This field trip was a rare occurrence in that it was held in conjunction
with the Palmdale Gem and Mineral Club's annual show. Holding a field trip
in conjunction with any show is a dual edged sword in that it requires
balance between the field trip and the show itself in order to
bring more guests to the show to visit booths and venders. To accomplish
this balance we had an early sign in for the trip with a later departure.
Forty-seven people signed in at the show including members from the local
high school's geology class. After a 45 minute caravan to the collecting
area we met up with another 17 people and had them sign in and refuel.
After arriving at the first stop we met up with another club who had been
camping there since the night before. The first stop was a hill littered
with dendritic agates and white opal along with petrified bog showing many
nice reeds, twigs and grasses. These also show internal inclusions and cab
up nicely. Many many pieces of each were found and collected.
After about an hour of collecting we drove the short distance to the
second site which offered another hill littered with specimens. A few more
pieces of bog were found along with agates and pistachio opalite. A
primary difference between the two sites are the colors of the material;
the first offering material in lighter colors such as white and beige
while the second site leans more towards reds and oranges with many agates
with thick moss inclusions.
After about an hour here we took the high clearance vehicles over a few
miles of rough road to the third site which was a jasper covered hill.
The weather was perfect being in the 70s with partly cloudy skies and mild
breezes.
The Kramer Junction area encompasses many square miles of hills and
flatlands requiring more exploring for the widespread variety of materials
found here. Material stretches from one end to the other.
Happy Hunting,
Shep Koss
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OTHER REPORTS:
Just a quick THANKS, to Shep Koss and the Palmdale Gem & Mineral Club for
a wonderful SHOW, and FIELD TRIP. Shep was very caring and helpful, to all
on the field trip, and he made sure everyone came home with some wonderful
treasures. As it was, the weather and all conditions were wonderful, too.
Thanks, again, and I thank everyone on the trip will agree.
Ken Rogers
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What a great week-end of rock hounding, campfire politickin', log burning,
meeting new people from other clubs and just an all around good time.
On Friday morning Clay G. went out early, Caro and I met Bill M.,Craig
F.and Eric M. and caravanned out to the site, we circled the wagons and
spent Friday setting up camp and the fire pit. Saturday was the big day, I
started by going back to Boron and met up with Virginia with grandson from
our TVGMS, Steve, wife Jamie and Gloria from Boron club and led them back
to the site. Bill D. came out and then went back to meet up and lead some
people from the Lemoore club out. We were camped at Site B right on the
top of lots of petrified wood, dendritric agate, petrified palm root,
chert and jasper nodules. This area is rich in indian workings of points,
scrapers and chips from the hard chert and agate material. Clay being a
master flint knapper showed us how to identify them. Of course, being BLM
land we put all that we found back on the ground.
Ray, CJ and their 3 grandkids drove up and shortly after the main event of the CFMS field trip
led by Shep Koss came up in a group of about 18 vehicles. What a sight to
see them roll up, park along the trail and about 50 people get out and
head east and west and start chipping rocks. I went and joined them and
starting meeting and talkin' rocks to a lot of new friends. After about a
hour Shep led the group over to Site B where there are diggings for red
agate and pistachio green autunite. After another hour about 1/2 the group
left went home. Shep led the those remaining with high clearance vehicles
over the rugged trail about 3 miles to site E where there are massive
veins of multi colored Jasper. More rock chipping, digging and all that
goes with rock hounding.
I met people from the following clubs: Sierra Pelona, Palmdale, Del-Air,
Ventura, Orange Belt, Lemoore, Bakersfield,
Mineral Mites and Boron. I am sure there were others that were
represented. It was a great turn out for the CFMS field trip. Thanks so
much to Shep for this and other great trips he has put together.
Another great campfire evening Saturday night then on Sunday morning I met
new Tehachapi club members Jim and Sue at 4 corners and led them back to
camp. This was their first time ever on a field trip and as always it was
great to show them all of the treasures and discoveries lying around
disguised as ordinary rock. Then we again went out to the Site E jasper
site in the quads and 4Xs for some serious hardrock digging, then on the
way back we explored some of the mine shafts and old building sites that
covers this area which once was heavily mined. Sunday evening enjoyed a
cloudy boiling fiery lava spectacular sunset, then a last campfire trying
to finish off the wood pile. (we failed). A little rain during the night.
Monday morning we hooked up our trailers and headed home anxious to fire up
the slab saw and discover the next treasure hidden inside the rocks.
Thanks to all who came out on this great trip. See Ya!
Stan |
