rickityrock
off to a rocking start
Member since November 2004
Posts: 23
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Post by rickityrock on Nov 22, 2004 18:13:03 GMT -5
does anybody know of a good rock hunting place besides crystals and geods? im desperate for somthing in state and new to me
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Post by BearCreekLapidary on Dec 1, 2004 23:42:11 GMT -5
Hello, Try this web site out: www.orerockon.comThey have a lot of listings available in Oregon and a link site to Washington State. Happy Hunting John |
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Post by silconglass on Dec 3, 2004 0:49:27 GMT -5
Finding rocks in Washington, so many places and so little time to visit them.
I got started with the Lanny Ream book, Gems and Minerals of Washington, it may be out of print and mine has now completly fallen apart. Anyway, some of his notes about places are cryptic but he is a geologist and gives you the basics of where what type is located. I have to say each trip out with my kids using his book was interesting and usually produced some worthwile rocks to drag home. Maybe not what we started after but interesting none the less. Bob Jacksons books were used also and produced some goods trips.
At the time I was working for the University of Washington and I started to read geology grad student thesis from the 1920's and 1930's when mining was still going on in the Cascades. This resulted in several family camping trips to visit old mines. Interesting, but the rocks were usually pretty well ground up, mounds and mounds of ground quartz.
Then I realized, what the geology students were telling me was that, no matter where you go in Washington, any ridge top, rock cut, hill slide, stream bed, or beach will produce something of interest for collecting or working into something. So we started to just look around and the students were right, if we were looking we usually found something.
Just for fun, if you can call it that, my son and I did some 12 hour forced marches straight up to ridge tops in the Snoqualie River drainage basin and found some great crystals. I don't do that any more. Other favor places are around Ellensburg, the ridges are easier to get to and produce rock suitable for tumbling or agate nodules. The streams around Ellensburg are good also.
This time of year, the lowland streams the draining the Cacades on the west side are a good bet. My current dig is a gravel bar about a mile from my home in the Tolt River at Carnation. The nice thing about it is that everytime it floods the river rearranges the bar for me and new stuff appears. I have found good examples of jasper, quartzite, chalcedony, and other stuff I am not sure what it is but it should look nice tumbled.
I have been told that amber is showing up in the streams draining Tiger mountain and I plan on checking it out in the near future, if water levers stay fairly low.
I am not sure where you are located or what type of rock you are looking for but there are a couple of ideas. I can show you them now if you are in the Seattle area.
SG
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thehawke
freely admits to licking rocks
My Lord and Master
Member since January 2006
Posts: 866
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Post by thehawke on Jan 8, 2006 2:29:53 GMT -5
This time of year, the lowland streams the draining the Cacades on the west side are a good bet. My current dig is a gravel bar about a mile from my home in the Tolt River at Carnation. The nice thing about it is that everytime it floods the river rearranges the bar for me and new stuff appears. I have found good examples of jasper, quartzite, chalcedony, and other stuff I am not sure what it is but it should look nice tumbled. I have been told that amber is showing up in the streams draining Tiger mountain and I plan on checking it out in the near future, if water levers stay fairly low. I am not sure where you are located or what type of rock you are looking for but there are a couple of ideas. I can show you them now if you are in the Seattle area. SG There was a huge landslide near white horse mountain that I plan on hitting tomorrow. We went last weekend and it was amazing all the stuff I found. I am new to the hobby. BTW, this is my first post. Hi folks. I have a friend that lives near you in Gold Bar. I love those little towns. And Carnation is downright charming. |
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Post by rockds on Jan 8, 2006 2:39:52 GMT -5
welcome to the board hawk
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thehawke
freely admits to licking rocks
My Lord and Master
Member since January 2006
Posts: 866
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Post by thehawke on Jan 8, 2006 21:42:17 GMT -5
thank you. We went to the landslide today. There was a mudslide about 3/4 of a mile from the landslide no thanks to clearcutting. Anyway, we walked the rest of the way and got some nice stuff (I really must get a book of rock identification). We stopped when we saw weather starting to move into the valley. I've definitely got enough for a few go-rounds in the tumbler.
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Post by xenaswolf on Jan 8, 2006 22:05:29 GMT -5
Hawke just please be careful on the slide area, with all the rain we are getting I'd hate to read about ya getting hurt.
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drupe
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2005
Posts: 1,245
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Post by drupe on Jan 9, 2006 18:43:03 GMT -5
Hawk - Count yourself fortunate to have the area you describe to rockhound in. As Xena said make safety a priority and let us know more about your finds. Pics are always welcome.
