Pinedale Wyoming Local News
HEADLINES:

Funeral Mass for Jim Washam Nov. 1 in Pinedale (posted 10/26/2025)

Ski Club fundraiser (posted 10/26/2025)

Smoke Inhalation in Cattle program Nov. 10 (posted 10/22/2025)

Community Open House by PureWest Nov. 4 (posted 10/22/2025)

The Gooch Family makes generous donation to the Museum of the Mountain Man (posted 10/12/2025)

Where did that story go? Look in the NEWS ARCHIVES
Upcoming Events: Full Year Pinedale Community Calendar
HELPFUL HINT: Make sure you are seeing the newest version of this web page and the new stories - Press either the CTRL or the SHIFT key on your keyboard at the same time you mouse-click on the REFRESH/RELOAD button on your browser. That will force a refresh of the most current version of this page.
October 28: Blue Spruce Operating permit hearing process - LaBarge Town Hall starting at 9AM and continuing through the next day as needed. Public invited. This is for the new Dry Piney helium and carbon sequestration complex. Sublette County and towns could be eligible for state mitigation funds due to potential heavy-industry impacts. This relates to recent calls for a 5th penny sales tax.
October 31: Halloween at the Museum of the Mountain Man - History is everywhere! Even in candy! Scavenger hunt for children from 9AM to 5PM. Turn completed scavenger hunt form in for a candy bag treat. Children must be accompanied by an adult or guardian. Free event. This is the last day open for the season at the Museum.
October 31: Trick-or-Treat Street in Big Piney - Downtown businesses from 4-6PM. More details TBA. Businesses can message the Sublette County Chamber of Commerce at sublettechamberboard@gmail.com if they'd like to participate.
October 31: Trick-or-Treat Street in Pinedale - If you would like to be listed as a participating business, please let the Chamber know, 307-367-2242. They also have room for a few businesses inside the Visitor Center in Pinedale. If you'd like to reserve a space there to pass out candy, message the Chamber.

Pinedale Local News

Funeral Mass for Jim Washam Nov. 1 in Pinedale (posted 10/26/2025)
Covill Funeral Home
James Nathan Washam "Jim", 83, of Pinedale, Wyoming passed away peacefully at his home surrounded by his family October 24, 2025 after a courageous battle with cancer.

Jim was born October 4, 1942 in Rock Springs to Harvey and Eileen (Gunyan) Washam. He grew up and attended schools in Rock Springs and graduated from Rock Springs High. After high school he worked for Western Union and then enlisted in the United States Navy and served honorably in Vietnam from 1963 to 1967. After his military service Jim met the love of his life, Mary Westbrook, and they were later married in Rock Springs on April 12, 1969.

Jim then went to work for the Wyoming Highway Department and in 1971 he started his career as a firefighter at the Rock Springs Fire Department and worked there and earned the rank of Captain until his retirement in 1993. He and his family then moved to Pinedale where Jim served as the Commander of the Pinedale V.F.W. Post 4801 for 16 years.

Jim is survived by his wife Mary Washam, son Michael (Melissa) Washam, daughter Marilou (Nathan) Huff, granddaughter Shawnee Robertson, great-grandsons Gabriel and Colin Rogers; brother Denny Washam and family and several cousins, nieces and nephews and a large extended family.

He is preceded in death by his parents Harvey and Eileen Washam; grandparents James and Maude Washam and Nathan and Lila Gunyon.

A funeral mass will be held Saturday November 1st at 10:00 a.m. at Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church in Pinedale. The Rosary-Vigil will be held Friday evening October 31st at 6:00 p.m. at the church. Interment & military honors will take place following the services in the Rock Springs Municipal Cemetery.

Ski Club fundraiser (posted 10/26/2025)
The Sublette County Ski & Snowboard Association and Pinedale
High School Ski Team held a fundraiser on Saturday, October
25th at the Pinedale Library. The event included a dinner by
Pitchfork Fondue and a gear raffle.

There were two presentations during the evening. The first
was by Jayne Thompson Nolan, (daughter of locals Stuart and
Mary Thompson, former owners of White Pine Ski Area), who is
the Executive Director of the American Avalanche Association
and graduated from Pinedale High School and grew up skiing
in Pinedale.

The second speaker was Amy David, also hailing from
Pinedale, (daughter of Matt and Liz David), and went on to
become a professional extreme skier. Amy showed her film,
"The Way Back," retracing her David family local
homesteading history and herself packing into the Wyoming
Range to do extreme skiing the area mountains.

The night’s goal was to raise $4500, which will be matched
by a local anonymous donor. All money raised goes to help
fund needs of the local skiers.

