MAP AND DIRECTIONS to SEARCHERS GEM AND MINERAL SOCIETY ANAHEIM CA

SEARCHERS FIELD TRIPS
For updates, directions, info or any questions, contact Steve Duncan, Searchers Field Trip Supervisor, at:
wsd@iteris.com or call (714) 724 7102

Searcher’s Field Trip Schedule 2004-2005
DATE	LOCATION	LEADER	DETAILS	STATUS
NOV 24-28, 2004	Wiley Wells	Bob Fitzpatrick	Joint trip with CFMS. Geodes, agate, jasper, petrified wood	Completed! Thanks to all attending and Bob for guiding!!!
DEC 11, 2004	Santa Ana Elks	Manny O’Campo	Installation Banquet	Thanks, Manny-- well done!
JAN 22 & 23, 2005 (see Trip Report below !! )	Ludlow area; Lavic siding, Hector Hills,	Steve Duncan	jasper, agate, common opal	Outstanding Trip!! Thanks, Steve, for a wonderful time!
JAN 28,29,30 2005	Quartzsite AZ	N/A	Annual show in Quartzsite AZ	No rain!
Feb 19, 20th 2005 (see desc below)	Lucerne Valley	Norbert Bernhardt	Orbicular Rhyolite, Garnet	Feb 19-20
March19,20 2005	Cady Mountains see map below	Robert Burson	Jaspers, jasp-agates, fossils, agates, calcite, barite, barite amygdules, nodules	Done deal! Thanks, Robert !! You are still the Agate King!
April 16, 17th	Barstow Area	Beth Pelfry	Opal, Honey Onyx	Confirmed
April 29- May 1st	Afton Canyon	Bob Fitzpatrick	Red-, yellow agate, jasper, opalite, chalcedony roses, amygdules, and more!	Confirmed CFMS trip, Searchers welcome!!
May 14-15 or May 21-22	Owens Valley	Walter Mroch	joint fieldtrip w Lone Pine club	Dates TBD
TBD	Rainbow Ridge	TBD	Rainbow Jasper	Tentative
TBD	Mule Canyon	TBD	Silver Onyx	Tentative
May, June 2005	Extended Field Trip	TBD	TBD	Dates TBD
Summer 2005	Jade Cove	TBD	Jade on the beach and the stream bed	Tentative
Summer 2005	Jalama Beach	TBD	Travertine agate	Tentative
Sept 2005	Clear Creek	Herb Beckman	Jade, Plasma Agate	Dates TBD

The Searchers Gem and Mineral Society does not assume liabilities. Come at your own risk.
You set physicality; initially collecting areas are moderate to average exertion, some heavy climbing
can be found for those who wish the challenge!

CALICO MOUNTAINS FIELD TRIP
APRIL 16 -17th

Beth Pelfrey
pelfreye@sbcglobal.net

On Thursday, March 24th, Clarke Benich and I scouted the area
and have decided that since it has been a little while since we've been to
the Calico Mountains, April would be a good time to return!
Mule Canyon road (see directions below) is a typical desert road,
rough in places, especially after the rains, so take it easy if
you're navigating the big Winnebago. Driveable for all 2 wheel vehicles, though.
Campsite offers plenty of space and tent campers can set up nearer the hills
to get away from the noise of generators, if desired.
Good wind shelter in the early evening, too!
Searchers signs will be posted for your convenience.

Schedule: Sat 9AM depart..may be all day, so bring lunch
(I will not arrive until Sat morning..)
Sun, 9AM depart...

Materials to Collect - Jaspers, jasp-agates, agates

Camping Location - Mule Canyon, dry camp. Bring firewood and friendly attitude!
No restroom facilities or power, sorry!

Equipment - Rock pick, hiking boots, eye protection, possible
hard rock hammer, rakes or trenching tools, sledges,
chisel and pry, gloves shovels and collecting bags. ZIPlock are good.

Supplies – water, hat, sunscreen, snacks, camera, camping supplies.
Scroll down and see Field Trip Checklist.

