Horseshoe Chamber Blog

A 28-year-old hiker escaped the wilds of Oregon unscathed, thanks in no small part to the forces of luck. Erik Larson, a resident of Bend, Oregon, disappeared into Oregon's famed Three Sisters Wilderness, one of the more scenic parts of the 2,663 mile Pacific Crest Trail, on September 30. Larson, like many hikers, wasn't content with the trails outdoorsmen typically take, and chose instead to take the proverbial road less traveled. That, as the famous Robert Frost poem goes, certainly did make all the difference. Changes in climate, the lack of a map, and spotty cellphone service left Larson without any means of escape, as he slowly realized that he was in out of his depth. Luckily, as the hiker pushed on to find a way out of the woods, he found a spot with cell reception, enabling him ...

A Pennsylvania woman is facing trial for charges after being accused of drunk driving and using her deceased sister's identity. According to CBS, Crystal Lample of Ellwood City waived her right to a preliminary hearing on Tuesday. The 35-year-old is being charged with drunk driving and providing false identification information, among other charges. Lample was arrested on Sept. 11 after police received a report of an erratic driver. During interactions with police, it is alleged that she was barely capable of standing up and told police that she was Brandi Lee Miller. Police later discovered that Miller died in 2010. According to Altoona Mirror, police found Lample inside a pickup truck; when they approached her, she got out of the vehicle and stumbled away. She appeared to be int...

If you’re looking to take in the back-country beauty of Canada, an extended hike offers an incomparable experience. Take, for example, the Berg Lake Trail just outside Edmonton. Winding around behind Mt. Robson, it’s a 21-km trail whose 800 m elevation gain offers stunning views. Berg Lake itself offers icy turquoise water and the opportunity to see the icebergs that give the lake its name. Enjoying the beauty of longer hikes such as the trail to Snowbird Pass (22 km each way), however, requires overnight camping along the way. This means giving up some comforts—this isn’t RV camping, and you’ll need to carry lightweight tents, sleeping bags, camping stoves, food and clothes all in your pack. Expert hiker James Storrie spent four days last month completing the trek. But the experience...

Finance Minster Joe Oliver announced last week that small businesses in Canada will receive $550 million CAD ($500 million USD) in rebates for their employment insurance premiums. Businesses will receive the rebates, known as The Small Business Job Credit, over the next two years in order to help them increase the number of employees they hire. The credit lowers insurance premiums about 15% to $1.60 per $100 of insurable earnings as of Jan. 1, down from the current rate of $1.88 per $100. The rebates will be applied when businesses file their taxes. In addition to the rebate, small business health plans such as Tax-Free Health Spending Accounts (THSAs) help small business owners and employees write off their out-of-pocket healthcare as a tax-free business expense -- another government sa...