Post by bouldergal on Apr 29, 2012 19:44:01 GMT -5
OK. I'm finally here, settling into a home next week (hopefully), and have been on two rock hounding trips. I know that different folks see things in different ways, so please don't be judgmental. 
I have already been to probably the main (not only) rock shops on the entire Kenai Peninsula - one in Anchorage and one between Sterling and Soldotna. Great folks with great info. However, seems like I have an entirely different opinion on what an agate actually looks like. Bear in mind, I've traveled the U.S. never seeing the sky, just the ground in front of me. I've carried around way too many pounds of "leaverite" and been blessed to find some pretty cool stuff, too. Stand outs were rockhounding with JCinPC (Thanks Jeff!!), digging thunder eggs at Richardson Ranch (in the middle of July - never been so hot), finding agates in Palo Duro Canyon and Rockhound State Park in the Southwest, and agates along the entire Northwest coast. I've sweated, fallen in rivers, skinned and scraped most extremities, and lived to tell about it. I haven't climbed too many mountains (legs are getting old) but have ratted around the mountains and old mines in Colorado enough to find some tiny specks of gold and lots of interesting looking stuff. I even panned for gold near Fairbanks Alaska years ago and managed to find a few tiny flakes.
So. I've done a bit of rockhounding. Now that I'm in Alaska, which with all of the zillion years of volcanic activity should be home of many exciting agate finds, I'm mystified. All leads, suggestions, and advice point me to beaches along Cook Inlet with agate presence attributed to Mt. Redoubt's famous eruption around 1990. I've walked EVERY accessible beach on the east side of Cook's Inlet not once, but on two different occasions since I got here. One time my daughter, Megan, searched with me. We came back with a lot of beach tumbled rocks typical of the Washington, Oregon, and N. California beaches that once tumbled for polishing make some really nice specimens. Supposedly there are even occasional finds of banded agates. I stopped at the rock shop near Soldotna today to show & tell with about 6 gallon size bags full of rocks. I know they're all chalcedony. Much to my surprise, I was told that none of them were agates. Apparently agates "here" are completely clear. Hmmm.
So, here are my questions:
1) With all of the volcanic history in Alaska, where else might I be able to go rock hounding to find agates? I KNOW they're here because I picked up what closely resembles a Woodward Ranch mossy biscuit in the landscaping rocks near where I work. I don't imagine they're importing rocks from Texas!!! ;D I'll show it off, with it slabbed, once my saws and wheels arrive.
2) Has anyone had any success with finding any other agate/jasper specimens in Alaska that aren't totally clear (by the way, I think of what these folks have found as being more like optical grade quartz).
3) Does anyone want to come up and go rockhounding with me?
Big hugs to all my friends from Alaska,
Susan
by the way, the two days I drove over the Yukon once I got off the ferry in Haynes Alaska were gorgeous but SCARY!!!!!!!
I have already been to probably the main (not only) rock shops on the entire Kenai Peninsula - one in Anchorage and one between Sterling and Soldotna. Great folks with great info. However, seems like I have an entirely different opinion on what an agate actually looks like. Bear in mind, I've traveled the U.S. never seeing the sky, just the ground in front of me. I've carried around way too many pounds of "leaverite" and been blessed to find some pretty cool stuff, too. Stand outs were rockhounding with JCinPC (Thanks Jeff!!), digging thunder eggs at Richardson Ranch (in the middle of July - never been so hot), finding agates in Palo Duro Canyon and Rockhound State Park in the Southwest, and agates along the entire Northwest coast. I've sweated, fallen in rivers, skinned and scraped most extremities, and lived to tell about it. I haven't climbed too many mountains (legs are getting old) but have ratted around the mountains and old mines in Colorado enough to find some tiny specks of gold and lots of interesting looking stuff. I even panned for gold near Fairbanks Alaska years ago and managed to find a few tiny flakes.
So. I've done a bit of rockhounding. Now that I'm in Alaska, which with all of the zillion years of volcanic activity should be home of many exciting agate finds, I'm mystified. All leads, suggestions, and advice point me to beaches along Cook Inlet with agate presence attributed to Mt. Redoubt's famous eruption around 1990. I've walked EVERY accessible beach on the east side of Cook's Inlet not once, but on two different occasions since I got here. One time my daughter, Megan, searched with me. We came back with a lot of beach tumbled rocks typical of the Washington, Oregon, and N. California beaches that once tumbled for polishing make some really nice specimens. Supposedly there are even occasional finds of banded agates. I stopped at the rock shop near Soldotna today to show & tell with about 6 gallon size bags full of rocks. I know they're all chalcedony. Much to my surprise, I was told that none of them were agates. Apparently agates "here" are completely clear. Hmmm.
So, here are my questions:
1) With all of the volcanic history in Alaska, where else might I be able to go rock hounding to find agates? I KNOW they're here because I picked up what closely resembles a Woodward Ranch mossy biscuit in the landscaping rocks near where I work. I don't imagine they're importing rocks from Texas!!! ;D I'll show it off, with it slabbed, once my saws and wheels arrive.
2) Has anyone had any success with finding any other agate/jasper specimens in Alaska that aren't totally clear (by the way, I think of what these folks have found as being more like optical grade quartz).
3) Does anyone want to come up and go rockhounding with me?
Big hugs to all my friends from Alaska,
Susan
by the way, the two days I drove over the Yukon once I got off the ferry in Haynes Alaska were gorgeous but SCARY!!!!!!!
(not that she doesn't love to spend hours staring at rocks, but I'm sure she'd rather sit on the sidelines and enjoy their darling little girl.
