremonial Start from downtown Jackson, Wyoming at 5:00 pm with booths and giveaways. Laser light Show by Encore.
Stage 1 – January 28, 2023
Teton County, Wyoming
First Start: 9 a.m. at Blackrock Ranger Station
Estimated Finish: 2 p.m. Blackrock Ranger Station
Stage 2 – January 29, 2023
Lander, Wyoming
Town Elevation: 5,358 ft
Stage Distance: 35
First Start: 9:00 am Bruce’s Bridge end of the road up Sinks Canyon. just past Sinks Canyon State Park Estimated Finish: 2 p.m.
Public Meet & Greet, January 28, 5:30-6:30 p.m. 200 block of Main St. in Lander
Stage 3 – January 30, 2023: Pinedale, Wyoming
• Town Elevation: 7,182
• Stage Distance: 34
• First Start: 9 a.m. at Upper Green River Trailhead. Cora End of Hwy 352 just west of the Upper Green Parking Lot
• Estimated Finish: 2 p.m.
• January 29th Public Meet & Greet. Location Dudley Key Sports Complex 4-6 p.m. Food & Drinks available
Stage 4 – January 31, 2023:
Big Piney/Marbleton, Wyoming
• Town Elevation: 6,994 ft
• Stage Distance: 35
• FirstStart:9a.m.MiddlePineyParkingLotoffroad350 20 miles from town
• Estimated Finish: 2 p.m.
• January 30, Meet & Greet, Marbleton Senior Center
Dinner 6 p.m.
Stage 5 – February 1, 2023:
Kemmerer, Wyoming
• Town Elevation: 6,949 ft
• Stage Distance: 34
• First Start: 9 a.m. Hams Fork Rd, Hams Fork Trail Head • Estimated Finish: 2 p.m.
Stage 6 – February 3, 2023: Alpine, Wyoming
• Town Elevation: 5,640
• Stage Distance: 30
• First Start: 9 a.m. at Greys River Trailhead • Estimated Finish: 2 p.m.
Stage 7: February 4, 2023:
Driggs, Idaho
• Town Elevation: 6,200 ft
• Stage Distance: 32
• First Start: 9 a.m. past Kay Dairy trailhead. Parking at the Start/Finish is limited. Please Plan to Carpool.
• Estimated Finish: 1 p.m. Community Meet & Greet 1-3 in town, February 4. behind the Driggs Community Center
in the Transit Center Park & Ride Lot.
• Awards Banquet