Smoke Inhalation in Cattle program Nov. 10 (posted 10/22/2025)
The Sublette County Extension Office is hosting a meeting to discuss the possible impacts of smoke inhalation and exposure in cattle due to this summer’s fire activity. The presenter is Mallery Larson from the Uinta County Extension office. Presenter will be Mallery Larson, Uinta County Extension. Dr. Bob Beiermann will be present for veterinary questions. The program will be at the SCEO, 9660 US 191, from 6-7PM. This meeting is encouraged for those who had cattle near the Dollar Lake Fire but is open and free to all. For questions and more information, 307-367-4380, dmontgo8@uwyo.edu.

Community Open House by PureWest Nov. 4 (posted 10/22/2025)
PureWest Energy is holding a Community Open House on Tuesday, November 4 from 5:30PM to 7:30PM at Sublette County School District #1, 655 N Tyler Ave, in Pinedale. It’s an opportunity for residents to learn more about PureWest’s current operations in the Pinedale Region and connect with their team. More information can be found at www.PureWest.com/Pinedale.

The Gooch Family makes generous donation to the Museum of the Mountain Man (posted 10/12/2025)
PINEDALE, WYOMING – The Museum of the Mountain Man is honored to announce a generous $450,000 monetary donation from the Gooch Family, whose deep roots in Sublette County and appreciation for local history inspired their contribution. The donation will be used to build Fort Sublette for living history interpretation.

Bruce "Rusty" Gooch was raised in an Army Air Force family and experienced many parts of the United States during his youth. In 1953, his ties to Sublette County began when he started visiting his grandfather, Cortland Tisher, whose property adjoined the land where the Museum of the Mountain Man now stands. Those summer visits became an annual tradition that firmly established the Gooch family’s connection to the Pinedale area.

After graduating from college in 1967, Rusty moved to Pinedale, where he owned and operated the Triangle R Lodge—a well-known outfitting business and motel that served both locals and visitors. In addition to his work as an outfitter, Rusty also dabbled in a number of real estate and business investments throughout the area, reflecting his commitment to the growth and vitality of the community.

In 1974, he moved to Jackson before returning to Pinedale in 1986 with his then wife and two children, Lindsey and Wesley Gooch, both of whom attended and graduated from the schools in Pinedale. In 2010, he married Rosemary Turk, who, though not a local, quickly developed her own fondness for the area and its history—further strengthening the family’s ties to Sublette County.

"The Gooch Family believes the Museum of the Mountain Man is an incredible asset to our community—one that keeps the history and spirit of the area alive for generations to come," said Rusty Gooch.

The Sublette County Historical Society and Museum of the Mountain Man extend their sincere gratitude to the Gooch Family for their generosity and their ongoing commitment to preserving the stories and heritage that define this remarkable region.

Click on this link for more pictures related to this story.

For more information, contact Clint Gilchrist, Executive Director, Museum of the Mountain Man, director@mmmuseum.com, 307-367-4101.

Local Services:
Abortion Alternatives
Accounting & CPA
Apartments/Townhomes
Arts & Entertainment
Attorneys & Legal
Auction Services
Automotive
Aviation Services
Banks & Financial
Bars
Beauty Salons
Bed & Breakfasts
Boating
Bookkeeping
Builders & Contractors
Building Material
Business Services
Cabins
Cellular
Child Care
Churches
Cleaning Services
Clothing
Commercial Art
Computer Supplies
Condos
Consultants
Convenience Stores/Fuel
Convention/Meeting
Dentists
Dining
Dry Cleaning
Events
Fabric & Crafts
Fencing
Fishing
Flooring
Food & Drink
Funeral Homes
Furniture
Gifts/Western
Government
Graphic Design
Grocery & Market
Guest Ranches & Lodges
Handyman Services
Hardware & Feed
Heating
Health Care & Medical
Horseback Adventures
Insurance
Interior Design
Internet/Web/Advertising
Landscaping
Laundry
Liquor Stores
Lodging
Log Homes
Marketing
Massage Therapy
Modular Homes
Motels
Mountain Biking
Movie Theaters
Museums
Nails
Newspapers
Office Supplies
Oil Field Services
Optometrists
Organizations
Outdoor Equipment
Outfitters & Guides
Packaging & Shipping
Painters
Pet Stores
Pharmacies
Photography
Plumbing
Professional Services
Radio
Real Estate Agencies
Real Estate-FSBO
Remodeling
Retirement
Retreats
RV Camping
Schools
Scrapbooking
Septic Services
Skiing
Snowmobiling
Snow Plowing
Storage and Storage Units
Tanning
Tattoos & Body Art
Tax Preparation Services
Taxidermy
Transportation/Shuttle
Trash Services
Trucking
Veterinarians
Visitor Services
Wagon Rides
Well Drilling

US 189 north of Marbleton - View looking south

US 191 at Farson