By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
Land issues were at the top of the agenda during the Carbon County District 2 School Board’s Monday meeting.
Discussions about the land exchange between Medicine Bow and the school district for the construction of a new school in Medicine Bow stood forefront as board members evaluated the intended content of the memorandum of understanding, which remains to be written.
It should outline the details of the exchange as it relates to the three involved parties — the School Facilities Commission, the town of Medicine Bow, and District 2.
“We’re all on the same page with this,” Superintendent Bob Gates said. He expects the exchange to go smoothly.
Other land business included renewing the lease from a private landowner for continued use of the garage that serves as the bus barn at Medicine Bow, an item that required attention after being previously overlooked.
As the last piece of land business, the district is currently surveying land around Elk Mountain Elementary School for future modifications. However, legal right-of-way access to the road around the school has become an issue. The town should review its land-rights records before the next district meeting, but the issue should not inhibit building progress.
The board intends to keep offering a $3,000 signing bonus to new teachers, which is provided for relocation. It is in place primarily to attract teachers fresh out of school who have bills to pay, Gates said.
The board also approved the installation of the first of three stand-alone cooling units for the computer server rooms in the district’s schools to be installed before summer. Additionally, the district intends to issue a request for bids for bleachers, continuing progress with the Saratoga Middle High School track project.
Gates presented a report stating that the school has lost five students since December. A comparison with last year showed a decrease in enrollment of 20 students during the past year.
The board agreed to continue offering breakfast options to students, based on the program’s success as reported by Gates. It also considered modifications to salaries for the activity program that might offer increased compensation based on seniority.
The next meeting should be held Tuesday, Feb. 19 at 4 p.m. at the central office in Saratoga.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Panthers earn weekend split
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
The Lady Panthers returned home after a traveling weekend with a Friday win against Farson-Eden, 42-36, and a loss to Cokeville on Saturday, 71-41.
Saratoga High School coach Josh Sandlian saw his girls leave the bus without their heads in the game on Friday evening. “We were a little shaky in the first part, and our shots just weren’t falling,” he said.
The Panthers were also having trouble finding a defensive game that would work against Farson-Eden. Trying to shut down a couple of standout guards, Saratoga waffled between defending a man and a zone.
Despite several points at which the two teams were tied, Sandlian’s team led going into the second half. They maintained the advantage — leading by as many as 11 points at one point — up until the buzzer.
“(Farson-Eden) fought back to make it a close game at the end, but we did what we had to do to win,” Sandlian said.
The girls fine tuned their shooting in practice. Sandlian set the goal of 60 shots per game, and on Friday Saratoga just about reached it with 58. Unfortunately, they bucketed just 15 of those.
“We’ll be home for the next three weeks,” Sandlian said. “I’ve told them that we should have the chance to sink shots in our home gym.”
The Panthers had a lazy first half in Saturday’s game on Cokeville’s turf. After spending the night in Rock Springs, it seemed to suddenly hit home that the team had spent most of its season on the road, Sandlian said.
When they started the weekend, the Panthers “felt confident that if (they) beat the press, (they) could do well,” Sandlian said. However, their first half was rough. Channing Love earned a call for traveling as well as four fouls before halftime. The score was 44-19 in favor of Cokeville as the teams went into the locker room.
“I told the girls, ‘you girls need to find a way to win,’” Sandlian said. “The coaches can’t do it for you, your parents can’t do it for you. You and your teammates have to find it. You just have to want it.”
The pep talk paid off in the second half, as Saratoga stepped up to limit Cokeville to 27 points while they raked in 22. “They found a way to fight back and keep it close,” Sandlian said.
Returning home this weekend, Saratoga should play Hanna Elk Mountain Medicine Bow at 5:30 p.m. on Friday and Wyoming Indian at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Times staff writer
The Lady Panthers returned home after a traveling weekend with a Friday win against Farson-Eden, 42-36, and a loss to Cokeville on Saturday, 71-41.
Saratoga High School coach Josh Sandlian saw his girls leave the bus without their heads in the game on Friday evening. “We were a little shaky in the first part, and our shots just weren’t falling,” he said.
The Panthers were also having trouble finding a defensive game that would work against Farson-Eden. Trying to shut down a couple of standout guards, Saratoga waffled between defending a man and a zone.
Despite several points at which the two teams were tied, Sandlian’s team led going into the second half. They maintained the advantage — leading by as many as 11 points at one point — up until the buzzer.
“(Farson-Eden) fought back to make it a close game at the end, but we did what we had to do to win,” Sandlian said.
The girls fine tuned their shooting in practice. Sandlian set the goal of 60 shots per game, and on Friday Saratoga just about reached it with 58. Unfortunately, they bucketed just 15 of those.
“We’ll be home for the next three weeks,” Sandlian said. “I’ve told them that we should have the chance to sink shots in our home gym.”
The Panthers had a lazy first half in Saturday’s game on Cokeville’s turf. After spending the night in Rock Springs, it seemed to suddenly hit home that the team had spent most of its season on the road, Sandlian said.
When they started the weekend, the Panthers “felt confident that if (they) beat the press, (they) could do well,” Sandlian said. However, their first half was rough. Channing Love earned a call for traveling as well as four fouls before halftime. The score was 44-19 in favor of Cokeville as the teams went into the locker room.
“I told the girls, ‘you girls need to find a way to win,’” Sandlian said. “The coaches can’t do it for you, your parents can’t do it for you. You and your teammates have to find it. You just have to want it.”
The pep talk paid off in the second half, as Saratoga stepped up to limit Cokeville to 27 points while they raked in 22. “They found a way to fight back and keep it close,” Sandlian said.
Returning home this weekend, Saratoga should play Hanna Elk Mountain Medicine Bow at 5:30 p.m. on Friday and Wyoming Indian at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Miners dig too deep
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
Playing three game in three days, the Lady Miners felt the effects on Saturday as they lost to Guernsey-Sunrise by 13 points, 47-34.
“We just dug too deep of a hole (in the first half),” Miner coach Jackie Jones said. Her team was up against a deep bench and a crew that liked to push the ball.
The scoreboard read 24-13 going into the second half, but the Hanna Elk Mountain Medicine Bow girls rallied to close the gap. Their aggressiveness stopped the Guernsey-Sunrise offense, putting HEM point for point with its opponent. The Miners allowed only one unanswered two-pointer in that half.
“We kept fighting and kept working on Saturday,” Jones said. “We played to the buzzer.” Overall, the coach was pleased with her team’s performance, given all the adverse factors. “We hustled and had great transition defense,” she said.
