billg22
spending too much on rocks
Member since November 2011
Posts: 451
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Post by billg22 on Feb 4, 2012 11:49:24 GMT -5
Here's a dumb question. Has anyone been to the Castle Butte area in California? Is it worth a stop? I'm going over next weekends Gem Hill and Yermo trip, trying to jam in as much as possible. Any ideas?
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LarryS
freely admits to licking rocks
SoCal desert rats
Member since August 2010
Posts: 781
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Post by LarryS on Feb 4, 2012 13:09:17 GMT -5
We've been all over the southern section of Castle Butte. Just your basic jasper & agate, nothing to write home about. As with all gem sites, if it's easy to get to, it's been picked clean. Further you walk/drive in, the better material you'll find. Looks like you'll have your hands full by visiting all 3 locations in a day or two. Castle Butte area alone is huge and you'll never be able to do it in just one day. Roads are pretty rough and lots of ATV's out there. If you have 4 wheel drive, you'll do a lot less walking, that's for sure. Keep your eye out for a 12mp 20x Canon digital camera that was left on the roof of my Jeep and went along for the ride and fell off somewhere out there. Keep the camera, I just want the memory chip!
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Post by paulshiroma on Feb 4, 2012 16:09:56 GMT -5
Billg22, since you're heading out that way and trying to burn the candle at both ends try to head up to Last Chance Canyon, Cinco, and then Acton on your way back ;D. Just kidding, buddy. Sounds like you're planning a campaign LOL! I hope you folks have a good time and remember ... take lots of pictures! Virtual rock hounding is fun too!
You can ask LarryS about Last Chance Canyon. I think he's been there about - what do you think, Larry? - seven or eight times since the beginning of the year? ;D
Have a great time. Paul
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LarryS
freely admits to licking rocks
SoCal desert rats
Member since August 2010
Posts: 781
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Post by LarryS on Feb 4, 2012 18:53:47 GMT -5
I've been trying to talk Diane into moving out there but it's too far away from the stores for her. Look at the gas we'll save! I fixed all my saw/slabbing issues but I'm burnt out. Time to do some rock hounding at Last Chance, like real soon!
Billg22, should check out Brown Butte which isn't far from Castle Butte. It's an interesting area and easy to get to with normal car. Work the south side of the butte. Didn't find anything on the west side as the book stated.
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elementary
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2006
Posts: 1,077
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Post by elementary on Feb 5, 2012 22:17:44 GMT -5
I've found a few pieces there, but the most interesting item on the agenda, besides the impossible to find Boron wood (1 piece in 5 or 6 trips through there) are the irregular nodules on the hills to the west of Boron dry lake. Several books list chapenite coming from that location (A brecciated jasper resealed with agate). The hillside is sprinkled with broken and chipped specimens - many are cracked or have a poor interiors. They look like this: Here's the best one I've cut - brecciated and resealed, though without the colors of Siam Siding or Fort Irwin's nodules. Compare with Siam Siding Chapenite: Don't know if this interests you or not - Just an FYI. Lowell
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billg22
spending too much on rocks
Member since November 2011
Posts: 451
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Post by billg22 on Feb 6, 2012 19:26:08 GMT -5
Thanks for the info. So far the plan is to hit Gem Hill first and stay Saturday night in Mojave. Sunday will be interesting. We will use all this great information to figure out what to do that day. We will end up in Victorville on Sunday night. Monday morning we will head off to Yermo and visit Calico, then head on home.
I'm kind of looking for smaller rocks mostly to tumble. I have a small tile saw, so larger rocks are kind of out of the question. But then again, if I trip over a really neat find, it's on it's way to a new home in Westminster. We thought it would be a good time to make this trip when it's not so hot.
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billg22
spending too much on rocks
Member since November 2011
Posts: 451
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Post by billg22 on Feb 6, 2012 19:55:24 GMT -5
LarryS, I do have a "normal" car. Kind of normal Scion XB. You have me thinking about Brown Butte. Is it easy to get to? We will be in Mojave in the morning. Sounds like a good leg and back warmup. I checked google and found a video that was fun, but no directions. I'll leave enough for your next trip if you can help me out with directions. I may skip Castle Butte this trip.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,487
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Post by Sabre52 on Feb 6, 2012 20:55:49 GMT -5
I've hunted Brown Butte a couple of times. Found excellent fossil reed, some pretty good palm roots and the hill were we camped, east of the reed area, had monster boulders of agate in a variety of colors. Last time I went which was many years ago, the crossing over the tracks was chained and locked but we were able to drive through a large culvert under the tracks...Mel
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Post by johnjsgems on Feb 6, 2012 23:37:44 GMT -5
I think I hunted the same Boron Lake hill. When I scouted it we find surface chapenite with purple. When I returned with a group I found not much at all. Probably best after a storm. An easy spot to get to and collect is the travertine claim in Aerial Acres owned by the Sierra Paloma club. Follow the rock guides and you should find it easily. When will you be in Calico?
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Post by paulshiroma on Feb 8, 2012 0:09:59 GMT -5
Billg22 - next month is the Tailgate Rock Show up in Victorville. I'm going to try and meet Larry and Diane up there on that Saturday. Be great if we could all meet up there! Here's the link Larry sent over: www.vvgmc.org/tailgate.htmlNot sure if you're a member, but the Searchers Gem and Mineral Society out of Anaheim is also running some field trips to the Castle Butte area the weekend of Feb 18-19 and then to the Lavic Siding area March 24-25. I've been toying with renewing my membership. I let it lapse but still get the newsletter as the meetings (and workshop) are all up in Anaheim, about 40 minutes away which is a bit of a hop on a weekday evening. Might be something to consider.
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Dr DG
fully equipped rock polisher
Gone Fishing
Member since April 2005
Posts: 1,848
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Post by Dr DG on Feb 8, 2012 21:03:01 GMT -5
I am a Seacher, we be going to up that why on Sunday Morning..
Four Corners (Kramers Junction) on Sat. and Castle Butte on Sun.
February 18th and 19th
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Dr DG
fully equipped rock polisher
Gone Fishing
Member since April 2005
Posts: 1,848
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Post by Dr DG on Feb 8, 2012 21:06:48 GMT -5
The Searchers will be having a field trip to The Cady Mountains, which is close to Lavic Siding
Dan
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Post by paulshiroma on Feb 9, 2012 0:18:53 GMT -5
The ridgeline is pretty extensive and there's still lots to be found. My cousin and his daughter were up there late last year as well and found quite a bit of that common green opal(?).
Good luck! Paul
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LarryS
freely admits to licking rocks
SoCal desert rats
Member since August 2010
Posts: 781
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Post by LarryS on Feb 9, 2012 10:28:49 GMT -5
Brown Butte has no gate as of 1 1/2 years ago. Rail road laid new track and while doing so, they rebuilt some crossings, moved or removed others. I'm sure the BLM was secretly behind this and is a way to close off areas without anybody knowing it. The Brown Butte road is a wide well graded dirt road all the way to the back side of the butte. Lots of cool root beer brown jasper that polishes up nice.
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