elementary
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2006
Posts: 1,077
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Post by elementary on Jul 7, 2010 18:35:08 GMT -5
Went hunting for a half day in the Hauser Beds. We left at 5:00 am and by the time we reached the beds at 8:00, the temp was already over 80 degrees. By 1:00, the temperature had gone up to 114 degrees so we stopped what we were doing and headed home. My dad drove and my wife went out for the first time to see what this hobby was all about. She brought out the wildlife, as we saw more lizards than ever before and even a snake (the kind that doesn't rattle). Our stops were for white t-eggs and eroded cores, seam agate, and that tan and white banded jasper I tumble. Here's a picture of some finished pieces of the white agate (left) and the banded jasper (right).  We found a large bagful of the white agate during our brief hunt for the white t-eggs:  and later found 1/2 a bucket of the banded jasper (most I've ever come across):  Also saw a strange bump in the road and decided to pry it out. As we were doing this, it fractured. Turned out to be a large hollow geode.   We also decided to walk a stream bed and found some good seam agate:  When I have time, (for those interested), I'll put together a driving tour of the beds and all you can find there. Happy hunting, Lowell |
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Post by jakesrocks on Jul 7, 2010 19:19:35 GMT -5
You did well at the hauser beds. Have you tried the potato patch ? Plenty of those buzz tail snakes around there too. Last time I was there, I found some real nice orange common opal, and a handful of fire agates, along with a nice pile of geodes and solid nodules.
Don
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Post by frane on Jul 8, 2010 7:56:07 GMT -5
That looks like a great trip but very hot! I love the goodies that you found too!
Fran
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elementary
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2006
Posts: 1,077
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Post by elementary on Jul 11, 2010 21:39:55 GMT -5
Don,
I've had success at one particular spot at the Potato Patch. I came across a recently dug hole and dug down into a layer of golfball to baseball sized geodes - a lot of them. There were three types in that hole - hollow (narrow walled) with brown, clear, or bluish crystals, solid with a bright blue interior, and hollow with some type of zeolite material inside - pink and white crystals - very fine and destroyed if the geodes were cut with a saw.
The problem was when I returned, the person who came after me dug INTO the hillside and not DOWN. Their overburden buried my spot under five feet of debris. I have dug through that once to get back to the layer, but ever since then - people have dug deeper into the hillside and piled more and more junk on my productive spot.
I've not come across the common opal in any quantity, and I've been lucky enough to not come across those buzz-happy serpents.
I've found some fire agates on the Colorado R. side of the Mountains towards Palo Verde, but nothing major. I've not gone to the Opal Hill Mine (where it can be dug for a fee) but I've a friend who scored some very nice pieces when he went there.
My dad actually worked for Joel Hauser years ago and I've been to his personal museum. (My family knows their family several ways.) I've also been able to go through his rough in his backyard and come away with several buckets of material - even led a field trip to the house for my club three years ago. They're an amazing family and Joel did a lot for this hobby, especially in SoCal.
Lowell
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Post by jakesrocks on Jul 11, 2010 22:07:54 GMT -5
Fire Mountain isn't all under claim. If you don't mind climbing, fire agate can be found by hiking in from the Coon Hollow campground. Quite a bit can be found as float on the hillside. Just watch out for those sneaky buzz tails. I'm an old Riverside boy, and climbed that hill many times before moving to S.D.
Don
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Post by drocknut on Jul 11, 2010 23:33:33 GMT -5
That banded jasper is so cool. I doubt I would be out in that heat collecting it though. That is a nice bump in the road. I'd love to see a tour of the beds.
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brent
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since November 2008
Posts: 1,316
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Post by brent on Jul 13, 2010 8:50:46 GMT -5
I would love to do a geode trip my next trip to Arizona. Maybe a few of us should get together?
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elementary
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2006
Posts: 1,077
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Post by elementary on Jul 21, 2010 0:27:42 GMT -5
Brent, I'm out there a few times a year. Give me a heads up a while ahead of time and I should be able to get out there for a day or so. I led a field trip out there a couple years ago and two of the guys came away with:  Yes, those are geodes! I've heard that this location has been dug up a lot more since I've been there last. Lowell |
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Post by christopherl1234 on Jul 21, 2010 1:26:09 GMT -5
I would love to go out there to dig some. Let me know if you all plan a trip out there, I'm game!!!!
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Post by Toad on Jul 21, 2010 7:09:46 GMT -5
Looks like a profitable trip. Thanks for teh pics.
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