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High-Speed Thrills and Steep Hills: Remembering the Ten Sleep Canyon Hill Climb

High-Speed Thrills and Steep Hills: Remembering the Ten Sleep Canyon Hill Climb
Cowboy State Daily Staff
  • PublishedOctober 28, 2024

For two decades, the Ten Sleep Hill Climb drew thousands to Wyoming’s old Highway 16, where daring drivers raced up a steep, winding, two-lane road at speeds topping 100 mph — with no guardrails.

In August 1961, the first of these hill climbs began, featuring 40 sports cars from across the Rocky Mountain Region. This challenging race, co-hosted by the chambers of commerce from Worland, Ten Sleep, and Buffalo, and organized by the Sweetheart 16 Associates, quickly became a beloved event for spectators and drivers alike.

The climb started at around 5,000 feet and ended at 7,500 feet after five miles of sharp turns, switchbacks, and narrow stretches carved into the mountainside. As each car made its way up the rugged canyon road alone, thousands of spectators gathered on the opposite side along the newly constructed Highway 16, where three-quarters of the course was visible.

“You kind of had to be a little crazy,” recalls John Moses, who first raced in the late 1970s.

Drivers like Moses took the hairpin turns at high speed, balancing thrill with skill to avoid sheer canyon drop-offs. For him, and many others, it was the thrill of sliding through turns and accelerating on a rough road that kept them coming back.

David Francis, another racer, competed in 1969 and 1970 in his new Mustang Boss 302.

“There was no prize money to speak of, just trophies,” Francis explained.

However the thrill of navigating the hill’s many curves kept him engaged.

“Some stretches allowed you to get up to speed… [I was] too busy driving to look at the odometer,” he added.

The hill climb united the small communities surrounding Ten Sleep Canyon, drawing business support and spectators. Drivers fine-tuned their vehicles while fans looked on, and crowds lined the opposite canyon wall to watch the racers push the limits of both speed and caution. According to Francis, local businesses provided everything from supplies to a tow truck, which helped manage the race’s rugged logistics with the cooperation of the Forest Service.

By 1970, the race’s record time was held by Chuck Frederick of Golden, Colorado, who completed the climb in 4 minutes and 41 seconds in his Lotus 19. Drivers competed in various classes, from Porsches and Corvettes to motorcycles and dune buggies, each running the gauntlet of narrow turns and unforgiving inclines.

In the early years, few safety precautions were enforced, with drivers relying primarily on seatbelts and helmets. Though no fatalities occurred, accidents were common. Francis recalls a race in which his Mustang flipped after he overcorrected on a sharp turn — an incident he walked away from unharmed but one of many that contributed to the event’s reputation for risk.

The Ten Sleep Hill Climb gradually shortened to three miles due to deteriorating road conditions, and by 1980, the Sweetheart 16 Association decided that the old highway could no longer support the race. Only a few volunteers showed up that year to patch potholes, signaling the event’s end.

As for Francis, his Mustang was fully restored and still cruises around Thermopolis as a reminder of his days navigating the winding canyon at top speed. The Ten Sleep Hill Climb lives on in the memories of the drivers and fans who gathered each year to celebrate this thrilling race up one of Wyoming’s most scenic and treacherous roads.

Cowboy State Daily contributed to this report.

Written By
Joe Yans