As part of our new site release, Backcountry Secrets is giving away a Stansport Single Burner Flat Propane Stove.

If you want to win it, Submit a Point to our site between 12:01AM Jul 01 2009, and Midnight September 30, 2009 Mountain Time, have it approved by us and you'll be entered in to the drawing.  A "point" is anywhere to recreate in the outdoors that falls within our categories of outdoor sports.

Stove is made with durable heavy gauge steel with baked on enamel finish. Features: Individual regulator on/off control knob adjusts burner up to 5000 BTU's. Stove to cylinder tube has on/off valve and fits 16.4 oz. disposable propane cylinder (not included). Wind baffles supports cookware and shields burners. Low profile base for stability.

• Retail Value: $39.99 - For you, maybe FREE!
• Durable heavy gauge steel with baked on enamel fin
• 10,000 BTU stainless steel burner
• Wind baffles supports cookware and shields burners
• Uses 16.4 oz disposable propane cylinder, not included
• 7-3/4" x 7-3/4" x 3"

I just finalized the update to Backcountry Secrets and wanted to summarize some of the highlights for you.

1.  A new design.  I'm hoping that the new design will bring more attention to the fact that users can update descriptions, submit reviews, upload images, and upload KML files for all of the different outdoor sports.

2.  Outdoor Gear Deal of the Day page.  This page helps users to find great deals on products that are killer deals from major companies such as backcountry.com and more.

3.  KML file support and Google Earth view.  On each of the point detail pages, users who have submitted atleast one point will be able to view KML files in a Google Earth type environment.  This feature is great to show the elevation gain of a hike, or directions to a point. This image is of Table Rock Hike and Campground in Wyoming.

4.  The site in general just loads faster.  We optimized a lot of the code to help the search pages and detail pages load faster.  The biggest difference will be seen on the search pages.

5.  Flickr images integrated.  We are no longer hosting the images submitted to the site on our own server.  This will allow us to have larger image sizes and share great photos with more people. 

I think my favorite "whoops" quote of all-time is from Al Gore, "During my service in the United States Congress, I took the initiative in creating the Internet." Sure I've heard the claims that he wasn't saying he invented the Internet and I've even read Snopes.com's input on it, but he still said what he said and it makes me laugh. I'm not here to pick on slip ups of politicians though - we'd be here for years on that one - I'm here to discuss the great outdoors.

Coleman has a new campaign running with the slogan, "The Coleman Campsite. The original Social Networking Site." You can check it out here. The ad claims that they pretty much invented camping, and pretty much invented social networking because they've been helping people get together and socialize for years. I do have to admit that long before I ever used Facebook or MySpace, I was eating pancakes, bacon, and eggs at Canyon Campground in Yellowstone National Park.

Even though people camped LONG before Coleman was ever around, I do have to say this is a really fun campaign and it's worth watching the videos on it just to enjoy the ugly...I mean the old clothes and hairstyles.

If you are looking for the best face mask, you have to try this thing called Head Sokz. You can find them at http://www.headsokz.com/.

I've owned one of the original Head Sokz for going on 12 years now. The wind does not penetrate these things. I use mine in temperatures well in the negative teens and my head does not get cold. Mine is now getting to the point that it is wearing a little thin, but I still continue to use it.

The Head Sokz can be worn as a scarf, nose/mouth cover, open face mask, closed face mask (pictured above), or just as a long cap. There are two different pull strings that allow the user to pull it tight or leave it open. I have also used mine as a bag by pulling the neck hole shut and using the face opening to put things in.

The only draw back to wearing one of these is if you swivel your head, you cannot see out the sides very well because the mask does not move with you when it's not tightened down; kind of like a helmet. However, when I wear ski goggles with them, I don't have this problem.

If you plan on doing any cross-country skiing, downhill skiing, or winter camping, I'd say this is a must have item.

We finally have a winner who claimed his prize. The winner of the GPS Unit is the user talsan. He is the one picture above with the LOVELY hat. (You can own your very own SHhhh! hat for $9.99 by joining Backcountry Secrets and logging in.) The winning point submitted was Multnomah Falls in Oregon

My old winter coat finally gave up the ghost. The zipper no longer works. This always seems to happen when I buy the discount coats from places like Wal-mart. This year I finally decided to take the leap and purchase a nice coat. I started searching the web and determined to purchase the Lhotse Men's Parka from Columbia.

The description for the coat reads:

Pull on the Columbia Men’s Lhotse Mountain Parka and have the ability to swap layers to suit changing conditions. This versatile winter jacket features a waterproof breathable Omni-Tech shell with a snap-in fleece liner, so you can use one or both jackets depending on the weather. A zip-off storm hood and underarm zip vents provide even more climate control, and the adjustable powder skirt seals out blowing spindrift when you hit the slopes. Stash your optics in the interior goggle pocket, and keep your wallet or keys safe in the zippered security pocket.

Now I don't know if I would go as far as to say that this is a "Parka" in the sense that an Eskimo would want to wear this in -40 degree weather, but this morning it was in the teens. I rode my bike to work wearing this coat and did not get cold.

A few things I wish were different are the length and the pockets. It could use an extra two inches on the bottom of the coat, and the pockets on the outer jacket liner are not real comfortable to use. The size of the pockets and the number of pockets are wonderful though.

I'd give this coat a 3.5 out of 5.

Have you ever camped on a freezing cold night in a tent and thought, "There has to be a better way to do this"? Well there is! Snow caves, tipi's, and igloos.

If snow caves make you claustrophobic and you're not fortunate enough to have the luxury of a tipi (or cannot haul it into the back country), then you need to look into igloos.

In my opinion, igloos are another inspired dwelling from above. Honestly, who thinks of piling snow in a circle to build shelter from the cold? No, I don't even think the Eskimo on the potato chip commercial who wouldn't share was smart enough to think up the igloo on his own. These dwellings are amazing. They are quiet, easy to build, and have an amazing amount of light on the inside.

Ok, so by now you are probably thinking, but "HOW DO I MAKE ONE?" It's easier than I thought! All you need to do is visit Grand Shelters Icebox at http://www.grandshelters.com/ and have a look at their igloo building tool.

You fill this tool with snow, start going in circles and before you know it you'll have an igloo! My only piece of advice is, once you start building one, don't stop. If you let it sit for too long unfinished, gravity will pull your walls down.

You'll be the hit of the neighborhood if you build one of these! Do us a favor and paint www.BackcountrySecrets.com on the side to let your friends know about us. Or you could paint it yellow and say you saw a really big polar bear roaming the streets.