2011 Field Trips

November

The field trip for Saturday November 5th, 2011 has been rained out. We will try again next weekend and hope for better weather. 

Lava Beds National Monument

This is an all day trip to Northern California to explore a Native American stronghold where Captain Jack and a small group of Native Americans made a stand  against the US Army in the 1870s. We will then explore a couple of the lava tubes in a loop of 16 developed lava tubes and trails. Lava tubes are formed when the surface of a lava flow cools and the molten material underneath flows out leaving hollow spaces ranging in size from a few inches to hundreds of yards.

Location: South of Tule lake, CA

Date: Saturday November 5th, 2011

Time: 9:00am at the Crater Rock Museum
Notes: Dress in warm layers and bring a lunch and plenty of water. There is water at the site but no food. Bring a flashlight or two and if you want to do some extra exploring in some of the more difficult lava tubes then bring knee pads and gloves too!

Lake Creek Fossil Leaf Dig

We will meet at the museum and drive to Lake Creek to look for fossils. We will be splitting pieces of compressed volcanic ash to reveal leaf impressions and the occasional insect fossil.

Location: Lake Creek near Medford

Date: Saturday November 12th, 2011

Time: 10:00am at the Crater Rock Museum
Notes: Bring a rock hammer and screwdriver or sharp chisel and of course don't forget a bucket or bag to put your fossils in. The fossil bed is a short walk over level ground from the parking area.

September

Annual Davis Creek Obsidian Dig

It’s time again for one of everyone’s favorite field trips to Davis Creek for all kinds of obsidian! Last year we collected mahogany and tri-flow with golden sheen, some rainbow, blue, green and even pink sheen as well as some obsidian needles. The Forest Service talked about shutting our favorite campground down last year but we wrote some letters to the right people and Plum Valley Campground is still open!

The trip is planned for Labor Day weekend—Friday to Monday, September 2-5. Stop by The Davis Creek Mercantile for your camping permit (free!) and they will give you a map to digging sites and campground.  And they have gas, food and ice! If you get in late, just turn one block north of the store and follow the signs to Plum Creek campground - approx. 3 miles.  The campground has a small creek running through it and outhouses, but that’s all, so be prepared for dry camping. Many members drive their RVs as there is space for quite a few of them; even the big ones.  We don't have a host for the campground so no potluck or hobo stew this year but the Davis Creek Mercantile will have their annual BBQ Friday night at 5:00.

Pat Alsop will be at the camp and leading the field trips from there.  There is obsidian scattered on the surface of the ground everywhere, but the really nice pieces are underground waiting for you to dig them out. Some spots are easy digging and others are hard work.  Bring buckets and rock picks as well as shovels and other heavy digging and rock breaking tools if you want to get serious.  Pat’s cell is 541-878-2505 if you have any questions about the trip.

Click here for map

August 2011

Garnets and Gold

Please note: the details of this trip have changed. I have injured my back so I will be camping Friday night only and panning for garnets Friday AND Saturday so if you want to come up Saturday, give me a call ahead of time if you need more info or directions. Eric 541-301-7644...

Location: Near Tiller

Date: Friday and Saturday August 19 and 20th, 2011

Time: 9:00am at the Crater Rock Museum
Notes: We will meet on Friday and travel caravan style to a campground near Tiller and setup camp then go down to the creek to pan for garnets.  Bring gold pans and screens if you have them and all of your camping gear of course.  We will be close to a store but be prepared!

Camping info (please note this is a dry camp!):

http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/umpqua/recreation/camping/tiller-cg/cg2thrn.shtml

July 2011

Squaw Lake Pyrite Cubes

Location: Squaw Lake near Applegate Lake
Date: Friday July 15th, 2011

Time: 9:00am at the Crater Rock Museum
Notes: We will be exploring a creek near Squaw Lake for pyrite cubes. Gold pans and screens may be helpful and a bucket for your finds of course.  Don't forget to bring a lunch and plenty of water and sunscreen!