Amanda Booth topped the scoring charts with 12 points, followed by Jennifer Korkow with 11. Penny Blauvelt contributed six points. Sarah McAtee led the team in rebounds with 15, assisted by teammates Blauvelt, with nine, and Korkow, with seven. Booth also had eight steals. Jones mentioned a positive performance from freshman Barbie Croteau who stepped into Saturday’s varsity game to deepen the Miner bench.
Times staff writer
Playing three game in three days, the Lady Miners felt the effects on Saturday as they lost to Guernsey-Sunrise by 13 points, 47-34.
“We just dug too deep of a hole (in the first half),” Miner coach Jackie Jones said. Her team was up against a deep bench and a crew that liked to push the ball.
The scoreboard read 24-13 going into the second half, but the Hanna Elk Mountain Medicine Bow girls rallied to close the gap. Their aggressiveness stopped the Guernsey-Sunrise offense, putting HEM point for point with its opponent. The Miners allowed only one unanswered two-pointer in that half.
“We kept fighting and kept working on Saturday,” Jones said. “We played to the buzzer.” Overall, the coach was pleased with her team’s performance, given all the adverse factors. “We hustled and had great transition defense,” she said.
Amanda Booth topped the scoring charts with 12 points, followed by Jennifer Korkow with 11. Penny Blauvelt contributed six points. Sarah McAtee led the team in rebounds with 15, assisted by teammates Blauvelt, with nine, and Korkow, with seven. Booth also had eight steals. Jones mentioned a positive performance from freshman Barbie Croteau who stepped into Saturday’s varsity game to deepen the Miner bench.
Chug too massive for Tigers
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
The Encampment girls lost to Chugwater on Saturday, 35-33.
The Tigers fell behind in the first quarter by five and “just couldn’t make up the deficit,” coach Jami Krein said.
Offensively, the girls were up against a tough crowd. Chugwater presented a half-court trap that forced Encampment to adjust its game. Free throws also proved difficult, as the ladies sunk four of 13.
Still, the Tigers achieved one of their goals. Hoping to get the posts more involved, Krein said her team left the game with increased scoring from that position.
“We weren’t sure what to expect,” Krein said. She mentioned the sophomore Chugwater star Kristine Hilger, who’s had a strong season and gave Encampment a good show.
The squad had solid teamwork as six girls scored, including high scorer Jamie Marchetti, who had 10. Mackenzie Rakness walked off with seven points, Kindle Soderberg with six and Chelsea Knotwell bucketed five, Lacey Hooker had three and Shelby Wilder shot two.
Despite the loss to Hanna Elk Mountain Medicine Bow on Friday, the girls were confident going into Saturday’s game. “We had beaten (Chugwater) twice last year,” Krein said. “That may have been part of our problem, starting the game off with a bit of overconfidence.”
Times staff writer
The Encampment girls lost to Chugwater on Saturday, 35-33.
The Tigers fell behind in the first quarter by five and “just couldn’t make up the deficit,” coach Jami Krein said.
Offensively, the girls were up against a tough crowd. Chugwater presented a half-court trap that forced Encampment to adjust its game. Free throws also proved difficult, as the ladies sunk four of 13.
Still, the Tigers achieved one of their goals. Hoping to get the posts more involved, Krein said her team left the game with increased scoring from that position.
“We weren’t sure what to expect,” Krein said. She mentioned the sophomore Chugwater star Kristine Hilger, who’s had a strong season and gave Encampment a good show.
The squad had solid teamwork as six girls scored, including high scorer Jamie Marchetti, who had 10. Mackenzie Rakness walked off with seven points, Kindle Soderberg with six and Chelsea Knotwell bucketed five, Lacey Hooker had three and Shelby Wilder shot two.
Despite the loss to Hanna Elk Mountain Medicine Bow on Friday, the girls were confident going into Saturday’s game. “We had beaten (Chugwater) twice last year,” Krein said. “That may have been part of our problem, starting the game off with a bit of overconfidence.”
Monday, January 21, 2008
When the weather outside is frightful...
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff reporter
As January nears its close and February prepares to breathe its icy frost across Wyoming roads, drivers should take time to update their vehicle survival kits and check their planning methods.
With plenty of cars and trucks sliding off the roads, Wyoming Department of Transportation officials say their employees have seen it all.
“We’ll get truckers coming through from warmer climates like California,” WyDOT representative Ross Doman said. “They’ll slide off the road, and you wouldn’t believe it. They’ll get out of their cabs in the blowing snow in shorts, T-shirts and sandals.”
Though they are more accustomed to handling adverse conditions, even the best Wyoming drivers should be prepared.
WyDOT provides a running list of items to be considered in the event of getting caught in less-than-ideal conditions.
Dave Kingham, in the public affairs office of WyDOT, said having a cell phone and a charger are of utmost importance. It gives the driver the opportunity to notify either highway patrol or the county sheriff of their condition and to get help as quickly as possible.
If caught in one of the many areas of Wyoming outside of cellular reception, Doman and Kingham both recommend staying with the car.
“How would you know where cell reception is?” Doman asked. “You really shouldn’t move. A plow driver should come along before too long, or the road will reopen and traffic will pick up again. It’s very rare that a road is closed longer than three days.” Kingham said closures average six to eight hours.
“Even if you think you’re relatively close to a town or a house, don’t try to walk to it,” Kingham said. “Bad visibility makes it very easy to get disoriented. In your car you’re protected. You’re also a bigger target for someone to find.” He said WyDOT plow drivers and troopers sweep the highway immediately after road closures to find stray vehicles.
A year ago, a West Coast family took a wrong turn in Oregon and was stranded in the snow for more than a week. The driver eventually left the vehicle to find help, but died en route. The rest of the family was found two days later by a helicopter. They had survived on bottled water, baby food and jelly. The event spurred WyDOT officials and others to talk more in depth about survival and rescue methods.
Neither representative had a specific answer for how long a person can live in a stranded vehicle. Doman considered it a medical issue.
“What we’re talking about is how long a person can survive without food and water, in the cold. It really isn’t something that has a set number,” Doman said. He listed aspects to consider, including one’s age, health, general fitness and how much fuel the car has.
Having a full tank enables the victim to turn the heater on for 10 to 15 minutes every hour to stay warm, he said. Just be sure to clear the area by the tailpipe to avoid carbon monoxide accumulation.
In addition to following preparation guidelines, Kingham recommended communicating with people in your destination. Always let someone know the intended route and the estimated time of arrival, he said. “That way, if you don’t get there, someone can have a good idea of where to look,” he said.
“What it comes down to is if you bring (your survival) items, clearly you’re preparing for the worst case scenario. You go off the road, maybe you flip your vehicle, you’re injured and you could be there a while. The more you listen to those suggestions the better off you’re going to be,” Doman said. “You never know, you might end up spending the night in your car.”
