Touring the Double Eagle with owner John (with gun on his hip).
Robert James (ISG) introduces the owner of the Dust Devil, Don
Then it was off to the Spectrum Sunstone Mine to get unpacked and settled in for the night.
Going to the Spectrum Sunstone Mine in Plush, OR - Digging Sunstone - Staying in a real Teepee!
Wiley’s Well - Nov 25th-28th
CFMS field trip, leader Adam Dean, Robert Sankovich.
There was a good turnout, over 60+ rockhounds attended. Deb and I were there Wed to Sun.
Thursday we collected Bay Laurel petrified wood by the Colorado River.
We then had a potluck Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings.
Friday:
Adam Dean led a group to find the Pailsy Agate,
Matt Boeck helped out and led field trips to the Straw beds for nodules/geodes, agate and for psilomelane.
I led a group to the opal mine and dug for fire agate.
Saturday we all went out collecting nodules, geodes and chalcedony.
The first field trip I ever went on was Wiley’s Well, and now the first CFMS field trip leading was Wiley’s Well.
The weather was sometimes windy, but most of them time is wasn’t. It was in the 40’s at night so it was cold. We had a campfire each night to keep warm and all the stories of rockhounding.
I’ll put some photos on the CFMS website and some photos on LA Rocks.
Matt Boeck, thanks for helping out and having your additional field trips.
Thanks to OBMS for having Wiley’s Well field trip and the potluck it is much appreciated.
Robert Sankovich
CFMS co field trips 2011
rmsorca@yahoo. com
Do you know about Rockhound Fieldtrip Fanatics? Are you a member? NO??!! Well take a look at the great trips you are missing out on!
Go to: http://rockhound-field-trips.ning.com/
…Sign Up Today!
Upcoming in November - Nov. 6 - Shaver Lake, “Amethyst Cove” The water is down for dam repairs, and we have a short window before the roads are closed for winter. This will likely be your only chance at this site until next fall. (More details at the RFTF! site this week.)
Nov. 20 - Lil Panoche & Panoche Hills
I’ve scouted out more rock piles for collecting, so this will be a great trip!
Coming in December - Dec. 20 to Jan. 2 - Fresno Gem & Mineral Society “Coastal Treasures” Trip
The FGMS Coastal Treasures trip is still in planning, and any suggestions or volunteer guidance is will be greatly appreciated. We invite all RFTF! members to get involved & join in this adventure!
If you have ever wondered if you could find a specimen from the hills of Hollywood, meet Justin Zzyzx of Zzyzx Gallery of Natural Science at the parking location on this map
http://maps. google.com/ maps/ms?hl= en&ie=UTF8& msa=0&ll= 34.1155,- 118.325844& spn=0.11597, 0.176983& t=h&z=13& msid=11430216050 9418778244. 000492cb6da7da76 87631
You can meet Justin Zzyzx at noon and walk along with him to the basalt quarry in the hills of Hollywood. You will find out why these quarries were dug and about the minerals found in the ancient lava flows that make up this section of the Santa Monica Mountains.
Sunday October 24th
12pm - NOON
At the last parking area on Canyon Drive, north of Franklin Ave.
Slightly inclined walk up a well maintained dirt/gravel road.
Lecture over by 12:30
WHERE: Cady Mountains
WHEN: October 9, 2010 @ 7:30am sign in - depart 8:00am
MEET: Dairy Queen in Ludlow (North side of I-40) east of Barstow
MATERIAL: Christmas Tree Agate
WHAT TO BRING: collecting bags/buckets, rock hammer, spray bottles, digging tools, gloves, goggles
This is the heart of California’s Mojave Desert and weather can be unpredictable this time of year so dress accordingly. We will be collecting Christmas Tree Agate.
From the meeting spot we will caravan north to the collecting location (4X4) is highly recommended. No sedans.
Bring lunch. This widespread field offers no shade. Gas and food available in Ludlow.
Waiver of Liability will be signed at the meeting spot.
Other materials at this site include agates and jaspers with sections of multi-shaded pink opal and other agates similar to Mexican Lace.
Stayovers may camp at a number of undeveloped sites or the hotel in Ludlow. Treat the desert with respect - tread lightly and pack it in/pack it out.
For further information please contact:
Adam Dean @ 909-489-4899 or email: theagatehunter@ verizon.net
Photo from: http://www.angelfire.com/oh5/ojhoff/moreslabs.html
It was a typical SoCal June day - here we call it “June Gloom” - a little overcast as we hit the road bright and early!
The drive from the OC to the Pala area is a quick (just over an hour) and really nice one - it is a good reminder of just how much open space there still is in SoCal!
