Riverton Winters??? (Jackson, Lander, Dubois: appointed, rental, gated)

[Wyoming-dreamcometrue]

We FINALLY found a place in Pavillion/Riverton. On the edge of Ocean Lake.

We are so wanting a huge snow this year, as we are from Oklahoma and don't see much of it.

We wanted to live in Lander, but finding housing there is literally worse than finding a needle in a haystack We knew Lander was the place to be if we wanted mega snow. But how is Riverton??? What can we expect??

[jody_wy]

riverton and lander are unlike Star Valley where you can snowmobile from your door step all winter

[sunsprit]

IIRC, this area of the Wind River Reservation is mostly pretty flat with a few draws that have creeks running through them ... so you can readily see where the low-laying moisture from the rainy season flows and supports some sub-irrigated pastures and tree-lined draws. The rest of the ground is well drained and supports sparse native grasses and weeds. Any greenery you see in the area is short lived in the spring to summer months unless it's on irrigated lands.

The bulk of the moisture that falls in this almost desert environment is in the spring/summer months as the t-storms roll through.

Most of my trips through this area have been enroute to Dubois, to the NW and in the mountains, where the snow does fall and accumulate. It's a pretty stark contrast from the huge low laying dry basin to reach the mountain wooded areas to the West.

But I don't remember ever seeing an accumulation of snow that was even enough to cover the stubble of the vegetation in the area by Ocean Lake. Typical snowfall amounts in the winter months are about 1/4" of moisture per month, for not very much total snowfall. Winter time sunshine and very dry air create chinooks ... "snow eaters" ... where the snow sublimates during the daytime and you can watch it disappear to brown patches of dirt/weeds even on days below freezing air temperatures.

If you bought this place to snowmobile or do other snow activities off your doorstep, I think you'll be disappointed most years ... although it's not all that far by Wyoming standards (about 75 miles) to reach the Dubois area, or to Lander. With the distance you'd have to backtrack to Riverton from Ocean Lake to Riverton before you head to Lander, there's not much difference in the trailering distance to snow activities between the two destinations.

Lander is quite a different environment for snowfall than the exposed locations out on the plains ... because it's nestled up against a large range that creates upslope conditions from the winter storms coming through from any direction ranging from the NW, N, E, and SE directions, and downslope conditions from the rest of the frontal passages. Either slope will have many fronts dropping moisture as they pass through, hence the wetter winter climate there.

If you look at a Wyoming topo map, you'll see how the Wind River Range is a relatively narrow area that sticks out like a sore thumb (running NW to SE) from the lower level plains basins on the West and East from it. So it's a great spot to catch the moisture on it's slopes from storms in just about any direction of frontal passage travel. That's why it's a prime location for the snowmobiling trails that run from the Lander area up to the NW from there ... and so the Lander area reputation for some of the best snowmobiling in the country. Great scenery on the trails in the hills, and great access from Lander to get to the trails.

[Wyoming-dreamcometrue]

Thanks for the replies.
Sunsprit...I was hoping it would be very similar to Lander. That's where the job is, and that's where we wanted to be but having such little time to find a home, it was impossible. I suppose actually being there would make that much easier.

Thankfully, we are just in a rental in the riverton/pavillion area.

Dubois.....how long a drive is it to Lander???

Thanks so much for your help!! I was so looking forward to the snow and mountain scenery, as Oklahoma is flat land itself and the snow here does just what you described for the ocean lake area. I guess I can survive one more winter in the same type climate

[Wyoming-dreamcometrue]

Originally Posted by jody_wy

riverton and lander are unlike Star Valley where you can snowmobile from your door step all winter

Where is Star Valley?

[sunsprit]

Dubois to Lander ... about 75 miles.

Star Valley is an area in the West Central edge of Wyoming adjacent to Idaho. Sits next to the Salt River Range of mountains in the Bridger-Teton NF. You'll find it starts SW of Jackson at Alpine and runs South to Smoot. Probably one of the prettiest locales in Wyoming, the string of small towns are pretty close together compared to most of Wyoming ... which gives you an idea as to how popular this valley is for scenic beauty and the farming/ranching to be had there.

But if you thought Lander was pricey with limited housing available, you may be in for a shock to head to the Star Valley .... and you won't be commuting to Riverton from there. Essentially, you "can't get there from the Star Valley" because there's no direct E-W route; you must go either N or S to the end of the ranges and then head E (or West) to get over to the other range and then drive N or S to reach your destination. Riverton is almost due East from the Star Valley with two mountain ranges between them.

[jody_wy]

STAR VALLEY WYOMING ONLINE

we used to send calves from Star Valley to Riverton to background warmer temps and they can grow corn we can't

[Notvaporlocked]

Originally Posted by Wyoming-dreamcometrue

as Oklahoma is flat land itself

You are obviously from the western part of Oklahoma. The east, especially the SE is mountainous and green and beautiful. Its called Green Country for a reason.

Terry

[Wyoming-dreamcometrue]

Originally Posted by Notvaporlocked

You are obviously from the western part of Oklahoma. The east, especially the SE is mountainous and green and beautiful. Its called Green Country for a reason.

Terry

ah, actually im central. Edmond. it's not flat-flat, a bit of rolling hills i suppose. Just ready for my mountains The soil around our parts is mostly a lot of hard red dirt/clay and grass....well only if you seed otherwise weeds push out most all grass.

SE like near Altus??

[Notvaporlocked]

Originally Posted by Wyoming-dreamcometrue

ah, actually im central. Edmond. it's not flat-flat, a bit of rolling hills i suppose. Just ready for my mountains The soil around our parts is mostly a lot of hard red dirt/clay and grass....well only if you seed otherwise weeds push out most all grass.

SE like near Altus??

No Altus is SW. You need to take a trip to the south eastern counties especially the area around the town of Poteau and south. There are several mountain ranges down there but the Talimena Scenic drive is absolutely drop dead gourgeous.

Here is a link with a slideshow. Until about 12 years ago the only Oklahoma I knew was the pancake flat portion of the panhandle and Northwest. I had no idea this part of the state was so different. Its the best kept secret in Oklahoma.

Virtual Tour with Sound (http://www.talimenascenicdrive.com/virtual_tour.html - broken link)

Terry