Official name common problem areas
Wyoming Department of Transportation public affairs representative Dave Kingham and spokesman Ross Doman outlined three of the most common reasons drivers encounter problems on Wyoming roads.
Often, drivers make ill-informed decisions. WyDOT recommends dialing 511 or using its Web site to get up to date and detailed information on road conditions.
Cruise control reduces the driver’s feel for the road, so the person is unable to detect slippage on black ice or other dangerous situations. It is often set in ideal conditions, but those conditions can change quickly, Kingham said. Paired with an automatic transmission, the car will downshift to maintain speed on hills. The added power will cause the wheels to slip and the driver to lose control, the pair said.
Most drivers attempt to drive faster than conditions permit. Interstate 80 closures between Rawlins and Cheyenne would often be unnecessary if drivers paid attention to the conditions and drove appropriately, Doman said.
Times staff reporter
As January nears its close and February prepares to breathe its icy frost across Wyoming roads, drivers should take time to update their vehicle survival kits and check their planning methods.
With plenty of cars and trucks sliding off the roads, Wyoming Department of Transportation officials say their employees have seen it all.
“We’ll get truckers coming through from warmer climates like California,” WyDOT representative Ross Doman said. “They’ll slide off the road, and you wouldn’t believe it. They’ll get out of their cabs in the blowing snow in shorts, T-shirts and sandals.”
Though they are more accustomed to handling adverse conditions, even the best Wyoming drivers should be prepared.
WyDOT provides a running list of items to be considered in the event of getting caught in less-than-ideal conditions.
Dave Kingham, in the public affairs office of WyDOT, said having a cell phone and a charger are of utmost importance. It gives the driver the opportunity to notify either highway patrol or the county sheriff of their condition and to get help as quickly as possible.
If caught in one of the many areas of Wyoming outside of cellular reception, Doman and Kingham both recommend staying with the car.
“How would you know where cell reception is?” Doman asked. “You really shouldn’t move. A plow driver should come along before too long, or the road will reopen and traffic will pick up again. It’s very rare that a road is closed longer than three days.” Kingham said closures average six to eight hours.
“Even if you think you’re relatively close to a town or a house, don’t try to walk to it,” Kingham said. “Bad visibility makes it very easy to get disoriented. In your car you’re protected. You’re also a bigger target for someone to find.” He said WyDOT plow drivers and troopers sweep the highway immediately after road closures to find stray vehicles.
A year ago, a West Coast family took a wrong turn in Oregon and was stranded in the snow for more than a week. The driver eventually left the vehicle to find help, but died en route. The rest of the family was found two days later by a helicopter. They had survived on bottled water, baby food and jelly. The event spurred WyDOT officials and others to talk more in depth about survival and rescue methods.
Neither representative had a specific answer for how long a person can live in a stranded vehicle. Doman considered it a medical issue.
“What we’re talking about is how long a person can survive without food and water, in the cold. It really isn’t something that has a set number,” Doman said. He listed aspects to consider, including one’s age, health, general fitness and how much fuel the car has.
Having a full tank enables the victim to turn the heater on for 10 to 15 minutes every hour to stay warm, he said. Just be sure to clear the area by the tailpipe to avoid carbon monoxide accumulation.
In addition to following preparation guidelines, Kingham recommended communicating with people in your destination. Always let someone know the intended route and the estimated time of arrival, he said. “That way, if you don’t get there, someone can have a good idea of where to look,” he said.
“What it comes down to is if you bring (your survival) items, clearly you’re preparing for the worst case scenario. You go off the road, maybe you flip your vehicle, you’re injured and you could be there a while. The more you listen to those suggestions the better off you’re going to be,” Doman said. “You never know, you might end up spending the night in your car.”
Official name common problem areas
Wyoming Department of Transportation public affairs representative Dave Kingham and spokesman Ross Doman outlined three of the most common reasons drivers encounter problems on Wyoming roads.
Often, drivers make ill-informed decisions. WyDOT recommends dialing 511 or using its Web site to get up to date and detailed information on road conditions.
Cruise control reduces the driver’s feel for the road, so the person is unable to detect slippage on black ice or other dangerous situations. It is often set in ideal conditions, but those conditions can change quickly, Kingham said. Paired with an automatic transmission, the car will downshift to maintain speed on hills. The added power will cause the wheels to slip and the driver to lose control, the pair said.
Most drivers attempt to drive faster than conditions permit. Interstate 80 closures between Rawlins and Cheyenne would often be unnecessary if drivers paid attention to the conditions and drove appropriately, Doman said.
Tully tallies 27 in Outlaw win
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff reporter
Shoot ’em up was the game plan of the Outlaws in their home duel against Douglas on Saturday as they ended the night with a 75-69 victory.
With a large student crowd and a parent fan pocket, as well as a smattering of Douglas supporters, the gym’s energy throbbed as Rawlins went nearly point for point against its opponent.
The team’s initial aggressiveness gave them a solid lead by the end of the third quarter. The Outlaws snared the Bearcats with a 13-point margin. The cheerleaders had the crowd on its feet. Every play was received with a gasp, a cheer, a groan or a taunt at the referee.
It was a story of being at the right place at the right time for much of the game. Aaron Willcox stepped in to have more than one successful attempt at swatting baskets away from Douglas. He also slid in to make crucial steals.
“Aaron is athletic, so he’s quicker than most,” head coach Linzie Green said. “He tends to get out of position, but he finds a way to get back in. And when he’s hitting his shots he’s virtually unstoppable.”
Willcox finished the night with 20 points, nailing several 3-pointers.
Casey Tully came off the bench after a prolonged academic absence to score 27 points for the team. Saturday marked the first game the team was at its full capacity of 19 players, bringing four back into play. It paid off when Tully and Trey Jebens each earned their fifth personal foul in the fourth quarter. Having a deeper bench allowed Green to substitute players who helped push toward the win.
The Bearcats brought it, but “it” was not enough to put them above the Outlaws. Their team leader, Shane Richedndifer, was a solid contender for Rawlins, but the Outlaws’ height proved to be a wall against his efforts.
With a Bearcat timeout with 44 seconds left in the fourth, all Rawlins had to do was hold them off. A missed two-point effort from Douglas got pulled down by Rawlins. They tried to force the ball to the other end with poor placement, providing some last-minute excitement. Regaining possession, the Outlaws drew a foul to put Kody Mann on the line to shoot points 74 and 75.
Rawlins successfully rebounded from their 87-70 loss on Friday to Wheatland. Proud of Saturday’s victory, Green remained true to his job and found things to work on in preparation for games against Wyoming Indian and Newcastle this weekend.
