ol3m3
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since September 2006
Posts: 85 
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Post by ol3m3 on Sept 23, 2007 23:09:20 GMT -5
Will be traveling hwy 395 south through eastern CA and western NV and would like to find some locations where I can do some collecting. Would be interested in sunstones in particular.
Thanks
OM
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rallyrocks
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since November 2005
Posts: 1,507
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Post by rallyrocks on Sept 24, 2007 11:08:51 GMT -5
I don't think you'll find much in the way of sunstones south of Oregon, but there are a whole bunch of collecting sites not too far off 395, maybe if you share the endpoints of your trip I can point you towards a few of them and tell you what you might expect to find
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ol3m3
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since September 2006
Posts: 85
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Post by ol3m3 on Sept 24, 2007 23:23:06 GMT -5
will pick up hwy 395 in Northern Ca and follow it to Southern CA then on to Quartzsite for the winter
OM
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rallyrocks
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since November 2005
Posts: 1,507
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Post by rallyrocks on Sept 25, 2007 1:22:06 GMT -5
Well that only narrows it down a little, 395 is in "northern CA" for 218 miles before ir ducks into Nevada, then again still in what most people consider Northern cal- for about 175 where I guess you could say you are in Southern Cal about at Independence.
The northmost section between Oregon and Susanville passes through a lot of Volcanic areas, with Obsidian and apache tears collecting around DavisCreek, Fandango Pass and Sugar hill by the OR border, then farther along near Susanville there are also some good sites for agates and Jaspers.
Depending on how far afield you want to venture, there are several interesting collection spots out of Reno, to the east- Fallon is noted for good gem quality wonderstone, south of there and back towards Reno- Silver Springs and between there and Fernley have some good chalcedony collecting sites.
From Reno to the west near the CA border by Verdi is Crystal Peak which is famous for quartz crystals.
As you come back into CA between Bridgeport and Mammoth you pass Mono Lake and then the Long Valley Caldera where again Obsidian is everywhere.
I think there are lots more as that whole trip runs through some deep and fascinating geological areas.
While some people poo-poo them, you might want to pick up copies of James Mitchell's "Gem trails" book series for Northern Ca, NV and Southern CA. The books aren't always the most up to date, but they give you a lot of ideas of places to check out.
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