turkeyvulture
starting to shine!
Member since April 2011
Posts: 32
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Post by turkeyvulture on Apr 4, 2011 20:42:40 GMT -5
Hello, everybody! I'm a new rockhound and just joined the board. My birthday is coming up in a few weeks and I've been thinking of taking a four-day weekend to hunt for some pretty rocks. I'd really love to go look for Ellensburg blue agates but have never done it before. Any advice from seasoned pros? Ellensburg is just a few hours' drive from me so I could make quite a weekend of it! Any other suggestions? What would you recommend for a new rockhound who's only really beach-combed before? I've considered going back to Whidbey Island or up to Sequim and looking for more agate and jasper on the gravelly beaches...I found some nice big ones after we got the waves from that awful tsunami in Japan. Any suggestions for a good weekend in the Northwest are welcome! Thanks! Libbie
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danb
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2011
Posts: 107
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Post by danb on Apr 5, 2011 0:38:02 GMT -5
What part of Washington? I think the rivers are probably blown out in Washington, like they are here in Oregon, but once they go down there is going to be some great hunting since the flood waters are going to uncover a lot of new rock.
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turkeyvulture
starting to shine!
Member since April 2011
Posts: 32
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Post by turkeyvulture on Apr 5, 2011 12:32:48 GMT -5
I'm in western Washington (Seattle) but I'm willing to drive. I might even consider a trip to northern Oregon or the Oregon coast!
I've never hunted in a river before but it would be fun to try!
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Post by jakesrocks on Apr 5, 2011 12:55:17 GMT -5
Real Ellensburg blue is rare, and very difficult to find. I've only seen one find of the real stuff in the last year. Lots of blue colored rocks from that area are passed off as Ellensburg blue. It takes one of the old timers to tell you if you've found the real stuff. Good luck.
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Post by Jack, lapidaryrough on Apr 5, 2011 14:19:27 GMT -5
You may look around Red top ridge / Mt. And sheep creek. Ask land owners for permission to hunt their steam banks. Though your 30 years late of that hunt. Get a BLM maps that shows there land in the area close to the ridge of red top Mt. And look for rotten Pillow Basalts on top. red hydrated oxide basalt. And the broken walls of the canyon on sheep creek. check this site for more information of rock shops / clubs in that area. www.mapmuse.com Timber land you well need a permit to remove material. Jack
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turkeyvulture
starting to shine!
Member since April 2011
Posts: 32
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Post by turkeyvulture on Apr 6, 2011 12:38:01 GMT -5
Great...thanks for the info, Jack! And thanks to the rest of you for the advice...any more is welcome! I hope the birthday fairy brings me some saws and wheels so I can start making cool slabs and cabs like the rest of you.
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Post by jakesrocks on Apr 6, 2011 13:07:10 GMT -5
Lets hear it for the birthday fairy . I keep hoping she'll bring me a brandy new sphere machine, but so far no such luck. Don
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engineersteve
off to a rocking start
Member since February 2011
Posts: 11
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Post by engineersteve on Apr 11, 2011 15:55:36 GMT -5
Hi there! I would really recommend getting a copy of the book "Gem Trails of Washington" by Garrett Romaine. Especially this time of year because you really need to pay attention to elevation. For example, I would guess that the ridge on Red Top out of Cle Elum is still under some snow, or as in past years, the road will need a little work until it is more easily passable. There is a great event for a new collector next weekend. The Pow-wow Rockhound club of america is having a two-day group dig on saddle mountain for petrified wood near Vantage/Mattawa. Below is a link to their website: www.allrockhoundspowwowclubofamerica.com/There is another list of scheduled group trips in Washington this year here under field trips, and other sites under localities: www.mineralcouncil.org/There is one place near Ellensburg called the Rock'n'Tomahawk Ranch that claims to have a higher concentration of Ellensburg Blue on their property. I'm not sure if this is true, from everything I've heard "true blue" is randomly scattered around the E'burg area with no known concentrations. But, at least they could tell you what to look for: www.moon.com/destinations/washington/columbia-gorge-and-wine-country/ellensburg/recreation/rock-huntingHope this helps!
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nates
off to a rocking start
Member since August 2010
Posts: 8
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Post by nates on Apr 12, 2011 17:29:56 GMT -5
Red top still has about 2 feet of snow as of right now but I was just at First Creek this past weekend and was surprised to see no snow there. I've found some blue agates at first creek but it's not the cornflower blue like the good E-blues. My understanding is that the E-blues were deposited from a glacier many moons ago so who knows where it could have originated from. but I've never found any real E-blues on the slopes of Blewett Pass. You should definately check out the local club field trips to get an idea of what the state has to offer. Most of the well known spots are still covered in snow and after all the extra snow in march it's gonna take some time to melt. Happy hunting.
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turkeyvulture
starting to shine!
Member since April 2011
Posts: 32
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Post by turkeyvulture on Apr 14, 2011 12:40:29 GMT -5
Thanks for your help, everybody! I will definitely track down the book and will check into the local clubs as well.
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Post by FrogAndBearCreations on Apr 14, 2011 14:40:11 GMT -5
the best time to go looking is overcast afer a rain that agate color just pops out at you.
I'm a april Bday too! 29th to be exact
I have been bugging hubby to take me to hunt for that elusive agate also
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turkeyvulture
starting to shine!
Member since April 2011
Posts: 32
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Post by turkeyvulture on Apr 29, 2011 11:34:49 GMT -5
Okay, we've decided...two friends are coming along and we're going to beach-comb on Whidbey (because the guys want to get some fishing in) and then we're going east to Saddle Mountain for pet wood. We will probably check out the Little Naches river, too. I think it ought to be a great weekend! My first real rock-hunting trip...I'll let you all know how it turns out.
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Post by FrogAndBearCreations on Apr 29, 2011 12:07:54 GMT -5
good luck on finding great rocks!
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turkeyvulture
starting to shine!
Member since April 2011
Posts: 32
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Post by turkeyvulture on Apr 29, 2011 12:17:51 GMT -5
Thanks...and HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you!
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Post by FrogAndBearCreations on Apr 29, 2011 12:23:12 GMT -5
Thanks
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SurfCitySue
off to a rocking start
Member since June 2013
Posts: 3
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Post by SurfCitySue on Jun 25, 2013 13:57:06 GMT -5
I realize this topic is pretty old, however, we just went to Ellensburg WA to scout out the area. I believe that the land that would have the true Ellensburg blue has been purchased by the locals there. It is quite clear that they want to keep the price high. We drove by the Rock'n'Tomahawk Ranch, and it is just some old falling down buildings, and wire fences surrounding who knows what. We did not call for a reservation, but I am glad we didn't bother. I talked to our rock expert in Port Townsend Rock Club. Marie has gone many times over several years to look for the E.Blue with the closest rock club to Ellensburg, and she says there are none. Period. I did hear that one should go right after the last frost, seems they can pop up when the ground freezes, but there are less and less each year. Again, on private land. And yes, the roads out of town are terrible, washboard teeth gritting style roads.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jun 25, 2013 15:09:27 GMT -5
Hi Sue; if there are agates in the fields next to dirt roads they are on dirt roads too. Agates no nothing of roads or property lines!
Good luck on the hunt.
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SurfCitySue
off to a rocking start
Member since June 2013
Posts: 3
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Post by SurfCitySue on Jun 25, 2013 15:13:02 GMT -5
Thank you ARW, we are long gone from there, but might try a visit late winter next year.
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