“We need to work on defense,” he said. “I also need to get them to tell me when they’re tired. I don’t know why they’re tired because we do a ton of conditioning. But if they tell me, we have a full bench now so I can take them out.”
Green intends to prepare his team for the weekend games by taking note of what their opponents will bring to the table. They should work various drills, but the coach hopes the team also prepares mentally for the tactics they expect to face.
Times staff reporter
Shoot ’em up was the game plan of the Outlaws in their home duel against Douglas on Saturday as they ended the night with a 75-69 victory.
With a large student crowd and a parent fan pocket, as well as a smattering of Douglas supporters, the gym’s energy throbbed as Rawlins went nearly point for point against its opponent.
The team’s initial aggressiveness gave them a solid lead by the end of the third quarter. The Outlaws snared the Bearcats with a 13-point margin. The cheerleaders had the crowd on its feet. Every play was received with a gasp, a cheer, a groan or a taunt at the referee.
It was a story of being at the right place at the right time for much of the game. Aaron Willcox stepped in to have more than one successful attempt at swatting baskets away from Douglas. He also slid in to make crucial steals.
“Aaron is athletic, so he’s quicker than most,” head coach Linzie Green said. “He tends to get out of position, but he finds a way to get back in. And when he’s hitting his shots he’s virtually unstoppable.”
Willcox finished the night with 20 points, nailing several 3-pointers.
Casey Tully came off the bench after a prolonged academic absence to score 27 points for the team. Saturday marked the first game the team was at its full capacity of 19 players, bringing four back into play. It paid off when Tully and Trey Jebens each earned their fifth personal foul in the fourth quarter. Having a deeper bench allowed Green to substitute players who helped push toward the win.
The Bearcats brought it, but “it” was not enough to put them above the Outlaws. Their team leader, Shane Richedndifer, was a solid contender for Rawlins, but the Outlaws’ height proved to be a wall against his efforts.
With a Bearcat timeout with 44 seconds left in the fourth, all Rawlins had to do was hold them off. A missed two-point effort from Douglas got pulled down by Rawlins. They tried to force the ball to the other end with poor placement, providing some last-minute excitement. Regaining possession, the Outlaws drew a foul to put Kody Mann on the line to shoot points 74 and 75.
Rawlins successfully rebounded from their 87-70 loss on Friday to Wheatland. Proud of Saturday’s victory, Green remained true to his job and found things to work on in preparation for games against Wyoming Indian and Newcastle this weekend.
“We need to work on defense,” he said. “I also need to get them to tell me when they’re tired. I don’t know why they’re tired because we do a ton of conditioning. But if they tell me, we have a full bench now so I can take them out.”
Green intends to prepare his team for the weekend games by taking note of what their opponents will bring to the table. They should work various drills, but the coach hopes the team also prepares mentally for the tactics they expect to face.
Ice fishing: All about chilling
My first front pager (with a photo)!
• For many anglers, competition takes a back seat to having a good time.
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff reporter
It was a blustery Saturday morning as anglers took their posts for the 25th year of ice fishing on Saratoga Lake.
The grind of ice augers occasionally pierced through decibels of wind gushing across the open landscape. Elk Mountain was hardly visible in the low-lying clouds. It was hard to know if the snow slapping against faces came from the sky or was swept from the ground by the wind.
Even Ryan Hildreth, the winner of the 24th annual Saratoga Lake Ice Fishing Derby from Berthoud, Colo., was motionless. Polar bearing, as it is called. Laying on the ice with nothing but a foam pad as insulation, he peered down into the lake. A tarp covered his head to enable better viewing of the water beneath. When a fish came into view, he would do his best to lure it to the bait, snap upward to snag the catch and reel it in.
Despite around 500 contestants on the ice that day, the scene seemed entirely too still.
That is, until tent flaps unzipped or doors opened, revealing individuals, couples and families huddled around ice holes and fishing lines, hiding from winds blowing in excess of 30 mph. Propane and wood stoves gave extra warmth, as did the well-known “liquid warmth,” a smattering of liquors and beer, which eased Wyoming’s frosty bite.
After spending time with these tent inhabitants, one is inclined to make nominations for awards other than “biggest fish.”
Chance and Kurt Esquibel led with the best party. From their tent, they called out, “Hey, come in here! We’ve got a heater and food. Oh, and grab a beer.”
The two brothers were just out for a good time with their family. Chance hailed from Cheyenne and Kurt was from Denver. They came with their father, Daniel, and their other brother Chad. Their uncle, Fred Garcia, and cousin, Isaac Garcia, were also in tow.
“It’s about a great steak dinner, the hot springs... we just like (the derby),” Chance Esquibel said. They freeze the fish they catch for a family fish fry in the summer.
To add to their day’s excitement, Isaac Garcia’s jacket caught on fire. He was standing too close to the heater, Kurt Esquibel said. “Next thing we knew, the little guy was darting across the ice like a little ball of fire.”
The men talked of the wind, a common theme of the day. “Sometimes you see guys who are setting up going sailing across the ice when there’s a lot of wind and it’s just the ice,” Chance Esquibel said. The amount of snow providing traction on the ice this year was unusual, but welcome.
John Bruce, his wife Ann and dog Budd, from Green River, took the prize for most interesting bait of the day — marshmallows. They enjoyed a bit of community on their corner of the ice as anglers intermingled between huts. Bruce was visited by Jim Shirey, also from Green River, and Mike Sims, an energy worker from Alabama.
Nearby, Mark Aragon stood outside his wooden shack, built with two-by-fours and mahogany plywood, “for the smell,” he said. For 10 years, he has hauled his hut onto the Saratoga ice to participate in the derby. The wood stove inside burns so warm he leaves the door and window open when he spends the night on the ice.
One of the most diehard anglers, Rock Springs resident Danny Ellifritz sat in the middle of the lake with his back against the wind. Not too far away were his sons, Luke and Cage. All three braved the weather with nothing but insulated underwear, heavy clothes and Arctic parkas, saying all they had to do to keep warm was retain warmth and ward off the wind.
It was their first time at the Saratoga derby. Luke may have been the most technologically advanced, catching the most fish out of the folks interviewed — seven by 2 p.m. He used a fishfinder to replace the polar bearing technique, moving his bait to lure whatever fish appeared on screen.
His demonstration won him a catch and revealed the success rate of fishing with the device. Removing the hook, he held up his catch for a photo before dropping it back into the water. “Not big enough,” he said.
The attendance at the derby was a bit smaller than last year, Saratoga Platte Valley Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Stacy Crimmins said.
