Oglala Nebraska Jasper

[herchenx]

I found this on an early trip to the Oglala National Grasslands several years ago. The outside of the rock has pretty reds and yellows, and as you will grow tired of hearing, I've kept this around, waiting for a big enough saw to see what might be inside.

Here are the yellow and red exterior shots:




And the finished cut



I'll admit, I was hoping there might be a hidden Fairburn pattern inside - but the yellows and reds are pretty and it has a lot of solid in it, so I'll go ahead and slab it from here and see how it cabs up. It's pretty heavy, I'd say 10+ pounds all in.

[Tom]

Hey John, I will be down in that area this July. Well we will base camp near Rapid City but wife wants to go to Nebraska Oglala and so do I:) Maybe we can find some Fairburns together. Any free time in July? Remember the Canadian dollar sucks so you are buying lunch LOL, just kidding I will buy:)

[herchenx]

Jan 6, 2016 11:41:14 GMT -5 Tom said:

Hey John, I will be down in that area this July. Well we will base camp near Rapid City but wife wants to go to Nebraska Oglala and so do I:) Maybe we can find some Fairburns together. Any free time in July? Remember the Canadian dollar sucks so you are buying lunch LOL, just kidding I will buy:)

Sweet Tom! Better Fairburn fields up in SD - need to ping orrum for some locations up there. Oglala is beautiful though - I like to camp in the grasslands and drive down to Fort Robinson State Park for their cheap and hot breakfast. You guys going to camp?

In my experience, Oglala is good for some of the finest rounded quartz pieces I've ever encountered, and a fair amount of rose quartz at that. Next is small pet wood pieces, although I've found both opalized and water-tumbled pieces up to 9 pounds. Lots of Prairie Agates which are interesting but not much for cutting. Lots of stuff that can be tumbled once it was crushed.

There are private ranches around there and you can allegedy dig dino and other vertebrate fossils if you can get the right contact. There is a small rock shop in Crawford that would probably be the best lead for that.

I might do one day in Oglala, but for Fairburns we should check in with others on this forum to get a better starting point. I've looked and seen buddies find them near French Creek up in SD near the town of Fairburn but I think there are some far better spots based on what I see showing up in the Fairburn groups on Facebook.

[Tom]

Yes we will be camping and I actually have some great spots I already know in SD. Jakesrocks said be may be able to get me permission to hunt on private land too. There is a nice campground near Fairburn that is free (donations) and its right at the agate fields. French Creek is my favorite, found this puppy there. Most beautiful rock (debate on rock or coral/sponge) I have ever seen (I am biased LOL). Lots of really nice Prairie Agates, black agate, banded jaspers and fossils, found the enamel from a dino tooth. But I would be up for Oglala for a day for sure. I have about 8 spots for hunting in SD and with Jakesrocks help maybe many more. Depending on the conditions a 4x4 is pretty much needed, and if they are bad its site seeing time because the gumbo will swallow a tank. Its fun I love it









French Creek crossing number 1, they get more fun:)



Start of road to Fairburn agate beds, can be almost dry or at this time about 24 inches and flowing hard.

[bsky4463]

Tom - If you all are into company let me know when you finalize your plans, maybe we will come over from MT. I love rock hounding, great excuse to see new country and adventure friends. Cheers.

[Tom]

Consider it done, and we will likely be traveling through MT as well, so we should be able to meet up. Where are you in MT? My wife loves MT

[bsky4463]

PM sent - hopefully herchenx can make it too. Cheers

[jakesrocks]

Dang Tom, that puppy cleaned up real nice. See if you can get hold of sdgoldpanner. Bob is a member on here, but doesn't visit often. Just leave him a PM. He lives in Rapid City, & is always up for a good rock hunt. Especially Fairburns. Tell him east river Don told you to contact him. He'll know who you're talking about.

[orrum]

Hey send a PM n I tell u the little I know. Better ask Don/Jakes too, he is the professional!!

[rockroller]

tom,

What John herchenx neglected to mention is that he will be taking me along, as I already suggested that we go back there this summer!

It would be great to meet up with more rockers and have a good ole time!!

~Roland

[herchenx]

Tom, yep I have the truck for it, been to French creek 3 times now I think - last summer's trip report:
forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/thread/71278/quick-fairburn-trip

We crossed it at close to 4' deep - I'll let rockroller Roland verify that - the campground flooded over the morning after we were there.

We haven't planned all our family summertime shenanigans yet so I need to verify that - do you have specific dates yet Tom? My first priority for this year is the McDermitt trip if that is still on (need to check and see)

orrum PM sent, thanks!

[herchenx]

Oh man, just found a fun reminder of one of my Fairburn outings. Tom you should carefully consider all your options before joining me for a rocking trip:

forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/thread/66858/fairburn-bachelor-party-weekend

[Tom]

LOL looks like you had some fun times, been there before but to out of shape for that much fun now:) I am still up for an adventure though. I need to clarify that in my pictures I kept talking French creek, and while we were there and that deeper water crossing is at French creek, the other pictures are Indian River near Scenic SD. I like this area the best that I have been at. The trail kind of goes through the middle of an S curved creek and at all the crossings is great rock hunting territory.

No matter where I am up for it, our plans are to start heading south around July 1st the rock gods willing. It normally takes us 2 days to get to Rapid city.

I hope we can work something out!

Check out google maps of the indian river just west of Scenic off highway 44.

[herchenx]

That may be tricky, the 4th is a big day for the family. Maybe I can swing a family trip up there that weekend, although the whole are will be a zoo then. Will be in touch about it. I hope something works out too.

[Fossilman]

Nice jasper cut.....Good luck on the adventure....

[Tom]

Going to be down in the area for awhile so the 4th is no biggie. plan to head from there through MT and ID to get a friends in BC then make way back to SK. hopefully its doable. Been in Rapid City for the past 2 4th's and it really was not a zoo, the zoo is Sturgis rally time LOL

[rockjunquie]

Tom  I remember the thread with your coral/agate... I have always wanted to mention that it looks like an oyster shell to me with blue minerals replacing the barnacles. I know that probably isn't right, but coming from near the US oyster capital it sure looks that way to me.  

[rockpickerforever]

Makes me think of a cross between beekite

From Wiki-

Beekite is a distinctive form of chalcedony sometimes associated with silicified fossils.

Beekite, recognised as small, concentric rings of microcrystalline quartz is recorded as first brought to attention of geologists by Dr Beeke, Dean of Bristol.

and these

Just kidding about the valella valella (by-the-wind sailors), lol.  But the color is the same!

This is what they look like when masses of them wash up on the beach during - you guessed it - El Nino years.

 
For whatever reason, beekite likes to form on fossils.

ETA - Forgot to mention how cool I think your find is!
 

[Tom]

Wow that really does look alot like that, I am just pumped that it has Fairburn pattering on it. Wow thats alot of jelly fish, if thats what they are!

[bsky4463]

Jan 7, 2016 16:26:03 GMT -5 rockpickerforever said:

Just kidding about the valella valella (by-the-wind sailors), lol.  But the color is the same!

This is what they look like when masses of them wash up on the beach during - you guessed it - El Nino years.

 

Those bad boys are Velella ... they showed up on the north coast last winter.... Crazy cool colors, but stinky when they decompose...Cheers