chassroc
Cave Dweller
Rocks are abundant when you have rocktumblinghobby pals
Member since January 2005
Posts: 3,586
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Post by chassroc on Apr 11, 2012 10:42:16 GMT -5
Starting to think about my next Western vacation and Oregon is a place I've never tried
If I'm based somewhere in the Portland vicinity for a week, are there rockhounding opportunities worth doing. I'm not particularly likely to travel more than 2 hours in any general direction. I'll pick up the usual "Rockhounding Oregon" type of guidebooks but wondering if anyone feels like weighing in on the subject.
charlie
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Post by Woodyrock on Apr 19, 2012 2:07:38 GMT -5
Charlie:
All the rivers in the Portland area have agate (carnelian) jasper, petwood, and bloodstone (rare, but there). Central Oregon is is rockhound paradise, and is about a two hour drive over the hill. Base yourself in Prineville for a week, and you will be rock heaven. Woody
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Post by roy on Apr 19, 2012 9:29:59 GMT -5
charlie if you do come to oregon let me know and i would be glad to go do some hounding with you! but like woody says go to prineville you would be glad you did
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Post by jakesrocks on Apr 19, 2012 9:41:27 GMT -5
Don't forget the Biggs and other picture jaspers found along the east side of Oregon. See if you can contact member montanamadman. He's presently doing heavy haul for a wind farm in the area. He has an "in" with the Biggs jasper claim owners. If he can't get you into the claim. he has his own stash of primo Biggs. He usually has a fair amount of Montana moss agate with him too. He uses it for trading material.
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Post by catmandewe on Apr 19, 2012 10:13:29 GMT -5
Prineville area hands down. You will be within an hour of dozens of places to rockhound, within 2 hours of hundreds. The problem is going to be which ones to go do.
Tony
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chassroc
Cave Dweller
Rocks are abundant when you have rocktumblinghobby pals
Member since January 2005
Posts: 3,586
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Post by chassroc on Apr 30, 2012 11:44:23 GMT -5
Thanks Guys...Prineville is the easy choice.. I'm not sure if I will get to the far east even though I'm a sucker for picture jasper, maybe save that area and Idaho for another trip...my wife is interested in wine country and B&B's and the coast...I have some family (not rockhounders) around Rogue River and might do a quick hit down that area too
charlie
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,687
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Post by Fossilman on Apr 30, 2012 12:21:42 GMT -5
Since moving here to Oregon two years ago-this is rockhounders heaven,no two ways about it........Like they said,no matter where you go,its rock hunting time..... Alot of beaches around Lincoln City and Newport areas are great for rocks and fossils too....... I know some great beaches for you to hunt in those areas if you choose too...
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chassroc
Cave Dweller
Rocks are abundant when you have rocktumblinghobby pals
Member since January 2005
Posts: 3,586
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Post by chassroc on Apr 30, 2012 14:08:54 GMT -5
Cannot wait...Right now I'm thinking sometime in June...but it depends on the job...might take a new job, might not
Charlie
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randysparky234
off to a rocking start
Member since April 2009
Posts: 2
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Post by randysparky234 on May 10, 2012 15:55:28 GMT -5
From Portland you can take the highway east along the Columbia River to Biggs Junction or Rufus to find people that have Biggs and Deschutes Jaspers. I went several years ago and bought a hundred pounds Biggs from a guy named Pat Beers in Rufus. He deosn't let people go out to the diggings due to tresspassers, but he has several large piles from his claims. Then go south on Highway 97 to the Madras area and visit Richardson Rock Ranch.
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deedolce
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since October 2006
Posts: 1,828
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Post by deedolce on May 10, 2012 21:04:11 GMT -5
Whose arm do we need to twist to make a Prineville, OR RTH field trip??
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Post by yurila on May 10, 2012 22:26:52 GMT -5
Hi Charlie,
Richardson's Ranch, fee dig (t-eggs) is within 2 hrs from Portland. They have lot of material from other places as well, not only thundereggs.
Prineville is 30 miles from Madras / Richardson. Prineville pow-wow is on June 21-24, field trips are on Fri-Sun. There is a lot of easy access locations in Ochoco mountains: Lucky Strike t-eggs - fee dig; BLM free places - White Fir, White Rock (TNT) - t-eggs as well.
Maury mountain (moss agate) and Paulina (limb cast) are approx an hour from Prineville.
Yuri
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gottagem
off to a rocking start
Member since November 2010
Posts: 2
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Post by gottagem on Sept 4, 2012 21:17:41 GMT -5
Just got back from prineville ,Oregon. Judy Elkins Gem stones has been there for about 50 years, Judy, the owner is going out of business, she has some awesome stuff and she will give you directions to collecting or do as I did.... spent 10 hours one day and 7 hours the next, found some great agates, dug down 10 inches to stuff that has been there for years . 10 cents a pound, I was in heaven.
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chassroc
Cave Dweller
Rocks are abundant when you have rocktumblinghobby pals
Member since January 2005
Posts: 3,586
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Post by chassroc on Oct 27, 2012 16:15:57 GMT -5
Finally did get to Oregon a few weeks ago. Another beautiful state. The trip was bittersweet. I caught one of those nasty asian flus on the plane(pure speculation on my part). The first half of the trip was pretty good. The Pacific is rough out there. The sand dunes exceeded my expectations. Wine country in the Willamette Valley is out standing. The Gorge is great for little hikes to waterfalls. Lots of volcanic ground too. Crater Lake is one of the natural wonders of this country. With the flu I stayed on the rim. If we hiked down to the lake I'd need a helicopter to get me out. The last three days were pure hell as the flu really kicked in. Unfortunately the last three days were my rockhounding days. The only place we went was Richardson's Ranch and in my weakeaned state , it was a lot harder than I expected. Still we got some real nice eggs. I'm pleased with the colors and patterns. You might look at the first picture and say is that all you got? But with the flu I almost collapsed trying to get these out of there. Great reds and green and the more normal blue insides. What a great place it is. I wonder how many more years they will be in business until the eggs run out All the eggs back at home. A favorite of those I cut so far and started to polish Another Favorite of those I cut so far and started to polish Charlie
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,687
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Post by Fossilman on Oct 27, 2012 20:17:37 GMT -5
Glad you made it out here..............To bad you caught the flu!!!!
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