800!

Cold Splinters turned two a few weeks ago and this very post marks the 800th time I've gone looking for a somber, washed out old photo. Two years and 800 dedications to the great outdoors seems like a hell of a lot to me, so thanks in advance to anyone who makes me some lemon or peanut butter cookies to celebrate. Or if you'd like, you could make a replica of the campfire cake above, but I'm not much of a cake type of guy. Pick your poison.Thanks for being around. And the theme song...MP3: Allen Toussaint - Out of the City (Into Country Life)

Cold Splintas Stickas

Y'all, I've gotten several emails in the past couple of days asking where your Cold Splinters stickers are. Many apologies for the delayed shipping on these. The sticker company I used is run by a bunch of SUPER nice idiots who love to either send me poor quality stickers or send said poor quality stickers to the wrong address. Add that to a week long trip I just got back from and you have yourselves some pretty poor excuses on my part.Anyway, they'll be there soon. Mid-next week. I promise. And if you still want to order one or two or three, you can send $3 to coldsplinters@gmail.com on Paypal.MP3: Roy Orbison - Only The Lonley

Mojave Cross Stolen

Over the past few years, the cross on Sunrise Rock in Mojave National Preserve has been at the center of a rather ridiculous lawsuit. The ACLU has been trying to get the cross taken down citing the ol' separation of church and state. On April 28, the Supreme Court ruled the cross did not violate the constitutional separation of church and state.Unfortunately, the 7-foot-tall metal structure was stolen Sunday night from Sunrise Rock. The Liberty Institute is now offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction in the case, and the National Park Service has established a tip hotline seeking information leading to the recovery of the cross. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Park Service at (760) 252-6120.The Latin cross was first erected in 1934 by a local Veterans of Foreign War unit. It has been rebuilt several times over the years, and Easter services are held annually at the remote desert site.More info at FOX News.MP3: Carl Perkins - Gone Gone Gone

Massive Beaver Dam

Biologists have recently stumbled upon an enormous beaver dam, over a half mile long, in a remote region of Wood Buffalo National Park in Alberta, Canada. The biologists believe it may have taken 20 years to complete, with several beaver families all helping to pile its wood, mud, and stone. It dwarfs a 1,956 foot dam in Montana previously thought to be the largest. The dam was able to reach such a massive size because multiple beaver families contributed to its construction, which required thousands of trees to produce. More info at Treehugger.MP3: Hot Tuna - How Long Blues

Blackfoot

When talking about Glacier (see below), it's impossible not to mention the Blackfoot. The Blackfoot had a territory that stretched from the North Saskatchewan River along what is now Edmonton, Alberta in Canada, to the Yellowstone River of Montana in the United States, and from the Rocky Mountains and along the South Saskatchewan River, east past the Cypress Hills.Fast forward a little bit...In 1896, the Blackfoot sold a large portion of their land to the American government with hopes of finding gold or copper, but found nothing. In 1910, the land they sold officially became known as Glacier National Park. Today, many of the Blackfoot live on reserves in Canada. About 8,500 live on the 1,500,000 acre Montana reservation.Way more information here.MP3: Young Grey Horse Society - Grass Dance Song*

Good Ol' Cold Splinters Stickers

When I made a sheet of eight "Good Ol' Cold Splinters" stickers a few weeks ago, I certainly didn't think that anyone would want one. But when I mentioned that I had put one on the back of my car, I got a lot of emails asking for one. After debating whether or not I should actually offer them up (making a sticker that says the name of your blog is a little, well, ya know....) I've decided to make a few 3" round stickers if you really want one. Which I'm sure you do...Send $3.00 on PayPal to coldsplinters@gmail.com and I'll get one out to you. Enjoy it. Send me a picture if you actually stick it somewhere.MP3: The Black Crowes - Sometimes Salvation

Every day is Earth Day

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good. And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the third day.And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good. *Above: My Earth Day pin from 1990.

TIME-LIFE: THE AMERICAN WILDERNESS

I have looked through a lot of old books about camping, the outdoors, etc., and I have yet to find any that are as good looking as the Time-Life: American Wilderness series. Pictures and writing are both wonderful. (Ed Abbey edited the "Cactus Country" edition.) The best part about these book is that they're not too hard to find at your local thrift/used book shop, but if you're not near one of those, go on over to your favorite online auctioneer and pick a few out.Y'all have some of these? Got a favorite?