“Even though Saturday weather was not very cooperative, everybody had a good time. We had smaller fish than usual, but it was a good derby overall,” she said.
• For many anglers, competition takes a back seat to having a good time.
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff reporter
It was a blustery Saturday morning as anglers took their posts for the 25th year of ice fishing on Saratoga Lake.
The grind of ice augers occasionally pierced through decibels of wind gushing across the open landscape. Elk Mountain was hardly visible in the low-lying clouds. It was hard to know if the snow slapping against faces came from the sky or was swept from the ground by the wind.
Even Ryan Hildreth, the winner of the 24th annual Saratoga Lake Ice Fishing Derby from Berthoud, Colo., was motionless. Polar bearing, as it is called. Laying on the ice with nothing but a foam pad as insulation, he peered down into the lake. A tarp covered his head to enable better viewing of the water beneath. When a fish came into view, he would do his best to lure it to the bait, snap upward to snag the catch and reel it in.
Despite around 500 contestants on the ice that day, the scene seemed entirely too still.
That is, until tent flaps unzipped or doors opened, revealing individuals, couples and families huddled around ice holes and fishing lines, hiding from winds blowing in excess of 30 mph. Propane and wood stoves gave extra warmth, as did the well-known “liquid warmth,” a smattering of liquors and beer, which eased Wyoming’s frosty bite.
After spending time with these tent inhabitants, one is inclined to make nominations for awards other than “biggest fish.”
Chance and Kurt Esquibel led with the best party. From their tent, they called out, “Hey, come in here! We’ve got a heater and food. Oh, and grab a beer.”
The two brothers were just out for a good time with their family. Chance hailed from Cheyenne and Kurt was from Denver. They came with their father, Daniel, and their other brother Chad. Their uncle, Fred Garcia, and cousin, Isaac Garcia, were also in tow.
“It’s about a great steak dinner, the hot springs... we just like (the derby),” Chance Esquibel said. They freeze the fish they catch for a family fish fry in the summer.
To add to their day’s excitement, Isaac Garcia’s jacket caught on fire. He was standing too close to the heater, Kurt Esquibel said. “Next thing we knew, the little guy was darting across the ice like a little ball of fire.”
The men talked of the wind, a common theme of the day. “Sometimes you see guys who are setting up going sailing across the ice when there’s a lot of wind and it’s just the ice,” Chance Esquibel said. The amount of snow providing traction on the ice this year was unusual, but welcome.
John Bruce, his wife Ann and dog Budd, from Green River, took the prize for most interesting bait of the day — marshmallows. They enjoyed a bit of community on their corner of the ice as anglers intermingled between huts. Bruce was visited by Jim Shirey, also from Green River, and Mike Sims, an energy worker from Alabama.
Nearby, Mark Aragon stood outside his wooden shack, built with two-by-fours and mahogany plywood, “for the smell,” he said. For 10 years, he has hauled his hut onto the Saratoga ice to participate in the derby. The wood stove inside burns so warm he leaves the door and window open when he spends the night on the ice.
One of the most diehard anglers, Rock Springs resident Danny Ellifritz sat in the middle of the lake with his back against the wind. Not too far away were his sons, Luke and Cage. All three braved the weather with nothing but insulated underwear, heavy clothes and Arctic parkas, saying all they had to do to keep warm was retain warmth and ward off the wind.
It was their first time at the Saratoga derby. Luke may have been the most technologically advanced, catching the most fish out of the folks interviewed — seven by 2 p.m. He used a fishfinder to replace the polar bearing technique, moving his bait to lure whatever fish appeared on screen.
His demonstration won him a catch and revealed the success rate of fishing with the device. Removing the hook, he held up his catch for a photo before dropping it back into the water. “Not big enough,” he said.
The attendance at the derby was a bit smaller than last year, Saratoga Platte Valley Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Stacy Crimmins said.
“Even though Saturday weather was not very cooperative, everybody had a good time. We had smaller fish than usual, but it was a good derby overall,” she said.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Encampment no place for Miners
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff reporter
The Tigers hunted, attacked and destroyed their prey in a 66-36 victory against Hanna Elk Mountain Medicine Bow on Friday night.
“It was the best first half of basketball we’ve ever played,” said Encampment High School head coach Clint Bromley.
Everyone played. Everyone shared the ball. Everyone played a good game of defense. “Marion Marchetti did an awesome job on defense,” Bromley said. “And the rest stepped in and did their part.”
According to Bromley, the two star Miners got into foul trouble, allowing the Tigers to sink their teeth in to secure the win.
HEM’s Matt Larson had 12 points while Justin Palm came off the court with nine points. The pair led the scoring effort for the Miners.
“I was expecting it to be a little bit better game,” Bromley said. His team tackled its goals of shutting down the Miner stars and breaking their winning streak.
Bromley’s five starters each rounded off double figures by the end of the night with Marion Marchetti leading the pack with 18 points and nine boards. Brian Lynch dropped 12 points, while Garrett Pantle and Max Doebele walked off with 11 points each. Chat McKinney racked up a solid 10 points to seal the deal.
Times staff reporter
The Tigers hunted, attacked and destroyed their prey in a 66-36 victory against Hanna Elk Mountain Medicine Bow on Friday night.
“It was the best first half of basketball we’ve ever played,” said Encampment High School head coach Clint Bromley.
Everyone played. Everyone shared the ball. Everyone played a good game of defense. “Marion Marchetti did an awesome job on defense,” Bromley said. “And the rest stepped in and did their part.”
According to Bromley, the two star Miners got into foul trouble, allowing the Tigers to sink their teeth in to secure the win.
HEM’s Matt Larson had 12 points while Justin Palm came off the court with nine points. The pair led the scoring effort for the Miners.
“I was expecting it to be a little bit better game,” Bromley said. His team tackled its goals of shutting down the Miner stars and breaking their winning streak.
Bromley’s five starters each rounded off double figures by the end of the night with Marion Marchetti leading the pack with 18 points and nine boards. Brian Lynch dropped 12 points, while Garrett Pantle and Max Doebele walked off with 11 points each. Chat McKinney racked up a solid 10 points to seal the deal.
More babies born is a sign of the times
My first front-pager!
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
Births at Memorial Hospital of Carbon County increased 15 percent from 2006 to 2007, mirroring a similar increase nationwide.
Nursing manager Dawn Dingman said the hospital’s obstetrics department had a year-end tally of 136 births in 2007 compared to 118 the year before.
The growth seems to adhere to the report that the U.S. “seems to be experiencing a baby boomlet, reporting the largest number of children born in 45 years,” according to The Associated Press.
