See the Searchers Bulletin Archive for detailed information on club trips. The Searchers have field trips every single month of the year except December. Steve Duncan and Robert Burson have been leading field trips all over California the past few years but the club has also gone to California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Oregon on long trips. Dont fret because we also have day and weekend trips as well. Longer trips are usually limited to the summer months starting late May. The longest trip the club has taken together was about 2 weeks where we covered Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah and South Dakota. Of course with high gas prices now these long trips would be less likely.
For field trip information contact:
Steve Duncan, V.P. Field Trips, Searchers Gem and Mineral Society, 714 724 7102 (cell) or wsd@iteris.com
2009 Field Trips
JANUARY FIELD TRIP #1
Nuevo Dump Sunday, January 18, 2009 led by Norbert Bernhardt
Meet at 9am on Hansen Ave., Nuevo,CA Materials: Rose Quartz, Schorl, Clear Quartz and some Garnets Bring shovels, light hammers, rake, gloves, hiking shoes It is about a 500 foot walk from the car. 4x4 preferable. Field Trip Leader: Norbert Bernhardt (714)904-2181 Meet 2.6 miles from Ramona Expressway on Hansen Ave., Nuevo,CA .
91 East to 215/60 towards San Diego/Escondido South, Exit Ramona Expressway and go East for approx. 8.5 miles to Hansen Ave., right on Hansen Ave and go 2.6 miles to meeting area.
Nuevo Dump GPS Location:
LAT. 33.785722 N or 33°47.140 N
LONG. 117.127345 W or 117ş7.334 W
JANUARY FIELD TRIP #2
Quartzsite, Arizona. Club members meet out amongst the masses.
FEBRUARY FIELD TRIP #1
Griffith Wash, Arizona February 21 and 22 led by Jimmy Petersen
The February field trip will be to Griffith Wash, near Kingman, Arizona. This is a trip for quartz crystals, and it is a strenuous trip, requiring an approximately 1 hour scramble up the side of a boulder strewn ridge, The incline could be as steep as 45 degrees, At the top are three quartz filled veins running across the top of the ridge. A pick and a small shovel are required for digging. You will also need a back pack to carry out your crystals, as well as newspaper to wrap them. This same pack can carry your water and a lunch on the way up. This will be a dry camp, bring what you need. Donıt forget lots of water and sunscreens and hats. On Sat. night we will have our traditional potluck, some bring something to share. The trip to the ridge will start at 0830 California time. The road is rough, but should be passable for most cars. For those that donıt want to try the climb there are garnets in schist to be collected.
The plan for Sunday has not yet been determined, but we will leave at the same time from camp, 0830 CA time. Directions to the camp: Take I40 to Needles, and continue into Arizona. Take exit 37 off of I40, about 13 miles south of Kingman. Turn east on Griffith Wash road, and go approximately 0.25 miles till Griffith Wash road dead ends into the railroad frontage road. Turn left, go 0.25 miles, turn left again and you will see the Searcher signs. At this last turn there is a gate if you were to turn right instead of left. You can use this for a landmark. When we go to the site we will go through this gate and continue for approximately 7 miles.
The quartz crystals found here are normally very clear, and small clumps of crystals are not uncommon. We hope to see you all there, if you have any questions feel free to contact Steve at 714-724-7102.
MARCH TRIP #1
The March Field trip is on March 14th and 15th. This a joint trip led by Karl Zeliner, the field trip leader from the Indian Wells club. This trip is to Rainbow Ledge (incorrectly called Rainbow Ridge), where we will be able to collect the famous Rainbow Ledge multicolored jasp/agate. This location is a private claim that has been closed for several years due to some problems with other clubs. This is a unique opportunity; I have been trying to arrange this trip for several years. I assume we will not get another chance soon. So I highly recommend that you try to make this trip. The material is beautiful, and the collecting opportunity rare. Karl is actually the person who filed the claim, so he is very knowledgeable about the site, and should be able to show us how to find the best material. There is a $5 per person fee donated to the Indian Wells club. This fee is used to defray the cost of their claim filing which is $160/yr. Their claim in turn keeps the BLM from closing the road to the area. So it's a worthy cause.
There is a lot of material in float here; some people may try some digging. In addition there are huge boulders that can be worked, but this is definitely hard rock mining (sledge and gads). This can be hard work.
