Tommy
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Post by Tommy on Dec 14, 2017 15:14:23 GMT -5
After I chimed in on the discussion about plasma Agate yesterday I started poking around in my crate I found this little piece that I hadn't cut yet. This is from the creek location near the campground. I find it to be a lot different from the mercury mine location that much of the plasma agate we see comes from. It seems more fibrous which to me adds a lot of character. The possible downside is that it doesn't seem to have much if any of the red Cinnabar in it. Wet and dry - very solid piece. almost no fractures at all.   |
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Post by MsAli on Dec 14, 2017 15:39:54 GMT -5
Another rock added to my must have list *sigh-
Im a sucker for green
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Tommy
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Member since January 2013
Posts: 12,989
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Post by Tommy on Dec 14, 2017 20:47:46 GMT -5
Another rock added to my must have list *sigh- Im a sucker for green It's not too far from you either. There are collecting trips that run out that way all the time. Easy and free camping too. The most challenging thing about Clear Creek is that it still requires permits - one for the car and one for each person. There is a law moving through the California legislature to open the area back up to everyone but it's moving along pretty slow. |
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Post by MsAli on Dec 14, 2017 21:26:53 GMT -5
Another rock added to my must have list *sigh- Im a sucker for green It's not too far from you either. There are collecting trips that run out that way all the time. Easy and free camping too. The most challenging thing about Clear Creek is that it still requires permits - one for the car and one for each person. There is a law moving through the California legislature to open the area back up to everyone but it's moving along pretty slow. I will have to research it. Any problems with vehicle clearance? And the way this state is, it will probably never happen in my lifetime. |
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Post by rockjunquie on Dec 14, 2017 21:54:12 GMT -5
I really love plasma agate. I didn't until I saw it in person- you really have to see it in person.
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Tommy
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Member since January 2013
Posts: 12,989
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Post by Tommy on Dec 14, 2017 23:09:44 GMT -5
I will have to research it. Any problems with vehicle clearance? To get into the creek area no - it's a dirt road but a passenger car can fairly easily navigate the five miles or so next to the creek with a few easy creek crossings. When the road turns left and heads up to the ridge towards where the mine is it's a little more sketchy. My son went up it a 2wd Ford Ranger pickup with shitty tires and he popped two tires on a sharp rock. |
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Post by MsAli on Dec 14, 2017 23:43:20 GMT -5
I was looking at the Recreation.gov site, looks like it is a large area waiting to be explored. I cannot find any info on whether or not you can fish??
What is the best time to go? I would imagine springtime would be pretty nice.
I need to find myself a rockhounding partner.
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Tommy
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Member since January 2013
Posts: 12,989
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Post by Tommy on Dec 15, 2017 1:19:02 GMT -5
I was looking at the Recreation.gov site, looks like it is a large area waiting to be explored. I cannot find any info on whether or not you can fish?? What is the best time to go? I would imagine springtime would be pretty nice. I need to find myself a rockhounding partner. Sadly there is no fishing in the vicinity... I know this because my sons like to fish and the weekend they joined us there I researched it so I could dangle that as incentive to come. There is a small lake close by but it's on private property. I would say it's kind of typical of California - almost anytime year round is a good time to go - with the exception of after a major rain storm in January or the blazing heat of July/August. The creek can get down to just a trickle in the heat of summer but other than that I can't think of a month when I wouldn't go because of the weather or what not. Keep an eye on that Facebook page I told you about - there was a guy on there trying to get someone - anyone - to join him there this last weekend for some hounding. Eva and I usually go there about once a year and we missed this year but we are due but having to save money for the "big" trip to Quartzsite in January. |
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Post by MsAli on Dec 15, 2017 8:34:16 GMT -5
Thabk you Tommy, I will have to go back and look through that FB page for his post, as I'm not familiar with that area at all. It said 30 min from Coalinga, so that isn't far from me at all. Sucks about the no fishing, as I would like do that.
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Post by Bluesky78987 on Dec 15, 2017 10:32:47 GMT -5
Yes, Ali, you should go. The area is beautiful even if you don't find any good rocks! Tommy, show her some pictures of what the skin of the plasma agate looks like, since it's kind of different. Ali, you can find beautiful serpentine and jade in the creek too. When I went a couple years ago, there was a collecting limit of 1 five gallon bucket per person. Kris Rowe goes there every year with his club.
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Post by MsAli on Dec 15, 2017 10:35:47 GMT -5
Yes, Ali, you should go. The area is beautiful even if you don't find any good rocks! Tommy, show her some pictures of what the skin of the plasma agate looks like, since it's kind of different. Ali, you can find beautiful serpentine and jade in the creek too. When I went a couple years ago, there was a collecting limit of 1 five gallon bucket per person. Kris Rowe goes there every year with his club. Thank you! I will have to keep an eye out for when he goes. He isn't far from me at all. |
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Tommy
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Member since January 2013
Posts: 12,989
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Post by Tommy on Dec 15, 2017 11:06:41 GMT -5
Tommy, show her some pictures of what the skin of the plasma agate looks like, since it's kind of different. When walking creek the plasma agate sticks out like a sore thumb once your eye knows what to look for. It's a different color from everything around it. Don't overlook the dry upper banks too - the material is more abraded because it hasn't been smoothed by the water yet, but I've pulled good pieces out of the hillside. One of these days before I'm decrepit I'm going to walk that whole hill up to the ridge and try to find the source of the creek plasma. Here's a nice chunk photographed in situ - in posted this before in my 2014 trip report. We left it in place then checked on it again next trip up and it was gone. I bet it was fantastic inside.  I'm going to walk back my earlier comment about not going after a major rain storm in January - that might actually be the *perfect* time to go once the water flow has diminished because the creek gets a good cleaning from the torrent of water - sediment is moved and lots of new rocks poke their heads out. |
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Post by MsAli on Dec 15, 2017 11:55:11 GMT -5
Tommy, show her some pictures of what the skin of the plasma agate looks like, since it's kind of different. When walking creek the plasma agate sticks out like a sore thumb once your eye knows what to look for. It's a different color from everything around it. Don't overlook the dry upper banks too - the material is more abraded because it hasn't been smoothed by the water yet, but I've pulled good pieces out of the hillside. One of these days before I'm decrepit I'm going to walk that whole hill up to the ridge and try to find the source of the creek plasma. Here's a nice chunk photographed in situ - in posted this before in my 2014 trip report. We left it in place then checked on it again next trip up and it was gone. I bet it was fantastic inside. I'm going to walk back my earlier comment about not going after a major rain storm in January - that might actually be the *perfect* time to go once the water flow has diminished because the creek gets a good cleaning from the torrent of water - sediment is moved and lots of new rocks poke their heads out. From never seeing that before, I can tell you I would of been all over it-Sticks out like a sore thumb  Now I am really itching to go! |
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Now I am really itching to go!