The U.S. Census Bureau reported that Carbon County’s population dropped 2 percent between 2000 and 2006. According to the numbers recorded at Memorial Hospital of Carbon County for the same time span, births also decreased, at a similar rate of 4 percent.
The question remains as to whether the increased births may equal population growth in Carbon County.
When asked about the possible correlation, officials shrugged their shoulders. They identified with national demographers who say it is too soon to know if the increase is the start of a trend.
“We have to wait and see,” said Center for Disease Control and Prevention statistician Brady Hamilton. “For now, I would call it a noticeable blip.”
Wendy Thorvaldson, the hospital’s intensive care unit nursing manager, said “The numbers (in the obstetrics department) have grown and they’ve been really busy, but I can’t answer why.”
Rawlins City Manager Dave Derragon theorized that the county’s population is increasing, but for different reasons.
“In the last four to five years, (the city has installed) between 300 and 350 new utility hookups,” he said. “My basic theory is that there must be more people at least equal to the number of utility hookups, especially since we haven’t torn that many down.”
He did not have any speculation about whether more births directly corresponded to increased permanent population.
Dr. Wayne Couch estimates that the growth in the number of births is related to the appearance of temporary workers. Many of the women he saw last year were associated with temporary workers. However, he expects the numbers seen in 2007 to taper off.
“Predicting the future is always impossible,” he said. “But my best guess tells me that (the births are) not going to go down. I’d expect to see about the same this year as in 2007. I think it’s elevated some and you’ll see those numbers remain steady throughout the next year and maybe for the next two to three years.”
Derragon raised the question of when residents are considered permanent and can therefore officially be incorporated in the county’s population. “If these workers are here for two or three years, is that still temporary?” He mentioned that the U.S. Census Bureau has strict regulations on when the switch from temporary to permanent resident occurs.
Dingman said she is unsure of how the temporary workers have affected births at the hospital.
She said overall inpatient numbers at the hospital have gone down, but she attributes that to insurance companies striving for more outpatient operations rather than population trends.
Staff at Couch’s clinic and at Memorial Hospital of Carbon County have not felt taxed with the increase in births. “We’ve worked to accommodate the increase in patients that need to be seen,” Couch said.
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
Births at Memorial Hospital of Carbon County increased 15 percent from 2006 to 2007, mirroring a similar increase nationwide.
Nursing manager Dawn Dingman said the hospital’s obstetrics department had a year-end tally of 136 births in 2007 compared to 118 the year before.
The growth seems to adhere to the report that the U.S. “seems to be experiencing a baby boomlet, reporting the largest number of children born in 45 years,” according to The Associated Press.
The U.S. Census Bureau reported that Carbon County’s population dropped 2 percent between 2000 and 2006. According to the numbers recorded at Memorial Hospital of Carbon County for the same time span, births also decreased, at a similar rate of 4 percent.
The question remains as to whether the increased births may equal population growth in Carbon County.
When asked about the possible correlation, officials shrugged their shoulders. They identified with national demographers who say it is too soon to know if the increase is the start of a trend.
“We have to wait and see,” said Center for Disease Control and Prevention statistician Brady Hamilton. “For now, I would call it a noticeable blip.”
Wendy Thorvaldson, the hospital’s intensive care unit nursing manager, said “The numbers (in the obstetrics department) have grown and they’ve been really busy, but I can’t answer why.”
Rawlins City Manager Dave Derragon theorized that the county’s population is increasing, but for different reasons.
“In the last four to five years, (the city has installed) between 300 and 350 new utility hookups,” he said. “My basic theory is that there must be more people at least equal to the number of utility hookups, especially since we haven’t torn that many down.”
He did not have any speculation about whether more births directly corresponded to increased permanent population.
Dr. Wayne Couch estimates that the growth in the number of births is related to the appearance of temporary workers. Many of the women he saw last year were associated with temporary workers. However, he expects the numbers seen in 2007 to taper off.
“Predicting the future is always impossible,” he said. “But my best guess tells me that (the births are) not going to go down. I’d expect to see about the same this year as in 2007. I think it’s elevated some and you’ll see those numbers remain steady throughout the next year and maybe for the next two to three years.”
Derragon raised the question of when residents are considered permanent and can therefore officially be incorporated in the county’s population. “If these workers are here for two or three years, is that still temporary?” He mentioned that the U.S. Census Bureau has strict regulations on when the switch from temporary to permanent resident occurs.
Dingman said she is unsure of how the temporary workers have affected births at the hospital.
She said overall inpatient numbers at the hospital have gone down, but she attributes that to insurance companies striving for more outpatient operations rather than population trends.
Staff at Couch’s clinic and at Memorial Hospital of Carbon County have not felt taxed with the increase in births. “We’ve worked to accommodate the increase in patients that need to be seen,” Couch said.
HEM girls fight off Tigers
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff reporter
Encampment High School’s inside-shot strategy just wasn’t enough to split the Miners’ wall on Friday night as the Lady Tigers left the court with a 43-37 loss.
“We missed too many easy buckets,” Encampment coach Jami Krein said. “We came out aggressive in the first half, but in the second we didn’t play as hard and had too many unforced turnovers again.”
Hanna Elk Mountain Medicine Bow stuck to what it knew and pounded the basket with outside shots. The Tigers were too tame to stop them. Amanda Booth scored 15 points and added seven steals. Jennifer Korkow netted 12 points and Penny Blauvelt added 13 rebounds and five assists for the Miners.
Encampment did push toward getting the second shots. Chelsea Knotwell took down seven boards, while teammate Jamie Marchetti had six. Mackenzie Rakness and Kindle Soderberg walked off with four each.
Teamwork paid off to earn the Tigers’ 37 points. Knotwell contributed 10, Marchetti had eight, and Shelby Wilder bucketed six. Rakness, Soderberg and Lacey Hooker walked away with four points each.
“It was a better game than we’ve played in a while,” Krein said. “Almost everybody put up some points for us.”
“It was great to go on the road and get a conference win,” Miner head coach Jackie Jones said.
Times staff reporter
Encampment High School’s inside-shot strategy just wasn’t enough to split the Miners’ wall on Friday night as the Lady Tigers left the court with a 43-37 loss.
“We missed too many easy buckets,” Encampment coach Jami Krein said. “We came out aggressive in the first half, but in the second we didn’t play as hard and had too many unforced turnovers again.”
Hanna Elk Mountain Medicine Bow stuck to what it knew and pounded the basket with outside shots. The Tigers were too tame to stop them. Amanda Booth scored 15 points and added seven steals. Jennifer Korkow netted 12 points and Penny Blauvelt added 13 rebounds and five assists for the Miners.