Accommodations: Oak Tree Inn at Ghost Town Road exit..$65 a night (760) 254-1148
Peggy Sue's and Penny's restaurants for you tenderfeet, same exit..
Barstow motels on Main St are in the $30-35 range,
and only a few minutes drive away.

Saturday night potluck – About 5 PM. Optional. If you would like to participate,
please bring a dish to share with other and enjoy eating and chatting
around the campfire. Dogs and kids encouraged, but if either gets
out of control, you must put'em on a leash!!

Map - Pg 43 courtesy of 1971 edition of Desert Gem Trails, Mary Strong

Directions – From Anaheim, take 91 FWY EAST to 15 north towards Barstow.
Go 115 miles (approx) toward Barstow.
After Barstow,
watch for Ghost Town Road exit,
then take next exit,
" Calico Rd Exit
(Exit sign may read "Calico Road /Yermo")

Go .8 miles northwest on Calico Rd
(about 3/4's of a mile) to
Mule Canyon Road
Turn right.
Go 1.6 miles to campsite, on right.
Look for Searchers signs

Once again in Anaheim it was pouring--but twenty brave souls ventured out to join the Searcher's March trip to the Cady Mountains. With white billowing clouds and clear blue skies,
we wound up the canyons where purple fiddlebacks, white and violet primroses, and yellow flowers accented the walls of the canyon. Like a jewelry box, Sand Canyon offered up some of its treasures. Rockhounds roamed the hills scattering about. Steve Duncan found a large scarlet agate, a fine beauty! And one of the trademarks for this area. The hours flew by to the rendezvous for lunch!

The second half of the day, we traveled to area 96. John and Susana Wease, long-time friends, searched the hill for sagenite. Craig and Charlotte Bluell sought out the ribbon agate. Karen Martinez found tube drusy in the red /yellow jasp-agate at Mike Casey hill. Newcomer Kevin Urk stay around the Jasper Hill area.

Dusk led to a friendly campfire, most hands still with the group. I could have sworn there was a tailgate celebration that night. Every time I turned around the blender  was churning up another delicious concoction. The food and drink was scrumptious!   Definitely one of our better potlucks and might I say a very successful gig. Hats off to Jimmy and Ester, Carol and Faye, who orchestrated this masterpiece!

Lorri Renck and Patricia Underwood joined us for the Sunday hunt. Morning woke to a steady wind, to hide, we all managed to stay in the confines of the hills of Lavic Siding. Some folks departed for home right after lunch. Four people joined us from the Pasadena and North Orange County rock clubs. In the continuing effort to stay out of the wind, we decided to head back in to Sand Canyon. This turned out to be a good decision. We spent the remainder of the day hiking back in to the backcountry. We adjourned the trip at 4:00 PM, and everyone headed for home.

Next field trip will be the North Cady Mountains/Afton Canyon. This trip should present an entirely different list of materials for us. We should be able to see the Mojave River at high water mark. This should be a great trip, hosted by Beth Pelfrey the weekend of April 23. Don't miss it!

Norbert Bernhardt is a Searcher's Field Trip Coordinator, and has been a member for over 5 years.

If you have suggestions for future field trips, dates or cancellations, photos of great locations, or any questions about field trips in general, contact Steve Duncan at :wsd@iteris.com

CADY MOUNTAINS FIELD TRIP
MARCH 19, 2OTH

HISTORY

This area around the Cady Mountains was used early to link the Catholic Church
with the California Missions. In 1776, Father Francisco Garces
left New Mexico, guided by Native Americans through Afton Canyon along a trail.
This trail would become known as the Mojave Trail. The trail had long been used
for trading between tribes. Some what around the 1850’s a fort was established
in a spot near present day Newberry Springs. The purpose was to shelter pony express,
experimental camel Corp, and protection against hostiles.
Geology - Miocene age, roughly 20 million years ago.
Succession of volcanic events begins building a gradual mountain structure.
Built primary of Ash (proclastic), andesite, basalt, Rhyolite, Sanidine, (altered Feldspar),
this mountain forms a shield volcano to the height of 8000 feet.
Surrounding this large mountain and partially dammed by this
is a huge lake called Manix with a shoreline of over a hundred miles.
Along this lake a tropical jungle, This formation is known as the
Barstow formation, it consist of volcanic and fossil remnants
of this time frame.

