Don Hobart narrates and hosts this episode of “High and Wild”, focusing on rock collecting and the Prineville Rock Hound Pow Wow. This annual Pow Wow has now been running for 75+ years. Don Hobart was a pioneering non-fiction filmmaker who helped bring about the start of a genre of outdoor films with the creation of the “High and Wild” series 1961-70. It initially aired in the Portland, Oregon vicinity and eventually aired around the world. Many modern outdoors and sports shows can trace their origins to this humble series. Prineville is located in Crook County, Oregon, which is considered the rockhound capital of the world. It boasts numerous rockhound sites and mines. Maury Mountain area, White Fir, Bear Creek Butte and Lucky Strike Mines are just a sampling of the areas popular for rockhound enthusiasts.

The film opens as a man holds a rock (:09). A diamond saw hacks at the rock (:14). George Wasun directs the film (:47). A fisherman drags up his line (1:05). Waves crash against a rocky shore (1:18). Don Hobart first appears (1:26) to explain to viewers what a ‘rock hound’ is. He informed viewers the film is about rock collecting and those obsessed with it. A man hacks at a rock (2:35) pulling apart a chunk of agate (2:53). An aerial view of Prineville follows (3:06). The Crooked River cuts through the city (3:25). A sign notes the population of the city (3:35). A banner hangs over the lot of the Rock Hound Pow Wow (3:46). Tailgaters await the opening of the show (4:07). Mining plains are set aside within the city (4:22). The High & Wild camera outfit appears (4:30). A man named Ivan (4:39) and Charlie Robinson (4:46) attended the show. A blacksmith heats and hammers tools for the rock hunters (4:57). He performs the process of tempering (6:26). License plates note the various locations of the attendees (6:57). Chief Robinson rouses the group (7:21). Hash browns are roasted for the eight to ten thousand attendees (7:37). Pancakes are served out (7:45). One man shaves in his face in the car (8:15). The lead off car moves out (8:28) for the rock digging area. A view from within the car captures the roadway lined with thick trees (8:49). A long line of cars makes way to the site here (9:08). The 1969 Dodge D200 Camper rolls by in baby blue (9:15). A red Toyota Land Cruiser crawls up the steep incline (9:38). Willie’s Jeep Truck follows in green (9:51). A woman in red shows off small pick hammers (10:07). She compares these to a larger version (10:20). Samples of moss agate sit atop the dirt (10:34). A man uses a ten pound maul (11:21). Children inspect samples (11:33). The city had recently sent out Caterpillars to uncover the area (12:03). An older woman works to hack at a large rock mass (12:43). The stones are licked (13:00) in order to test it’s quality. A young boy is hired to drive a rock collector’s load down the slope on a scooter (13:30). Another shows his lunch and his rock collection off for the camera (14:18). One man carries his load on a pack board (15:00). A deer pokes it’s head above the green (15:05). The group heads for Paulina for a lunch break (15:23). From here they navigate to the Limb Cast area (15:32). A handwritten notice (15:49) welcomes trespassers (15:49). The Rock Hounds search eagerly for good finds (16:06). A rattlesnake interrupts the party (16:23). The film returns to the fairgrounds (18:20). A woman holds a thunder egg (18:34). Another thunder egg has been sliced with a diamond saw (18:40). A man holds a petrified worm (18:50). A sign on the wall reads Rock Hound (19:00). Collectors show off valuable and unique finds (19:16). Kids prepare for the rock scramble (19:39). The children show off their collection (20:18). The polishing machine finishes off the rocks (20:29). A man named Bob Minton shows off his rock shop (20:46). The diamond saw slivers off a thin slice of the rock (21:05). The saw is bathed in oil (21:17). A diamond saw is utilized as a trim saw (21:41). The pieces are polished and finished (22:06). A man shows off the tools in his drawer (22:38). The stone is attached to a bolo tie (23:00). Broaches are set out of display crafted from the collected rocks (23:26). Don Hobart closes out the film (24:09). This was presented by Vagabond (24:52).

This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com