Encampment did push toward getting the second shots. Chelsea Knotwell took down seven boards, while teammate Jamie Marchetti had six. Mackenzie Rakness and Kindle Soderberg walked off with four each.
Teamwork paid off to earn the Tigers’ 37 points. Knotwell contributed 10, Marchetti had eight, and Shelby Wilder bucketed six. Rakness, Soderberg and Lacey Hooker walked away with four points each.
“It was a better game than we’ve played in a while,” Krein said. “Almost everybody put up some points for us.”
“It was great to go on the road and get a conference win,” Miner head coach Jackie Jones said.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Miners and Tigers and hoops, oh my
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
At 4 p.m. on Friday, the gym at Encampment High School should be an exciting place as Hanna Elk Mountain Medicine Bow goes head to head with the Tigers in both girls and boys basketball.
All four coaches representing the Tigers and the Miners anticipate strong competition.
Both girls coaches agree that the teams are evenly matched. Their teams have similar height, experience and records, so the coaches are expecting a good game. “It being a conference game always adds to the excitement and competition,” HEM coach Jackie Jones said.
The Miner girls are coming off a win on Tuesday over Chugwater, 48-42. Coach Jones got great performances from younger girls including Penny Blauvelt, Kayla Brown, Jennifer Korkow and Lexy Bayles. Blauvelt led the team with 19 points and 13 rebounds, while Korkow contributed 14 points and Brown netted eight points. Jones said Bayles was “big off the bench,” playing aggressive defense and recording four steals.
Encampment coach Jami Krein expects the Miners to rely on outside shooting. “The game plan is to not allow them any open outside shots and really rebound hard defensively.” She plans to counteract HEM’s shooting with inside shots and offensive boards to get second attempts at the basket.
Krein also said HEM star Amanda Booth will be a strong force on the court. Additionally, she said her team’s “goal is to take care of the ball on offense. We’ve struggled with too many unforced turnovers in the last few games.” She is relying on her entire team to shoot for a win.
On the boys’ side, HEM coach Clif Jones said “Encampment is the favorite to win the conference.” They have been successful the past few years and have a lot of kids with a lot of experience, he said. “They are having a good season so far.”
Jones expects the Tigers to feature numerous defensive sets. “Really, they’re the complete package,” he said. However, he plans to send his team out to “play how they know how to play. They’ll run faster and shoot a lot.”
On the other hand, Encampment coach Clint Bromley expects a good show from Miner stars Matt Larson and Justin Palm. “If we can deal with those two, we think we can win the game. But those two guys are really tough.” Both players are 6 foot 5 inches tall.
“We definitely aren’t overlooking them at all,” Bromley said. “They’ve been playing really good as of late.”
Times staff writer
At 4 p.m. on Friday, the gym at Encampment High School should be an exciting place as Hanna Elk Mountain Medicine Bow goes head to head with the Tigers in both girls and boys basketball.
All four coaches representing the Tigers and the Miners anticipate strong competition.
Both girls coaches agree that the teams are evenly matched. Their teams have similar height, experience and records, so the coaches are expecting a good game. “It being a conference game always adds to the excitement and competition,” HEM coach Jackie Jones said.
The Miner girls are coming off a win on Tuesday over Chugwater, 48-42. Coach Jones got great performances from younger girls including Penny Blauvelt, Kayla Brown, Jennifer Korkow and Lexy Bayles. Blauvelt led the team with 19 points and 13 rebounds, while Korkow contributed 14 points and Brown netted eight points. Jones said Bayles was “big off the bench,” playing aggressive defense and recording four steals.
Encampment coach Jami Krein expects the Miners to rely on outside shooting. “The game plan is to not allow them any open outside shots and really rebound hard defensively.” She plans to counteract HEM’s shooting with inside shots and offensive boards to get second attempts at the basket.
Krein also said HEM star Amanda Booth will be a strong force on the court. Additionally, she said her team’s “goal is to take care of the ball on offense. We’ve struggled with too many unforced turnovers in the last few games.” She is relying on her entire team to shoot for a win.
On the boys’ side, HEM coach Clif Jones said “Encampment is the favorite to win the conference.” They have been successful the past few years and have a lot of kids with a lot of experience, he said. “They are having a good season so far.”
Jones expects the Tigers to feature numerous defensive sets. “Really, they’re the complete package,” he said. However, he plans to send his team out to “play how they know how to play. They’ll run faster and shoot a lot.”
On the other hand, Encampment coach Clint Bromley expects a good show from Miner stars Matt Larson and Justin Palm. “If we can deal with those two, we think we can win the game. But those two guys are really tough.” Both players are 6 foot 5 inches tall.
“We definitely aren’t overlooking them at all,” Bromley said. “They’ve been playing really good as of late.”
County, ranching are intertwined
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
Rancher Colleen Stratton presented the past, present and future of Carbon County’s agricultural and ranching industries to attendees at Tuesday’s “The Power of Place: Legacies of Carbon County” lecture.
Carbon County Higher Education Center Director Dave Throgmorton introduced the lecture by summarizing the role of ranching in the lives of Carbon County residents. “Agriculture is not just an industry, it is a way of life,” Throgmorton said.
The lecture was primarily attended by members of the ranching community, he said. “It was a ranching audience and they were loving one of their own.”
Stratton presented an hour and a half of information that dated back to the days of the first settlers of European decent — fur trappers — in Carbon County in the 1800s and ended with future implications to ranching.
“I’m so impressed with the homework that Colleen did,” Throgmorton said. “If that wasn’t a 30- or 40-hour job, I don’t know what was.”
She provided anecdotes to her facts with vignettes about specific ranch families, including her own.
According to Stratton, the Union Pacific railroad played a large part in the growth of agriculture and ranching in the West. The trains provided transport for sheep and cattle. They also carried west the population that would become modern-day ranchers.
“Ranchers then weren’t anything like the ranchers of today,” Stratton said.
The travelers, who originally headed west for the California gold rush, instead found themselves in Wyoming to run trading posts to supply goods to other folks on their westward journey.
Later, ranchers would come directly from Europe, the heritage from which Stratton herself descends. They were often poor and would work for shares of sheep, which eventually gave them the opportunity to go into business for themselves.
These early trade post managers began gathering wild horses and longhorn cattle that roamed the open land, Stratton said. She said the early ranch animals were released from Hernando Cortez’s conquistador party in Mexico. Grazing patterns brought them to Wyoming.
Cattle kicked off Wyoming’s ranching industry, but when sheep arrived 10 years later with the Mormons, Stratton said, it became more prominent, lasting through the 1950s. Sheep ranching then began to consistently decline while cattle ranching was on the rise.
Stratton indicated that as the industry grew, the reins tightened on thievery and poor herd management. Both practices simultaneously allowed some settlers to get started in ranching, but plagued the ranchers already in business.