Materials to Collect - Jaspers, jasp-agates, agates scant plant fossil,
agate, calcite, barite amygdules, and possible nodules.
The selection depends on chosen spots and physical ability to reach.

Location - Sand canyon, Area 96, and other unnamed locals

Equipment - Rock pick, hiking boots, eye protection, possible
hard rock hammer, chisel and pry, gloves shovels and collecting bags.

Supplies – water, hat, sunscreen, snacks, camera, camping supplies.
Scroll down and see Field Trip Checklist.

Accommodations: Motel in Ludlow limited to about 9 rooms somewhere
near 50 dollars, Barstow rooms from 30 dollars and above. Otherwise RV or camp tent.

Saturday night potluck – Optional. If you would like to participate,
please bring a dish to share with other and enjoy eating and chatting
around the campfire.

Campsite - see map, an old road into Lavic Siding, no privy supplied on site.

Directions – 91 FWY West to 15 north towards Barstow,
                   HWY 40 west to Hector exit right to National Trails Hwy (old route 66).
                                                     See map for details:
                  .

Photo by Rob Sandoval, father of the Zekester!
Carl, Ben and Eulabelle, Helen, Lea and Zeke enjoying the weather at Quartzsite
Later they enjoyed a complimentary chili dog dinner hosted by
a former Searcher who was at the show!

Photo by Lea Sandoval
Our youngest Searcher! Rob and Zeke Sandoval made
a colorful splash at the PowWow--
Rob was prospectin', and afraid he'd get off the trail,
so he wanted to be seen from any GPS satellite!
Ask Rob to show you the
silicated gem chrysocolla he scored!
And the Laguna agate..and the opal..
and the drusy..and the spectralite...and...chili dogs!

Good weather, typically beautiful desert scenes, gorgeous sunrises and sunsets, and a pleasant potluck and evening around the campfire were experienced by the Searcher’s who participated in the January Ludlow field trip. All this in addition to some nice collecting in the Cady Mountains, Lavic Siding, and Hector Hills, where nice agate and jasper was found.

Ten Searchers started Saturday in the Cady Mountains searching for agate and jasper-- although the afternoon trip to Lavic Siding seemed to produce the more attractive specimens.

Patricia Underwood found a classic piece of
Lavic Siding jasper,
which although not very large, had beautiful colors and definition!
She has promised to make something out of it in the workshop.
                      [See full-size photobelow...!]

That evening, Don Setto threw a rocktail party to celebrate his new wheels,
a 4-wheel pop-up camper!

On Sunday, five Searchers and a guest started at a Hector Hills location, which although it was full of agate, most of the agate was white without much definition; the trick was to find a piece with some color or banding. There were literally boulders of the less attractive plain agate.

It was a pleasure to have some Searchers on their first field trip this month, Laurie Renck and Patricia Underwood joined us for the Saturday trip and potluck, had a good time and found some fine rocks. And speaking of fine rocks, Karen Martinez showed off some of the material she has found previously at Lavic Siding, two pieces which could fairly be called spectacular!. She has hinted she would show them at a club meeting soon.

Next month is the trip to Lucerne Valley, and if you saw the pieces of polished orbicular rhyolite that Norbert Bernhardt brought to the last meeting you know you won’t want to miss this trip!