We will be meeting Karl at the junction of Brown Rd (shows up on some maps as Randsburg Inyokern Rd) and the power line road at 0830 on Sat AM. We will spend all day at the site, so you will want to bring lunch. The last time I was there the site was accessible by any high clearance vehicle.
We will be camping Friday and Saturday night. To get to the campsite, take 395 north towards Inyokern. Approximately 16 miles past Red Mountain you will come to a junction with South China Lake Blvd going east and the Brown Rd (Randsburg Inyokern) road going west. Take Brown road (Randsburg Inyokern road) west for 3.9 miles and then turn left (south) on a dirt road towards Sheep Springs.
At 2.1 miles there is a quarry that is sheltered from the wind. This is our first choice but the last time it was chained off. Second choice is a few hundred yards further on the road to an abandoned building site (all that is left is the slab). This is choice number 2. Look for the Searcher signs.
Closest motels would be in Ridgecrest.
We will have or standard Sat potluck. The collecting site for Sunday is still TBD.
I would like to stress again that that this is a rare opportunity to collect some beautiful material, I highly recommend you join us if you can.
MARCH TRIP #2
Sat March 21 there are plans for a one day trip to Tick Canyon to collect howlite. This trip would be led by Beth Pelfry, who is working to get permission to access the area. . These plans are still tentative, and I will update you as more details become available.
APRIL FIELD TRIP #1
April 11th and 12th I will lead a trip to the Ludlow area. We will camp where old 66 crosses the 40 freeway, at our standard site.
The collecting will be Lavic Siding, the Cady Mountains, and the Thulite site. This will be a joint trip with the Indian Wells club; it is in exchange for our trip to Rainbow Ledge. Many of you know the Ludlow sites, they are generally quite productive. Field trips will leave from the camp at 0830 on both days.
Closest motel is in Ludlow about 7 miles away, Barstow (40 miles) has a large selection.
There may well be a second trip in April, Brian Kussman is working on putting a trip together. He has some intimate knowledge of ³special sites² which are not documented in any rockhounding books, so this should be a good trip also. These plans are still tentative, and I will update you as more details become available.
All of our campsites will be dry camps, so bring what you need. Don't forget water, sunscreen and hats. Hiking boots or good walking shoes help a lot, and eye protection for when you are using your rock pick is recommended. Sat nights we have a potluck and bonfire, bring some goodies to share. As far as rockhounding tools most trips require only a rock pick and spray bottle. For the motivated, hard rock mining tools could be used at the Rainbow Ledge trip.
MAY FIELD TRIP #1
The May trip will be the weekend after the show, May 9th and 10th. This trip will be slightly different than normal because we will be concentrating on fossils, Trilobites in particular. Robert has consented to lead us to some of his special places near Cadiz, and he and I plan to get out there before the trip and remove some over burden and open some new holes so that everyoneıs should have a good chance of finding something nice. We will spend all day Sat at the Trilobite site.
Sunday we will spend at Siam Siding, looking for Chepenite and Opalite. Some of this material can be found in float, but serious digging will probably increase your chances of finding something nice. The good news is that the digging is in soft sand. Last time I was there I dug for an hour without finding anything, but then found a brick sized piece of Chapenite which cut and polished beautifully. So I am excited to return.
On this trip we will camp off of Cadiz Road south of the railroad tracks. To get there take Interstate 15 north to Barstow, and Interstate 40 east to Ludlow. Exit at Ludlow, and continue east on the Natıl Trails Highway (old route 66) to Chamblis. At Chamblis you will take Cadiz road south, and after it crosses the railroad tracks start looking for Searcher signs. This will be a dry camp in a desert area, so come prepared. The weather could be hot in the daytime and cold at night. Donıt forget sunscreen, hats, and lots of water. We will have or traditional potluck on Sat night. A little firewood is always appreciated.
For the collecting a rock pick and a spray bottle is all you need for the trilobites. You may wish to bring something to pack your trilobites in for transportation, newspaper or bubble wrap works well. You should add a shovel for Sunday if you are motivated enough to dig. One of the problems with digging in soft sand is that the sand wants to run back into the hole, in the past I have used an old tarp or blanket, I shovel the sand into the blanket, then drag it a few feet away and dump it so that it canıt make its way back into the hole.