Cold Splinters Survey: Getting Back To Your Car

It's always a bittersweet moment getting back to your car after a few days in the woods/desert/prairie. You've accomplished something - even if it meant walking a few hundred yards, starting a fire, then drinking yourself to sleep - but you've also got to get back into a big piece of metal that will most definitely be either too hot or too cold for comfort. You take off your muddy clothes, put on less muddy ones, and drive a group of aching bones back to wherever it is you call home. But no matter how badly you wish you had one more day of eating apples and cinnamon oatmeal from an enamel bowl while watching the sun come up, you finally have a chance to play (BLAST) the song you've had in your head since the second you stepped on the trail.Last week I carelessly asked how y'all prepare your coffee in the morning, and was surprised, shocked even, that so many people commented. I thought it'd be fun to do something like that again, because as I'm sure you must know by now, you are all much more interesting than I am and your answers show it. So hopefully you'll take part in this one too and not make me feel like a fool when the comment section reads "0."What album do you put on when you get back to the car from a good hike?MP3: Free Beer - Cruisin

The Big Wind

Sad news. New Hampshire's Mount Washington has officially lost its distinction as the site of the fastest wind gust ever recorded on Earth. On April 12, 1934, 231 mph winds graced the top of the mountain, the highest point in the Eastern United States. Before the Europeans arrived, Mount Washington was known as Agiocochook, or "home of the Great Spirit."Three days ago, the World Meteorological Organization posted a snippet on its website saying a panel of experts reviewing extreme weather and climate data turned up a 253 mph gust on Australia's Barrow Island during Cyclone Olivia in 1996."It's obviously a big disappointment. Having the world record for over six decades was such a part of the soul of this organization and for fans of Mount Washington around the country," said Scot Henley, the Mount Washington Observatory's executive director.Mount Washington still holds the record for the Northern and Western hemispheres. Although that doesn't sound nearly as cool as the title it lost, the "highest wind gust ever recorded on the surface of the Earth by means of an anemometer." (via)

The Scout

The Scout is a bronze statue of Buffalo Bill Cody outside the Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody, Wyoming. The project was initiated by Cody's niece and was sculpted by Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney in 1924. The statue stands on a large stone base, meant to represent nearby Cedar Mountain, which Cody chose as his gravesite. Unfotunately, Cody was buried, against his wishes, at Lookout Mountain in Colorado.The statue's full title is Buffalo Bill - The Scout and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.

Rothco

It's very probable that the desert canteens, first aid kits, WWII mechanic sweaters, henleys and backpacks at your local army surplus store were made by Long Island's Rothco. The company started in Manhattan over 50 years ago and is now "America's foremost wholesale supplier of military and outdoor products." Whether or not that's true, I don't know, but they sure do make some damn handsome camping gear. And I'm sure their canteens are BPA free...

Outdoor Retailer

I spent the weekend driving back and forth between Salt Lake City and Park City, stuffing my face with food, drooling over various camping/hiking this and thats and meeting the great people that I've been emailing with over the past few years of this Cold Splinters thing. It was an exciting couple of days.One thing I didn't anticipate was the baby/puppy effect that my Vasques (not the Sundowners, but the pair pictured above in their original Ebay glamour shot) were going to have while walking the floor at OR. As much as I really don't want to admit that or even recognize it, it was pretty amazing how many people started conversation with me because of those boots.You'd think that if a pair of boots had such an effect on a group of campers/hikers/guys with kilts/nerds, then maybe a certain company would bring some old models back into their mix...

IME

On the way to and from climbing last weekend, we repeatedly passed North Conway, NH's one-stop shop for climbing and all things outdoors, International Mountain Equipment Inc. Opened in 1974, IME was bought in 1979 by Rick Wilcox, who has been president of the Mountain/Rescue Service, Inc. of New Hampshire, served as secretary to the American Alpine Club under three presidents and for six years was a director of the American Mountain Guides Association. He knows his climbing.IME's ground level and upstairs are filled with an amazing selection of climbing gear, camping gear and Tibetan prayer flags and garments, but to be completely honest, it was the little red corner of the store's sign that made me want to get out of the car. The bottom floor of IME is a consignment shop, filled with old hiking boots, vintage backpacks from deceased New Hampshire and Maine outdoor companies and loads of clothes. And the stuff is cheap. Real cheap. Much to my dismay, my camera decided to stop working for a few hours because of the cold it was exposed to on the mountain, so I couldn't grab any photos, but if you're around that area anytime in the near future, don't forget to poke your head in and leave with a pair of wafflestompers the size of your face.

Sweetgrass

Sweetgrass follows some of our country's last cowboys on their annual trip to Montana’s Absaroka‐Beartooth mountains for summer pasture. The footage is, for lack of a better word, breathtaking, and I often found myself shaking my head in disbelief, taken aback by the magnitude of some of the shots. The film is void of any sentimental music or narration, and is instead voiced by the unintended humor of the cowboys, the dumb/LOUD sheep and the sounds and realities of spending three months in Big Sky country.Lucien Castaing-Taylor, the film's director, spent a summer filming the journey, coming back in the fall with twenty less pounds on his bones, 300 hours of footage and trauma induced degenerative arthritis, caused by carrying the equipment day and night. Lucien and his wife, fellow director Ilisa Barbash, returned to the farm for two more summers, but ended up using most of the footage from the first summer to make Sweetgrass.Check here to see when Sweetgrass is coming to a theater near you. For those of you in New York, last night was it's final night at Film Forum, but rumor is it's going to be playing at Cinema Village, so keep your eyes open. Trailer is after the jump.