Steve Duncan is the Searcher's Field Trip Coordinator, and has been a member for over 4 years. If you have suggestions for future field trips, dates or cancellations, photos of great locations, or any questions about field trips in general, contact Steve at :wsd@iteris.com or call (714) 724 7102

FIELD TRIP
CHECKLIST

Steve Duncan
For updates, directions, info or any questions, contact Steve Duncan, Searchers Field Trip Supervisor, at:
wsd@iteris.com or call (714) 724 7102

In case there are new Searchers reading this
who would like to go on their first field trip,
but are uncertain about what they need,
here is a partial list:

                1.     A vehicle to get to the campsite--does not have to be a four-wheel drive vehicle.
                                   If the collecting area is hard to access,
                                   you can usually ride with others who do have four-wheel drives.

2. A good attitude. Patience. The stones have been waiting for you for millenia.
The searching is as important as the finding....

                3.   Sunscreen and a hat.

4.    A desire to spend some time out of the city.

5.    A rock pick and a spray bottle. Wetting a rock shows you it’s soul.


            Look at the soul in this colorful baby! Lavic Siding Jasper found on Jan Field Trip!
                                                                                                                           Photo by Steve Duncan

6.   The ability to hear the silence of the desert...or the mountains....or the forest.

7.    Warm clothes for the nights. Rain-proof clothes for the rain.

8.   Something to share for the potluck if you stay for Saturday night dinner.

9.    A good story (true or not!) to tell around the campfire!

10. Water and food. Enough for the entire trip.

11. Something to carry your rocks back to the car ( a backpack or bag)

12.   An openness to the outdoors (allow Mother Nature to soothe and refresh you)

You probably have all these things at home now,
you just need to gather them together and come along.
We hope to see you soon!

Searchers will be attending the various shows and events
at Quartzsite Arizona the last weekend of January 25--29th, 2006,
(and possibly earlier also).
Searchers can often be found lodged in the RV Park
behind the Texas Barbeque in the center of town,
and can be identified by their Searcher stickers on their rigs.
Quartzsite is the biggest rock, gem and mineral show in the country--
it's actually 4 or 5 shows going simultaneously!

Powwow turns Quartzsite into the
Mother of all Tailgaters!

The Quartzsite PowWow
has been hosting hundreds of dealers
in a swap meet style area since 1967,
and will have over 450 dealers in 2006!!
It's free parking, free admission

There are a multitude of dealers with lots of
wonderful material from around the world,
and there are some great deals available
for the discerning buyer.

There are also filed trips run to sites near Quartzsite.
Robert Burson, Jimmy Peterson, and Herb Beckman
are some of the Quartzsite veterans (and probable attendees),
so you can contact them for more information.
Entering Quartzsite into an internet search engine
will also yield a mountain of information.

Try this link for the Quartzsite homepage!
Click here for maps to the Quartzsite area

Walt Johnsons's Walker Jr HS "RockPileFest 2" 2004..the easiest field trip
the Searchers ever sponsored...thanks, Walt & Donna! Photo by Will Shaw

That's Club Director Robert Burson in the blue T-shirt and brown cap,
arm up signalling the start of the second weekend of prospecting in the
Walker Jr HS rock pile, a wonderpile of rough collected from over 15 years
of jewelry classes taught by Walt Johnson--we found sapphire crystals,
fire opal, chatoyant malachite, rutilated quartz, and extraordinary agate
from just about every where in California! Many Searcher members
were proteges of Walt's Jr HS and Adult Education courses, held for
years in the workshop classroom right behind that big wall on the right.

Not all Searchers Field Trips are this convenient--past trips have included
overnights to the Haystack near Lone Pine for Beryl and Amazonite,
Clear Creek for agate, Crystal Ridge for smokey Quartz crystals,
Fallon NV for wonderstone, Gerlach NV for Fire opals, and the ever-popular
Wiley Wells for fire agate.

Workshop Leader Herb Beckman showed up with
gloves on, and CFMS Federation Delegate Robert Ewing
under the white hat--must be the "good guy," eh?.

All text and images on this website are Copyright © 2005
to the Searchers of Anaheim Gem and Mineral Society.
All rights are reserved. No part of this website can be used or
reproduced in any way, anywhere, without the written permission of
the Searchers of Anaheim Gem and Mineral Society.

Searcher’s Field Trip Schedule 2004-2005