zarguy
fully equipped rock polisher
Cedar City, Utah - rockhound heaven!
Member since December 2005
Posts: 1,791
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Post by zarguy on May 8, 2012 16:16:23 GMT -5
Google helped me find Stone Canyon Rd. halfway between Hwy 101 & Hwy 5 south west of Coalinga. It looks like the area where I've heard Stone canyon Jasper comes from, but I have no idea where to look. Does anyone know the specific location? I have both the No. & So. Calif books by Mitchell & it's not in them.
Lynn
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,456
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Post by Sabre52 on May 8, 2012 17:12:55 GMT -5
Howdy Lynn,
I was at the last CFMS field trip to Stone Canyon many years ago. The location is on a big private cattle ranch outside of Parkfield, CA and so far as I know, has been closed to the public since that fieldtrip. Most all the Stone Canyon type jasper except that on southern, CA beaches is on private property and so is not in gem trails type books. The ranch has had quite a few problems with trespass and I think they probably have enough money to not need the little bit they get from having a fee dig like the CFMS trip. Around the time of the fieldtrip, one of the other local ranches opened their ranch up for fee collecting after we sweet talked them a bit, but it was moderately expensive. The same family ( Varian is the name I think) owns the cafe and motel/lodge in Parkfield and they put us in contact with their father who we paid for the rockhunt. The ranch is now, I believe, called the V6 Ranch and is a guest and dude ranch. The creek through the ranch is one of the same creeks that drains the Stone Canyon area and had a lot of jasper and good fossils too. Don't know if it's still open for rock collecting but if it is and you hit it after a storm, it's a great hunt ( huge jasper boulders wash out of the creek gravels). I also used to get permission through a friend ( I worked for the AG Dept so had a lot of AG contacts) to hunt the other side of the hill ( Pacific side) in Indian Valley that had both Stone Canyon type and poppy jasper in Big Sandy Creek but that rancher sold out and moved to Oregon. Hunted another ranch a buddy's family owned in Creston, CA and it was even better for jasper and had more types ( that subtype is known as Cambria Jasper or Creston Jasper). Even more colorful than Stone Canyon. There is a small bar and store in Creston so you could check there to see if any local ranchers allow trespass for fee collecting but I doubt it. As a former ranch owner myself ( we had poppy jasper), I know liability concerns and trespass without permission makes one usually only grant trespass rights to those we knew well and trusted.
It should be mentioned that folks in the Stone Canyon region are extremely serious about trespass and law enforcement is very aggressive in that area due to a lot of poaching by deer and pig hunters. My buddy and I ( he's a local and was born and raised at Creston) actually had the sheriff called on us and had him question us about our permission (which we had of course) on one of our hunts on Big Sandy creek. Parkfield is the earthquake capitol of California and is a fun out of the way place to visit and the cafe has very good ribs and unusual decor. Branding irons are hung from the ceiling as a quake indicator cause they jingle....Mel
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Post by Bluesky78987 on May 20, 2012 9:18:23 GMT -5
Actually, Stone Canyon just posted on LA Rocks group that they are willing (?) don't remember the exact words to have large groups/clubs come hound there. We need to get a group together to go!
Oh wait. I just checked it - it's not Stone Canyon, it's Stony Creek. Different? Same? Better/Worse?
Their post said simply "Stony Creek Jasper is now open for large group field trips."
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Post by Woodyrock on May 22, 2012 1:09:45 GMT -5
Bluesky:
Stoney Creek is different, and is located at Black Butte Reservoir, which is run by the Army Corps of Engineers. There is a park there where you can stay, and there has always been plenty of access for rock hounding within the confines of the reservoir. Most of the land around Stoney Creek, which runs into, and out again from the reservoir is either private ranch, or Native American Reservation. It would be great if some of the private land is going to be opened for hounding. Most of Stoney Creek material is Jasp/agate, and and can be found in a wide variety of colours, and patterns. Woody
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Post by Bluesky78987 on May 22, 2012 12:04:18 GMT -5
Thanks Woody, sounds cool. I'll keep my eye out for clubs taking advantage of the opportunity.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,456
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Post by Sabre52 on May 22, 2012 21:40:01 GMT -5
Yep, Stoney Creek is northern California. Stone Canyon is down towards Paso Robles ( Parkfield actually) in Central California. A similar brecciated jasper can be found both places though as can poppy type jasper...Mel
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zarguy
fully equipped rock polisher
Cedar City, Utah - rockhound heaven!
Member since December 2005
Posts: 1,791
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Post by zarguy on May 29, 2012 1:42:47 GMT -5
Mel, Thanks for the info.
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Post by johnjsgems on May 29, 2012 8:28:39 GMT -5
A very similar brecciated jasper can be collected on the beach across the street from San Simeon State Park camp ground. The source is supposed to be up the creek in the park but I've never been up there to look. I also don't know if the park allows collecting. On the beach you can. It is a yellow and white material. I've never seen any of the reds and occasional green you see on Stone Canyon.
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zarguy
fully equipped rock polisher
Cedar City, Utah - rockhound heaven!
Member since December 2005
Posts: 1,791
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Post by zarguy on May 29, 2012 9:56:38 GMT -5
Yes, I've found the stuff at Pico Creek Beach near San Simeon. It's tumbled its way all the way to the ocean, so it's hard to cut without it falling apart.
I've also found what looks almost like Stone Canyon jasper in the city of San Francisco. I don't think I've ever heard anyone else mention it. It's my own secret stash! It too, is very fractured.
Lynn
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hand2mouthmining
spending too much on rocks
Purveyors of California Gem Rock
Member since September 2011
Posts: 495
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Post by hand2mouthmining on Jun 28, 2012 20:36:56 GMT -5
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,456
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Post by Sabre52 on Jun 28, 2012 22:23:31 GMT -5
Yeah, there's an outcrop of really nice Stone Canyon type jasper by one of the Marinas along the Bay at Palo Alto , CA too. Even shows up on the beaches where the surfers go behind the Ventura County Fairgrounds at the Ventura River mouth bit it too is pretty fractured. Ron from Ron's Rocks has some secret spot on the beach up towards Santa Barbara where has had found some awesome poppy jasper he showed me too...Mel
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Post by stephan on Sept 25, 2018 17:06:29 GMT -5
Responding to an old thread, I know... but I can't resist.
How did my brecciated jasper get fractured? LOL.
I know you are talking about post-healing, but much of this material did not heal completely. Plus, the same forces that shattered it the first time (the Pacific plate sitting on the Continental Plate) haven't really changed, so the stress remains. As several people mentioned, Parkfield is the earthquake capitol of California.
And now to inject another "Stony" locale for brecciated jasper: Stoneyford, which is also in NorCal, near the East Park Reservoir. About halfway between Black Butte and Clear lake, as the crow flies. As the car drives, is obviously another story. Haven't hunted there, but it's on the bucket list, if it's still open, and I can find the site. There seems to be an awful lot of private property there too.
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