Fact Or Fiction: Christmas Tree Survival, Tim DeChristopher, and Wisconsin Cheese Jerky

As the holidays get closer, outdoor news just gets weirder and weirder—Christmas Tree disasters! Cheese Jerky! 

But not all of these are real—can you figure out the false bit of news? Read on to find out—and remember, no using Google to cheat!

Oregon couple gets lost finding Christmas Tree—for the third time in a row. Keith and Jennifer Lee of Medford, Ore., set out to find their ideal Christmas tree—a silver tipped fir—in the high-elevation forests of the Cascades. After loading their perfect tree on top of their Subaru, they got high-centered on a two-foot snowbank. They spent three days stranded and struggling to stay warm in their car, until on day three Keith successfully used rocks and branches to get traction and drive out themselves. They notified searchers of their status when they finally reached cell phone range. The couple brought water, three blankets, a cell phone with GPS, and two maps—lessons they likely picked up on one of their previous adventures in Christmas tree hunting. You see, the couple got stranded last year hunting for a tree in the Siskiyou National Forest near the California border, and they got stranded the year before that close to Mt. Hood. Maybe third time’s the charm: Hopefully, next year they’ll remember to bring food and tell people where they plan on going.

Cheese + Jerky = Genius. Wisconsin company Snack Patrol came up with a genius idea: combining mozzarella string cheese with bits of beef jerky to make cheese jerky! The snack treats hit stores nationwide soon, and flavors come in Original and Peppered. While we can’t vouch for how long they’ll last in the backcountry, they don’t appear to need refrigeration. And one package contains up to 32 percent of your required daily fat intake, so they’ll be sure to keep you loaded with energy on the trail. We’ll let you know how they taste as soon as we get samples in…



Tim DeChristopher, the Utah student who made false oil-auction bids for BLM lands, launches “selective prosecution defense.” We’ve previously reported on Tim DeChristopher, a University of Utah student who sabotaged a BLM drilling-rights auction by making bogus bids, just launched a new defense based on “Selective prosecution.” (The judge threw out his previous defense, which claimed his actions were necessary to stop global warming.) DeChristopher’s defense is based on the idea that prosecutors have failed to prosecute 25 previous cases wherein someone bid on a BLM lease and failed to pay. DeChristopher could then argue that prosecutors apply a double-standard when prosecuting individuals vs. companies who fail to pay up during BLM auctions. 

And the big lie is… (CLICK HERE TO READ)

Could you sniff out the stinker story? How did you know? Which one fooled you? Tell us in the comments section below.

—Ted Alvarez