Mount Orford ski resort and golf course is for sale for $1. The catch is that it’s in Canada. Location, location, location. You also have to be able to prove that you have the financial means to run the place, which apparently means you have a $4 million deposit to back it up. I’m not sure if that’s $4 million Canadian or real money, but if it’s Canadian this is totally feasible for us.

via Out There

Apparently the hottest race on ice has been ravaging Antarctica since 1957. That’s when the Russians put a shack on top of the 3-mile-thick Vostock ice and turned on their drill bit. In 1995 they realized that there was an ocean of fresh water under their feet, and though they’ve drilled nearly three miles and have only 300 feet left, they think they’ll hit water sometime next year.

Antarctica is the one place on earth where all nations coexist in peace and harmony. It’s because the only people who go there are researchers, and mostly because there haven’t been any resources there worth fighting over. That will all change once we pollute the rest of the world so bad that we need this Antarctica water, but the good news is that the rest of the world will be so messed up by then that we won’t bother fighting over it anymore.

via Explorations

A boat fashioned entirely from plastic bottles has disembarked from San Francisco, bound on a four-month journey through the mass of floating plastic in the middle of the Pacific. The project’s taken four years of boat building, and the group will be posting to their Plastiki blog and Twitter throughout. David de Rothschild is on the trip to raise awareness about the sorry state of the ocean.

The whole Kon-Tiki reference was lost on me until someone pointed it out the other week. I thought it was just a stupid name, but it turns out that a guy named Thor Heyerdahl built a primitive craft called the Kon-Tiki and sailed it across the ocean to prove that early cultures could have done it. I guess this Rothschild guy is sailing for a good cause, so we’ll let him get away with borrowing the name.

A visitor to Teddy Roosevelt’s home on Long Island left with a unique souvenir. Police are seeking information in the case of a stolen walrus tusk taken from the late president and friend-of-the-National-Parks, Sweaty Teddy R. The 15-inch walrus tusk was apparently some kind of phallic display set on the fireplace in Roosevelt’s Oyster Bay home. This is the second time sticky-fingered thieves have hit Ted. Several years ago a man admitted to stealing a revolver from his house. They might not want to leave guns and tusks just lying around like that. If someone stole it and used it in a crime, they could trace it back to the Pres.

Bad news for everyone who resides outside of the immediate area surrounding the Great Salt Lake - it’s your fault that the spot is so polluted. Scientists have been wondering why the lake is so toxic with mercury, and recent studies have found that 84% of the pollutant in the lake enters through the atmosphere and is likely caused by industry, while only 16% is washed in from the Salt Lake area. The reason the mercury level is so high in the lake is because of its unique chemical make up, which traps the toxin.

It’s great news for anyone who ever felt bad about all the mining, weapons production, and air pollution in Utah. They can shrug off 84% of that guilt.

Thanks Jason

Mountain Hardwear announced recalls of the Refugium and Radiance heated jackets [pdf]. The heated elements were made for Mountain Hardwear by Ardica, and they’ve found that some of the jackets suffered from overheating problems that could cause burns.

I suppose that’s better than the heated Columbia boots, which the Gear Junkie said worked so poorly you could hardly tell if they were on or off.

It has not been a good year for heated outerwear, but as long as consumers continue wearing cotton waffle long underwear, there will continue to be a market for it.

via GetOutdoors

I haven’t done any research on the endangered-species-or-not wolf debate, and while lack of research would normally never prevent me from taking sides, I just can’t pick one in this case. I can really only look at individuals and make snap judgments. For example, I like that someone arrived at the Wolf Protest holding a sign that says, “I love Wolves.” Not only is it short and honest, but I’m not sure if he wants to shoot the wolves or try to make friends with them.

But this guy’s my favorite:

“I’m really tired of meaningless statistics,” said Mike Trumbower, an outfitter and Hoback Junction resident. “It’s just a big smokescreen. Wolves are, no doubt, the most effective predator in North America. People who say they don’t make an impact are totally ignoring the facts.”

That’s right. I don’t want stats, and you’re ignoring them. Stop ignoring them.

Senior Skip Day.

fter a bit of debate, the Forest Service decided not to take away camping discounts for seniors. They currently enjoy a 50% discount on camping at National Parks across the country. You know what else they get? Early bird specials because they eat early, free tuition at Midwestern colleges, and Medicare. Not a bad deal.

The Forest Service decided not to raise fees after the 60-day comment period when lot’s of elderly people complained. Well played, elderly folks. One day my generation will get together as a cohesive political voice. Of course, we’ll probably be old by then.

Edgar Wayburn, a 103-year-old physician and five-time Sierra Club president died this month. He probably did more to advance the cause of protecting wilderness in the U.S. than anyone else, and he was a friend of guys like David Brower and Ansel Adams. Besides, he’s probably the only guy who ever lived who can pull off the bolo tie. Washington Post has a pretty inspiring obit on him.