Additionally, Stratton indicated that the rancher-railroad partnership grew in a different direction as track managers began to sell land to ranchers. The land often positioned them to continue to ship their livestock via the railroad.
Land regulation agencies appeared as the original draws of Wyoming agriculture — free water and free land — dwindled. Branding, counting, trailing regulations and fencing regulations all became common practice. Additionally, ranchers began paying fees to use grazing lands.
At this time, cattle feed transitioned from grass grazing to stationary feeding with hay, Stratton said. Cowboys stopped going home in the winters and instead stayed on the ranches to work with the hay.
A more recent trend in ranching is the reduced slaughter age for cattle, Stratton said. Slaughtering currently occurs at 18 months, while historically, the cows were slaughtered at 3 to 4 years of age. Stratton speculated that the nomadic nature of the ranching industry up to the early 1900s forced ranchers to take longer to fatten their cows after trailing them between winter and summer locations.
Stratton finished by raising questions about the future of ranching. She recently held a poll of fellow ranchers about their future in the business. Even with the obstacles they face, she said, they agreed that ranching in Carbon County should stay strong for years to come.
Throgmorton felt that most of those attending the lecture are already experts in the industry, “they learned some facts, odds and ends that they didn't know before.”
“And I always get a kick out of that, when you get a room full of experts and you can teach them something they don’t know about.”
Future Concerns
Colleen Stratton outlined five specific areas of concern to the future of Carbon County agriculture:
• Land disturbance due to oil, gas and methane well access roads. Drilling reduces acreage available for ranching and dust blown off these sites affects grazing.
• The sage grouse teeters on the edge of appearing on the endangered species list, which would cause state and national limitations on the use of land for ranching purposes.
• Recurring droughts force ranchers to sell herds and buy hay, forcing little profit and damaging business. Additionally, water calls exercised for endangered species in Nebraska often further damage a rancher’s access to water.
• Governmental reallocation of corn for the production of ethanol for fuel purposes increases feed costs. As the abundance of corn crops increase, wheat production goes down, which affects grocery prices.
• Higher paying jobs elsewhere in the state and region prevent family members from returning to work on the ranch. Additionally, the increased cost of land and the nearly 50 percent consolidation of family ranches since the 1940s has changed the landscape of the industry.
Times staff writer
Rancher Colleen Stratton presented the past, present and future of Carbon County’s agricultural and ranching industries to attendees at Tuesday’s “The Power of Place: Legacies of Carbon County” lecture.
Carbon County Higher Education Center Director Dave Throgmorton introduced the lecture by summarizing the role of ranching in the lives of Carbon County residents. “Agriculture is not just an industry, it is a way of life,” Throgmorton said.
The lecture was primarily attended by members of the ranching community, he said. “It was a ranching audience and they were loving one of their own.”
Stratton presented an hour and a half of information that dated back to the days of the first settlers of European decent — fur trappers — in Carbon County in the 1800s and ended with future implications to ranching.
“I’m so impressed with the homework that Colleen did,” Throgmorton said. “If that wasn’t a 30- or 40-hour job, I don’t know what was.”
She provided anecdotes to her facts with vignettes about specific ranch families, including her own.
According to Stratton, the Union Pacific railroad played a large part in the growth of agriculture and ranching in the West. The trains provided transport for sheep and cattle. They also carried west the population that would become modern-day ranchers.
“Ranchers then weren’t anything like the ranchers of today,” Stratton said.
The travelers, who originally headed west for the California gold rush, instead found themselves in Wyoming to run trading posts to supply goods to other folks on their westward journey.
Later, ranchers would come directly from Europe, the heritage from which Stratton herself descends. They were often poor and would work for shares of sheep, which eventually gave them the opportunity to go into business for themselves.
These early trade post managers began gathering wild horses and longhorn cattle that roamed the open land, Stratton said. She said the early ranch animals were released from Hernando Cortez’s conquistador party in Mexico. Grazing patterns brought them to Wyoming.
Cattle kicked off Wyoming’s ranching industry, but when sheep arrived 10 years later with the Mormons, Stratton said, it became more prominent, lasting through the 1950s. Sheep ranching then began to consistently decline while cattle ranching was on the rise.
Stratton indicated that as the industry grew, the reins tightened on thievery and poor herd management. Both practices simultaneously allowed some settlers to get started in ranching, but plagued the ranchers already in business.
Additionally, Stratton indicated that the rancher-railroad partnership grew in a different direction as track managers began to sell land to ranchers. The land often positioned them to continue to ship their livestock via the railroad.
Land regulation agencies appeared as the original draws of Wyoming agriculture — free water and free land — dwindled. Branding, counting, trailing regulations and fencing regulations all became common practice. Additionally, ranchers began paying fees to use grazing lands.
At this time, cattle feed transitioned from grass grazing to stationary feeding with hay, Stratton said. Cowboys stopped going home in the winters and instead stayed on the ranches to work with the hay.
A more recent trend in ranching is the reduced slaughter age for cattle, Stratton said. Slaughtering currently occurs at 18 months, while historically, the cows were slaughtered at 3 to 4 years of age. Stratton speculated that the nomadic nature of the ranching industry up to the early 1900s forced ranchers to take longer to fatten their cows after trailing them between winter and summer locations.
Stratton finished by raising questions about the future of ranching. She recently held a poll of fellow ranchers about their future in the business. Even with the obstacles they face, she said, they agreed that ranching in Carbon County should stay strong for years to come.
Throgmorton felt that most of those attending the lecture are already experts in the industry, “they learned some facts, odds and ends that they didn't know before.”
“And I always get a kick out of that, when you get a room full of experts and you can teach them something they don’t know about.”
Future Concerns
Colleen Stratton outlined five specific areas of concern to the future of Carbon County agriculture:
• Land disturbance due to oil, gas and methane well access roads. Drilling reduces acreage available for ranching and dust blown off these sites affects grazing.
• The sage grouse teeters on the edge of appearing on the endangered species list, which would cause state and national limitations on the use of land for ranching purposes.
• Recurring droughts force ranchers to sell herds and buy hay, forcing little profit and damaging business. Additionally, water calls exercised for endangered species in Nebraska often further damage a rancher’s access to water.
• Governmental reallocation of corn for the production of ethanol for fuel purposes increases feed costs. As the abundance of corn crops increase, wheat production goes down, which affects grocery prices.
• Higher paying jobs elsewhere in the state and region prevent family members from returning to work on the ranch. Additionally, the increased cost of land and the nearly 50 percent consolidation of family ranches since the 1940s has changed the landscape of the industry.
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