By the time we got to the Oceanview Mine Dig the sun was starting to burn through and it ended up being a beautifully sunny day…and there is no better place to spend a sunny day than on the top of a rise overlooking the California Toumaline Mines (and ghosts of mines past).
With an expectation of 40 participants - the reality was that about 22 Federation participants dug next to the Oceanview’s regular gem hunters…lots of sun, mud and fun!
Peter (Mine Manager) gave a great overview of the rules and techniques for finding gemstones!
Lots of big quartz crystals started showing up immediately and within just a few minutes of industriously moving dirt - some color started showing up!!!
We had people from all over the US - Utah, Idaho, Missouri, Northern California and all of us locals…and a great time was had by all.
Both Travis and Peter worked with the Washburn’s from the Mid-West Federation, trying to convince Julia they were willing to help her carry buckets…yep - she insisted on pulling them on the cart!
They left happy even with their tired bones, due to a growing pile (they were looking for material for their Jr program) and some really great finds…and a sweet pink tourmaline!
The Oceanview had changed their routine from my last visit and instead of taking tours into the mine they offered us a “Tour of the Mine Area”. Well as someone who is claustrophobic (I know, how ironic ;-p) this was a fabulous offering!
The knowledgable Travis loaded us into the ATV/Cart and we traveled the sides of the mountain. Aside from the glorious vistas he pointed out the various shafts of the Oceanview and in the distance the ghosts of other historic Tourmaline mines in the Pala District.
With our gem booty carefully stowed we left the Oceanview and headed to the Lake Henshaw Resort. This is about a 20 minute drive but so much fun seeing the Orange groves, Bison, Llama and Cattle grazing in lush fields.
You can’t miss the Henshaw - there is the stunning Lake Henshaw on your left and the resort on your right.
So we all met up front - paid for our site (some people opted for cabins - some for camping) and caravaned up to a spot just past the trailers (on the right) that we had already scouted on an earlier visit.
I love this spot:
Of course there was the obligatory “Show & Tell” from the days hard work…lots of big quartz crystals - you can see green tourmaline crystals growing in the bottom of one.
There was color, some spodumene and a really clear sage green crystal that was probably my favorite of the day.
So once we were set up - there was a good hour of tent assembly and showers and introductions.
Once we rinsed half a mountain off, cabin dwellers and campers alike met for dinner at the Round-Up BBQ Restaurant on the campsite. I don’t know if it is just that every time I have eaten here I am beat and hungry or if the food really is just amazingly good - either way - it never disappoints!
Great food from local farmers and ranchers - Charli thought dessert (Chocolate Lava Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream) was the BEST!
We all rolled down the stairs to the parking lot and headed back up to the campsite! After a brief show and tell of the days finds, the guys started a campfire just in time to ward of the evening chill.
Thanks to Nikki and Charli the marshmallows and chocolate came out and s’mores assembly started - it was the perfect end to a fun day with great company!
If you want to re-create this trip with your family these are the important links:
Oceanview Mine Dig http://digforgems.com/
Lake Henshaw Resort http://www.lakehenshawresort.com/
Himalaya Mine Dig http://highdesertgems.com/
Lavic Siding 2010 Photos: Chris Lesso
Thursday, June 24, 2010: Lavic Siding Trip Lavic Siding is a classic jasper and agate location which has been visited by rockhounds since at least the 1940s. There is no way anyone can NOT find jasper here. Some truly spectacular pieces of lapidary material can and are found every time we come to collect. It is a beautiful location with a fine view of the Southern Cadys and Sleeping Beauty Mountain. 
Ten rockhounds came out for this adventure, mostly from Southern California rock clubs. We met up at the restaurant on the south side of I-40 at the Ludlow exit.
Our first stop was the “bowl”, an amphitheater-like area from which literally tons of agate and jasper have been picked up. After explaining what to collect and showing some samples of local rock, the group fanned out and got to it.
Next we caravanned out to the flats on the south side of the railroad tracks near the black basaltic flows around Pisgah Crater. We collected here until around lunch time then off for an agate and sagenite location along the power line road fronting the Southern Cadys. By the time we finished up here it was starting to get a little warm, over 100 deg F. Feeling the need to cool off, we drove east to Crucero Road, south to Ludlow and into the Dairy Queen parking lot for ice cream and “blizzards” (it was 107 deg F at Ludlow.) The end of June is not the ideal time for collecting in the Mojave Desert but it was a good group that came out. Rock was collected and we had a good time. Jay ValleNorth Orange County Gem & Mineral Society
Photo Credit: Chris Lesso from his Lavic Field Trip album
