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Post by Bluesky78987 on May 8, 2012 0:21:52 GMT -5
Larry, for THAT info you get a BIG thank you! At least you can actually get there.
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LarryS
freely admits to licking rocks
SoCal desert rats
Member since August 2010
Posts: 781
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Post by LarryS on May 8, 2012 10:15:29 GMT -5
Most of these sites mentioned are dog friendly, meaning little or no cactus. But be aware of the ground temperatures. It could be 80-90 degree air temp but put your hand on the ground or rocks, which can be 10-20 degrees hotter. Also many of these areas has the complete ground covered in sharp shards of jasper, which can be tough on your pooch's paws. During the hot months, we arrive at the site just after sunrise and leave around 10-11am,right when it starts getting hot. Check the hourly weather forecast online before you go. We also find sites not mentioned in the book by driving around and face the sun. Jaspers & agates shine like glass among all the flat volcanic material and you can see it from far distances. Yes you can rock hound while sitting inside your air conditioned 4x4!
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Post by Bluesky78987 on May 8, 2012 10:22:14 GMT -5
Thanks! Wish I had a pooch, but I just have cats. Almost as good, but definitely not rockcats! That's a good idea to just drive around looking for the shine! This weekend is looking a LOT warmer than last weekend though (93 in Rosamond, 99 in Barstow), so maybe I should go to Cambria or SB instead!
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<'))))>< Fish
Cave Dweller
Gone Fishing
Member since April 2005
Posts: 1,841
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Post by <'))))>< Fish on May 9, 2012 19:54:24 GMT -5
The CFMS is having a field trip to the South Cady on the 26 and 27, you should jointhat trip , we will be collecting alot of different type of material. I might even go and get some more Thulite with is about 20 miles away.
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Post by Bluesky78987 on May 9, 2012 21:27:48 GMT -5
Hi Fish, yeah, I saw that trip and would love to join, but I'm going to Utah for the long weekend. Thanks for the heads' up though - I am planning to do one of the CFMS trips in June.
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Post by johnjsgems on May 10, 2012 10:08:23 GMT -5
If you want easy collecting tumbling stuff the big flat right off the road where everyone camps at Lavic (north of the tracks) has lots of small colorful stuff. Easy access, easy walking.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,466
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Post by Sabre52 on May 10, 2012 13:20:21 GMT -5
I'd agree with some of the other folks if you want a fairly easy hunt. Lavic or the south side of the Cady's north of Hwy 40 across from Lavic and slight west are great bets. We had lots of fun in the Hector Hills our last two times too. Lots of big hunks of agate similar to chapenite around there and palm root and other stuff too. MY wife found an awesome fortification agate there last time. The green ash hills off Mineola road off Hwy 15 by the Yermo dump is good for palm root, bog and fiber and lots of other agate too. If I had kids with me I'd hit Newbury Springs for the little T-eggs found there as its an easy dig and if you hike way to the south along the hills, there is lots more agate and t-eggs. If your on hwy 15 I'd also check the outflow of Afton Canyon off Basin Road. If you hit those gravel beds along the Mojave River after a rain, the collecting can be incredible and the area is easy to access. You can find moss, plume, sagenite, orbicular agate and jasper, orbicular rhyolite etc. One of my favorite spots to hunt and after a rain, I've pulled pieces off the gravel beds in the hundred pound range....Mel
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Post by Bluesky78987 on May 10, 2012 13:34:22 GMT -5
Hi Mel. I want fairly easy as in "almost guaranteed success". I'm willing to suffer for it though (willing to hike pretty far). No kids coming, just me. So I don't have my books here right now, but you're talking about the sites they call "Hector Hills" and "Jasper Hill" right? I'll research the sites you mention more when I get home, thank you!
I'm hoping to score something special enough for the travelling rock box, don't want to embarrass myself as a noob by putting something lame in it!
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,466
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Post by Sabre52 on May 10, 2012 15:33:07 GMT -5
blue: For easy, I'd do Lavic and Hector hills. Both are close together and both are good with a variety of material. Lavic is easy walking. Lots of steep ravines at Hector. Cool thing about Lavic is, besides an abundance of really nice jasper, there are also fine moss and plume agates to be found. I understand some folks here at the website have hunted the new area north of Hwy 40 for Lavic type material in huge blocks. I ran into a guy once who had hunted that site and he said it's spectacular but I'm not privy to the location info so maybe someone else has the site pinned down and will help you out.....Mel
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<'))))>< Fish
Cave Dweller
Gone Fishing
Member since April 2005
Posts: 1,841
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Post by <'))))>< Fish on May 10, 2012 20:55:29 GMT -5
I took home a 50 pounds rocks out that way. My club has found 3 great places in that area, one holf ing a red and white plume.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
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Post by Deleted on May 11, 2012 9:53:06 GMT -5
Hope you have a nice trip. Wish I could meet up, but it is a soccer weekend!
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Post by Bluesky78987 on May 11, 2012 10:49:19 GMT -5
John, there's a gps coord on this collecting map I found for "Hector Powerlines". It's north on Lavic Road over the 40, and just a little east. Any potential in that? The site seems to be under the big powerlines? Also another one about 1.5 miles east of that, north of the power lines.
The other question I have for all of y'all, is, what's the easiest way to tell if land is BLM land or what? I'm having trouble figuring out the geocommunicator. Is there a map I can pick up that shows what is BLM land?
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LarryS
freely admits to licking rocks
SoCal desert rats
Member since August 2010
Posts: 781
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Post by LarryS on May 11, 2012 19:18:10 GMT -5
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Post by Bluesky78987 on May 11, 2012 20:10:43 GMT -5
Thanks Larry, I'll be studying those. It looks like most of the appropriate roads are open and most of the land is BLM, so I'm not going to accidently end up in the wrong place while exploring . . . thanks!
Lol yeah, that's the way to make friends, I'll just run up his tab!
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LarryS
freely admits to licking rocks
SoCal desert rats
Member since August 2010
Posts: 781
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Post by LarryS on May 11, 2012 20:45:08 GMT -5
Only place you have to be careful is in the Lavic area, south side of the freeway. Lots of Marines with big guns and they don't treat trespassers kindly! Still talk of making Cady's wilderness and the Broadwell Lake solar project fell through. So in the mean time, get as many rocks as you can get while the pickin is still allowed.
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Post by Bluesky78987 on May 11, 2012 20:48:57 GMT -5
Woo, are any of the Marines cute? Yeah, also probably should watch for unexploded ordnance - saw in one of the desertgrlz (?) blog entries that they found plenty of unexploded bombs etc.
Will try to take enough pics to create an amusing trip report! And hopefully get some good rocks - you're right about getting them while the getting is good!
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Post by jakesrocks on May 11, 2012 21:31:40 GMT -5
If you're lucky, you'll get to see the flyboys make bombing and rocket runs on targets. They put on a great show. Last time I was out there the black opps boys were making rocket runs in solid black jets with no markings.
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