Field trips will leave from camp at 0830 each day.
As I said these will be the last two trips before the hot weather, but donıt be alarmed. We should probably have a hot weather gold panning trip during the summer, and the CFMS has some trip options for you.
The CFMS is running a trip to the North Edwards area on March 23, this is called the Great Onyx Hunt, and will include the Sierra Pelona Onyx claim which has lots of beautiful material. This trip also gives you a chance to meet some rockhounds from other clubs.
And for those of you wanting something a little dramatic, there is a 5 day CFMS trip to the Davis Creek and Lassen Creek area in Northern California. This is a great obsidian area. This trip is May 20th to May 25th.
And there is a 10 day trip to Apache Creek New Mexico, where the main targets would be various agates. I have had the opportunity to visit Apache Creek, and it is a beautiful area, much different that the desert we are used to collecting in.
More information about the CFMS trips is available at their website http://www.cfmsinc.org/ under field trips. All three of these trips sound very good, as they are going to known good areas, and you will have some local experts to advise you.
If you have any questions about anything field trip related please give me a call or drop me an email.
Steve Duncan, wsd@iteris.com or 714-742-7102.
OLD FIELD TRIPS AND INFORMATION (Unmaintained)
Lavic Field Trip Notes - The Searchers held a Field Trip to the Lavic Siding area Nov 8&9. On Saturday we had hoped to prospect in the Hector Hills. We knew that many roads across the train tracks in that area were blocked off, but that there was one good one. Key word there is was. When Jimmy and Esther tried to do some preliminary work on Friday they found the last road closed also. So we will need to explore to find our way into that area. Instead on Saturday we started in Sandy Wash in the South Cadys. Jimmy and Esther, Marcia and I and a friend of ours Mark, Karen, Cary, and new Members Uriel (sp?) and Jay headed up first, and by the time we arrive at the parking spot Robert, Sharon, and Gordon had pulled onto the back of the convoy. We spent half a day here, and everyone found some interesting material. Personally the best material ³I² found was actually found by my wife Marcia, who went further and higher than anyone else. She found some interesting agate, in quite large pieces. And she indicated that there was more and bigger there. So next time I have a plan. Following this Robert took us to an unnamed site off of the power line road in the South Cadys, here there was a hill covered with Lavic Siding type material (red and yellow jaspers), some very nice. The trick was to find a bigger piece. There was also some agate mixed in. We collected hard all day, so by 2:30 everyone was relaxing at the vehicles, and we decided to call it a day.
Sunday we went to the furthest Lavic Siding site, the wind was blowing hard, so we only collected for a couple of hours, but again everyone found some nice material. The good pieces of Lavic Siding jasper are really very nice. After a couple of hours in the wind we called it a day, and everyone headed home. ON Sunday we were joined by new member Phil. Some moments to remember:
o Uriel with a mass of bees on his back pack and his back, his daughter had apparently spilled juice on the pack some time previously, and the bees liked it a lot.
o Karen's beautiful micro pieces
o Marcia's big agate
o The stars Friday night
o The tents blown flat on Saturday night
o The freeway closure on the way home due to a horrible wreck in a low visibility sand storm situation
o And as usual the pleasure of some Searcher camaraderie, y'all should really join us some time.
November 2008 Field Trip
The November Field Trip on Nov 8&9 will be to the Hector Hills/Lavic Siding areas. Saturday we will explore the Hector Hills area, looking for agates and jaspers. It is expected that we will have a guest "guide" for Sat who will try to show us some new locations. Sunday morning we will collect at the Lavic Siding Jasper site. The field trips will leave at 0830 each day. Sat we will be away from camp all day, so you will want to pack a lunch. It is expected that a high clearance vehicle will be sufficient for Sat, if we find out otherwise we can carpool in with 4x4s. Sunday's site can be accessed in the family sedan if you take is easy.
We will be camping at our old standby Lavic Rd campsite. This is between Hector Rd and Ludlow off of old route 66. A map is attached. The campsite is easy to access, RVs no problem. It is a dry campsite, so bring whatever you will need. Don't forget water and sunscreen. A hat is a good idea. Weather could vary from hot to cold, so come prepared for both, layers are always a good idea.
On Sat evening we will have our traditional potluck (hopefully while it is still light), and then probably sit around the campfire telling lies.
