Panorama Gem

Rock Hounding in Northeast Washington

Category Archives: helpful hints

Petrified Wood May 2nd

April 29th, 2010
Hello rock hounds ;
This is to remind you of our field trip to Saddle Mt. On Sunday May 2 .
We will meet at the Safeway Parking lot in Chewelah at 7AM  , Do not be late as we will  stop at the STAPLES parking lot on N. DIVISION and FOOTHILLS DRIVE at 8 AM to join up with those who will find it more convenient to meet us there .
Please share rides and fuel costs and if you can not maintain freeway speeds please ride with some one who can .
The road up the mountain is reported to  be in good condition but all cars should have reasonable clearance . For those of you not familiar with  this area ; a short handle shovel ,your rock  hammer , small  pick , mid size hammer , chisel ,5 gal. Bucket , lots of drinking water , and lunch .
This will be a long day and a tiring drive and we want it to be as comfortable as possible so
Please do not bring long handled shovels or large bars unless you will be driving a pickup , vans and cars will be loaded  .
My van is already fully loaded,andGreg will be driving it as I am restricted due to health issues .
I just was made  aware that loose tools and rocks in a passenger compartment is a NO –NO
All materials should be  secured in a trunk or if in a passenger compartment should be secure in a cargo net , or better yet carried in a pickup .
Jerry Novack has offered to take his pickup and carry  tools and rock –if we help with fuel cost ?
( my offer ) !
See you there —- Rex

Date Change on Stonerose

April 7th, 2010

Due to scheduling conflicts, the club trip to the Stonerose Fossil site has been moved from Saturday April 10th to Sunday April 11th.    We still meet at Harvest Foods in Kettle Falls, 8:30 in the morning.  Bring hard rock tools, we will need to fracture layers of rock and separate them with chisels in order to find fossils.  There is a limit of 3 good fossil specimens per person and the club will collect enough money to cover the $30 group cost.  We should be at Stonerose about 9:30 and expect to leave about 2 PM.  So bring water and a lunch.  Be prepared for highly variable weather.

Permits

April 1st, 2010
Here are places that you can get permits to go on Inland Paper Property to look for rocks.  The rock club is planning trips to the DayBreak Mine for Autenite on June 20th and to the Crystal Prospect on June 13th.  Permits are $10/car.   If you intend to go, you should get permits before then.
Rathdrum –Hico/Exxon store
SpiritLake –Millers Food City
Hauser Lake –Hauser Market and Smoke Shop
Coeur d’ Alene –Wholesale Sports
Deer Park — Levi’s Mini-Mart
Northport –Rivers Edge 1 Stop
If  it  is more convenient for any of you , just meet us along  the way . Just be sure we know where you will be .
(An email passed on from Rex Barrans, field trip coordinator)

Field Trip Issues

March 20th, 2010
Our proposed field trip schedule  is already falling apart .
We were denied access to the Mc Graff quarry which was the first on the list ( April 11) and I have been unable to contact the owner of the United Copper ,so that one is in doubt .
I am looking into other options for those dates
I will send a schedule as soon as it is firm
(a note from Rex and Mable Barrans 3/20/2010)

Prospective Field Trips

February 18th, 2010

The field trip committee, Rex Barrans, Scott Jackson and Brian Martell have a prospective list of field trips ready:

We have a proposed field trip schedule for your approval , Some of these will depend on
Permission , road condition , or other variables
April 10 or11 sat. or  sun –McGraff quarry — serpentine  —   maybe both days
April 25 –sun  — United Copper –Siderite , Chalcopyrite , Malachite
May 01 or 02–Saddle Mt .–Petrified wood
May 15 or 16 Adams Mt. –Quartz crystal ,Molybdenum ,Garnet , other
June5 –Day break mine – Mt. Spokane — Autinite –FEE Charged ##
June 13–Crystal Prospect –Smoky Quartz  FEE  Charged —  ##  negotiate ?
June26 or 27–Keystone and Edna Mines–Serpentines, Pyrites, Copper minerals
July 10 or 11–Horseshoe Mt.– Quartz Crystal ( see Mark for site )
July24 or 25 –Sullivan Lake–Soapstone
August 7 or 8 Kelly hill –White Rock Quarry
August 21 or22 –Gladstone Mt.– Lead king Mine–Galena ,Dolomite Crystals , Quartz
September , 11 or 12 S. Fk. Sherman –Diopside Crystals
Other possibilities –Opal MT.-Big Iron -Loon Lk. Copper – No Name -Red Marble -Metaline -Evans -Phillips  Ranch-Republic -Napolean – First thought -Red top – Iriquois–Admiral
Young America-and others . And it  may be necessary to use one or more for a sub if we
Have permission denial for any location.
Please offer your opinion on these  and it will be considered,but the final decision will rest
On  the members in attendance at our next two meetings .

Scouting Field Trips

January 9th, 2010

Here is a list of places that might be worth investigating.  Some would not make good club trips because of difficult access, but others might turn into regular spots:

  • The Talisman mine above Laurier – 4×4 road but said to have interesting stuff and an incredible view.
  • The volcanic pinnacles near Springdale – a geologic anomaly, also fossils near the limestone kilns in Springdale
  • Beryl Crystals – I don’t know of a place where the club has gone for these that is still open but would like to find one
  • Pegmatite Gems – there is a lot of slow-cooled granite up Ruby Creek and Winchester Creek – hike in exploration
  • The First Thought mine area is huge, should be something worth seeing there
  • The Napoleon Mine – I met a guy who knows it well.  Produced iron, may have nice pyrites
  • Garnets – Steve Fox is looking for a site and I have heard of others.
  • The Big Iron Mine – reportedly interesting magnetite and other stuff
  • The Melrose Mine north of Northport – reportedly huge opening, lead, pyrite, zinc