June 2011

Applegate Jade and gold 

Location: Elliot Creek in Northern California
Date: Saturday, June 4th, 2011

Time: 9:00am at the Crater Rock Museum
Notes: We will be exploring a new spot near Applegate Lake. Thanks to American Prospector in Central Point for giving us permission to work on their gold claim!

Oregon Coast Fossils and Agates

Location: Cape Arago and Sunset Bay near Coos Bay on the Oregon Coast

Date: Friday-Sunday June 17-19, 2011

Time: 9:00am at the Crater Rock Museum on Friday, June 17
Notes: We will meet Friday morning and leave together for the coast.  If you can't leave with us you can still meet us over there by calling my cell phone

Eric Lindquist 541-301-7644

Map: Click Here For Map

Camping and hotel information:

Cape Arago informational web site

Sunset Bay State Park Informational Web Site (including Yurt and tent camping)

Lodging in Coos Bay

Tide Table:
Tides for Coos Bay starting with June 17, 2011.

Day        High      Tide  Height   Sunrise    Moon  Time      % Moon
           /Low      Time    Feet    Sunset                    Visible

F   17     High   2:33 AM     8.0   5:36 AM     Set  7:32 AM      98
    17      Low   9:30 AM    -1.7   9:00 PM    Rise 10:37 PM
    17     High   4:14 PM     6.3
    17      Low   9:28 PM     2.2

Sa  18     High   3:19 AM     7.6   5:36 AM     Set  8:40 AM      95
    18      Low  10:12 AM    -1.4   9:00 PM    Rise 11:09 PM
    18     High   4:56 PM     6.3
    18      Low  10:17 PM     2.2

Su  19     High   4:05 AM     7.0   5:36 AM     Set  9:46 AM      89
    19      Low  10:52 AM    -1.0   9:00 PM    Rise 11:36 PM
    19     High   5:38 PM     6.2
    19      Low  11:08 PM     2.1

May 2011

Gold 

Location: Gold Nugget Wayside in Gold Hill
Date: Saturday, May 21, 2011

Time: 9:00am at the Crater Rock Museum
Notes: We will go from the museum to the Accurate Locators shop in Gold Hill where they have pulse induction metal detectors that are used for gold and meteorite hunting as well as ground penetrating radar and other fascinating technologies. If you need a gold pan or other equipment you can pick it up at their shop before we go gold panning. Bring a gold pan and screen if you have one or use one of ours. If you have extra pans to share, please bring them along. Crevice tools like screwdrivers can also be helpful. On our last trip we found two small nuggets called “pickers” because they are just big enough to pick up with your fingers! 

April 2011

Jasper, Agate, partial Geodes, Quartz Druzy, small Quartz Crystals, Petrified Wood

Location: Greensprings Mountain near Ashland

Date: Friday, April 22, 2011

Time: 9:00am at the Crater Rock Museum
Notes: We will be exploring a huge roadcut and the surrounding hillsides. It can get cold so bring something warm to wear in case and a rock pick and bucket for collecting.  Don't forget to pack a lunch if you plan to stay for the day as we will be 15 or 20 miles outside town.

February 2011

Applegate Jade 

Location: Elliot Creek in Northern California
Date: Saturday, February 12, 2011

Time: 9:00am at the Crater Rock Museum
Notes: We will be exploring several gravel bars and the water is low so we don't have to get wet this time! Bring a lunch and plenty of water as well as a bucket and digging tools as there is plenty to collect.

January 2011

Agate Desert Jasper, Agate and Petrified Wood

Location: Agate Desert near White City

Date: Saturday, January 15, 2011

Time: 10:00am at the Crater Rock Museum
Notes: We will be collecting on private property with the owner's permission. Bring a collecting bag or bucket and a rock hammer.  It will be cold so don't forget to dress in layers so you can avoid being frozen to a big rock.