The closest motel is in Ludlow, it is an interesting place, the last time I was there you checked in at the gas station across the street. There is also a cafe and a Dairy Queen in Ludlow.
Any questions email me at wsd@iteris.com, or call me on my cell 714 724 7102. Click here to downlaod the map.
There is a joint field trip to the Oceanview Mine on Sunday, October 26th with the Route 66 Gold Miners. If you are interested contact one of these two individuals - Virgil Talbott or cheverier@sbcglobal.net
CFMS ICE BREAKER FIELD TRIP (First of the Season)
WHERE: AFTON CANYON - NORTH CADY MTNS
WHEN: Saturday October 18
MEET: 8am at Basin Road and I-15 offramp (south side) east of Barstow.
We leave at 8:30am after waiver forms are signed.
NOTE: Adam Dean and Teresa will be at Peffy Sue's Restaurant off I-15 near Yermo around 6am for breakfast for those wishing to meet earlier. Open to all CFMS affiliated clubs and members. 4WD required OR 2WD to the railyard. NO LOW CLEARANCE VEHICLES! Roads are sandy and rough.Rides can be arranged at the railyard in to 4wd. Food, water and gas can be had in Barstow. These are remote sites with no facilities. No alcohol during the group event. Camping sites are nearby for stayovers. This is a day trip. Temperatures should be comfortable with cold nights. Be prepared.
The material sought will include fluorite, agates, jaspers, onyx, and sagenite nodules. Other finds are possible. Be prepared for hard rock mining for beter material although much float is present. Be reminded that theseareas are not theme parks and that wildlife and rough terrain is comon. Play nice and be safe. Release of Liability Waivers must be signed. For further info please contact Adam Dean @ (909) 489-4899 or theagatehunter@verizon.net or Shep Koss @ (661) 248-0411 freudonetoo@yahoo.com
The July 19 Field Trip will be gold panning on the East Fork of the San Gabriel River. Bring with your gold pans, sieves, sluices, digging tools, buckets etc. Also sunscreen, lunch, water, clothing to protect you from sun or bugs. Be prepared for poor trails, and of course snakes, and moving water - if you donıt swim I suggest wearing a life preserver and be aware of all outdoor hazards. The Route 66 Gold Miners will be there also to help liven things up and help you learn to gold pan. They are camping overnite and have invited use to join them for dinner - they wil provide the hamburgers and we need to bring a side dish or dessert. If you plan on staying for dinner with the Route 66 Gold Miners you must RSVP. Note - you will need to go with someone that already has a Forest Service Adventure Pass or buy one at a Big Five Sporting Goods or similar outdoor sports store. You can also click here to buy one online and have it mailed to you. There are day passes as well as annual passes.
Directions: If you are coming from OC take the 55 Fwy North to the 210 Fwy and go West and exit at Azusa Ave and go North. Azusa Avenue turns into San Gabriel Canyon - follow until you come to East Fork Rd. Turn onto E. Fork Rd. and follow it until you come to a picnic area on the right side of the road. Just beyond is a cement restroom, we will meet just east of there. I plan on being there about 8:00 am. You can come any time - but please sign in with me. Also would please let know if you plan to attend beforehand so we know to look for you. Thanks, Virgil Talbott 714-871-7900 or fieldtrips@searchersrocks.org
Here is one to download and print out. Click here to get the map.
It should be a great deal of fun since you will get to see how to snipe for gold in the river and then pan the concentrates. In the past these events have been a great learning experience for all that attended. You will get to learn how to find gold as well as pan some plus have a good time with like minded souls. Here is a map of the general area:
Please contact Steve Duncan or Virgil Talbot if you are interested in going to the Oceanview Mine in Pala, CA in the near future. The Route 66ers and the Searchers are trying to get a group to go soon. Space is limited to 60 people for a date sellout. Usually the digs are on Sundays but if there are enough people attending we can get a Saturday as a group reservation. You can find quartz, beryl, morganite, tourmaline, feldspar, kunzite, and combinations of them as well. They also have a small store on site where you can buy facet rough, specimens, t-shirts, books, finished jewelry, etc... This is a very popular field trip for local collectors since it is only about 90 minutes away from Orange County. If there is a smaller group they also have Thursdays available thru the digforgems.com website.
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