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thehawke
freely admits to licking rocks
My Lord and Master
Member since January 2006
Posts: 866
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Post by thehawke on Jan 9, 2006 23:47:04 GMT -5
well when the server comes back up, I'll post a flickr link to show you where we were. YAY it is back up. glyphstone.com/the flickr stream is here: www.flickr.com/photos/glyphstone/84262371/I am the dark-haired gal. I'll take some pics of the rocks when the wife gets back witht he truck (they are still there). |
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Juniper
starting to shine!
Rock hound
Member since March 2003
Posts: 40
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Post by Juniper on Jan 10, 2006 19:11:24 GMT -5
there are a lot of places in lewis county the streams are loaded with pet wood, carnelian, various agates and jaspers.You can get directions off the Washington agate and mineral board. near vantage there is opalized pet wood. If you are near south Puget sound and want company , let me know Juniper
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Post by xenaswolf on Jan 12, 2006 12:26:24 GMT -5
Juniper thanks for the info. If the water ever goes down I may have to make a trek down there for more wood and carnelian.
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thehawke
freely admits to licking rocks
My Lord and Master
Member since January 2006
Posts: 866
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Post by thehawke on Jan 12, 2006 14:36:19 GMT -5
Hey, I'd be up for a trip too. Once it stops raining...and maybe starts getting a little warmer.
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turnedstone
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since January 2006
Posts: 766
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Post by turnedstone on Jan 14, 2006 17:10:45 GMT -5
hi all i have 146 locations listed in my book on washington let me know what you are looking for and where you are and i can list them for you this book is no longer in print will be happy to help any and all .george
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thehawke
freely admits to licking rocks
My Lord and Master
Member since January 2006
Posts: 866
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Post by thehawke on Jan 14, 2006 19:56:34 GMT -5
Is it the rocks and gems in washington book? Or a different one? I found mine at borders in the local interest section. It is an excellent book.
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turnedstone
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since January 2006
Posts: 766
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Post by turnedstone on Jan 14, 2006 21:08:29 GMT -5
hi no its called earth treasures it is a 4 volume series writen by allen w.eckert i only have 2 of these would love to find the other 2 they are no longer in print
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spacemanspliff
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since January 2006
Posts: 171
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Post by spacemanspliff on Jan 24, 2006 5:21:23 GMT -5
TurnedStone, I live in Thurston County South of Olympia and I would like to hunt anything in my area. I know there is a lot of carnelian in the area but a creek or river name and possibly a refrence point along said creek or river would be an awsome starting point. I went out to Johnson Creek near Ranier and found a peice of Petrified Wood and a Red and Black Jasper, in the 30 seconds I had, and had to go get the wife off to work. I'll be going back there with some rain boots and time, it's always the time I forget to bring  . Peace, SSSSpaceman SSSpliff |
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thehawke
freely admits to licking rocks
My Lord and Master
Member since January 2006
Posts: 866
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Post by thehawke on Jan 24, 2006 12:36:47 GMT -5
MAN! I should have taken the wife to work. Can you BELIEVE the weather out there? BLUE SKY!!!! And it is supposed to get up to 55!!! MAN! I may take the bus to go snag the truck.
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spacemanspliff
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since January 2006
Posts: 171
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Post by spacemanspliff on Jan 25, 2006 0:59:35 GMT -5
Yeah it's awsome, looking like an early Spring again, maybe there will be a frost or two but I doubt anything major. All the plants are starting to come to life, got some Crocases comming up in the front and the Hydrangeas are budding up. Truly a magical time of year . Peace, SSSSpaceman SSSpliff |
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greenmann
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2005
Posts: 325
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Post by greenmann on Jan 25, 2006 2:55:45 GMT -5
yes, truly magical... the woods are startign to wake up. Don't bet on it being an early year though, we could still easily have snow before Easter. Its done it before. If anyone decides to set up a field trip of folks in the SeaTac area, please let me know! Hmm, I may have to take a trip up to Carnation soon  Got some nice rocks off the gravel bars up there in the park last time we went up, but that was in mid summer. I bet there are lots more interesting things up there now! Wish i could find carnelian... best I have gotten so far is nice red jasper. |
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spacemanspliff
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since January 2006
Posts: 171
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Post by spacemanspliff on Jan 25, 2006 3:36:35 GMT -5
When I find a good hunting spot I'll organise a feild trip. I have found 2 spots that suposedly have Carnelian in the gravel bars but they say to go in the late summer when the rivers are low and gravel bar's show. I have also found someone that finds the carnelian agates on the beach and described the scratches on the outside of my agates as Stagnite. Was wondering what that was I was thinking it was some sort of fossil. Peace, SSSSpaceman SSSpliff |
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Got some nice rocks off the gravel bars up there in the park last time we went up, but that was in mid summer. I bet there are lots more interesting things up there now! Wish i could find carnelian... best I have gotten so far is nice red jasper.
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