Oceanveiw Mine trip officialy canceled as of today March 22nd 2007

Sorry about the disappointing news. The trip to this mine has been canceled as a result of them overbooking space. Due to their extreme popularity I was just notified to rescheldue a day ago. Please do not show up as this trip has been postponed until further notice. Thankyou.

Be sure to bring your items to sell at the club meeting sale bazaar April 6th 2007!

The monthly club meeting on Friday, April 6th 2007 at 7pm United Methodist Church will be featuring club wide sale bazaar. This is a participatory event for all club members. All members are encouraged to bring items such as rocks, tools, antiques, jewelry etc. These can be items you either do not want, need or feel you could contribute toward the club's benefit. Sale proceeds will be 25% to the club and 75% to the members. Members can choose if they want to contribute more of their proceeds or all to the club at their own discretion. It will be fun, so bring items and cash. Cash you will need if see other members are selling something you cannot live without. We recommend placing items on a flat that is easy to carry in and carry out. This is a shallow box about 6" high by 18" long by 15" wide apx. Thankyou and goodluck:-)

Ocean Veiw mine trip Pending Sunday March 25th

Rock collecting trip: Sunday, March 25th, 2007
If you can go this is a must. By far one of the best collecting areas in California for pegmatite related crystals some very large in size. There is a mine fee of 50.00 per person if 4 or more people sign up otherwise it is 60.00 per person. Ocean view mine is historic with the most diverse precious crystals found in the Pala District with a reputation that is legendary for what people walk away with after a productive day of digging. Mine has all facilities you need including tables, water, toilets and tools. Lisa the mine owner is always glad to help you. Lisa and her mine partners include spectacular mine tours. Please see link for further details: OCEAN VIEW MINE. I have made seven trips to this location and have not ever been disappointed once.
We will meet at the Denny's on Indian off ramp of Interstate 10 between Palm Springs and Desert Hot Springs towns 7AM for breakfast and trip up to the mine. Carpooling is available. Please be timely. You may contact us through Palmspringsrocks@aol.com to sign up. Signing up is simple. Just email with your name and request to go to the mine. Please be advised once you sign up there is no cancellations. Trip requires a group of atleast 4 people otherwise it will be canceled without notice. Thankyou.

March 5TH Boreggo Springs Rock Collecting Trip

Rock collecting trip: Monday, March 5th, 2007
This is a very good trip to collect dark highly agatized petrified wood. Beautiful petrified wood is of high quality but not large in size. This is a club effort rock collecting trip so please try to collect as many 2-3" pieces as possible. Area is very scenic for photography. Please be advised it is a state park. No rock hammer or shovels allowed as to not disturb the ground surface. Bikes, dirt bikes, quads and 4by4 vehicles are permitted anywhere in the state park.
We will meet at the Arco T/A, Interstate 10
and Dillon Road in Coachella, at 7:00 AM, SHARP.

Time to collect some beautiful Fluorspar January 15th!

Rock collecting trip: JANUARY 15, 2007
Our first rock collecting trip of the year will be to the fluorspar mine which is
southeast of Chiriaco Summit. Fluorspar is a form of fluorite. It comes in beautiful purples, greens and yellows in massive rough perfect for lapidary work. Fluorspar has globular inclusions oftenly fortified. On rare occasions fluorspar can even be found in two sided crystals formed on matrix. Fluorspar is a semi translucent mineral with a hardness of about 5 out of 10.
We will meet at the Arco T/A, Interstate 10
and Dillon Road in Coachella, at 7:00 AM, SHARP. After collecting fluorspar,
we will proceed southeast on the Red Canyon route, SR2013, to Salt Creek
Wash. Time permitting, we will research the bloodstone area near Canyon
Spring. Bloodstone is a beautiful form of jasper rough with a hardness of 7-7.5. Bloodstone comes in deep reds and greens and is considered a semiprecious to precious stone found cabochons and jewelry. You can find varying degrees of it here in it's colorful opaque rough. We then return down to Hwy. 111, and back to the travel center in
Coachella.

Pebble Terrace was great!

Good turn out! See for your self. Lot's of great stuff was found. Please join us for the next rock collecting trip soon!

November 20th 2006 Whipple Mountains rock collecting trip

November 20th 2006, north of Vidal Junction off of Hwy 95 in the Whipple Mountains for chalcedony, chalcedony roses, chalcedony nodules and druzy quartz can be found here. Chalcedony is quartz made molten by extreme heat on quartz veins either by volcanic activity or deep Earth upthrust and cooled with a mixture of gases and mineral inclusions resulting in bytroldal, small quartz crystals in a vacuum. Associated matrix is usually basalt and rhyolite which is softer than quartz and erodes away leaving these beautiful and oddly shaped chalcedony [nodeules] stones that you find. When quartz is molten it has the consistency of toothpaste. We will meet on the north side of the T/A [Trans America] Truck Stop Parking lot at the southwest corner of Interstate 10 and Dillon Rd in Coachella. Meeting time is 7:00 AM prompt, not a minute later so please allow 15 minutes early to insure promptness. Thankyou.


Collecting area seen from 1500' above.

Chalcedony rose

Fossil Trip Monday November 6th 2006

Rock collecting trip November 6TH to Pebble Terrace region west of Palo Verde. We will be collecting fossils for the educational bags for the Annual National Indio Date Festival. We will also be collecting agate, petrified wood, jasper and other rock specimens for ourselves. We will meet on the north side of the T/A [Trans America] Truck Stop Parking lot at the southwest corner of Interstate 10 and Dillon Rd in Coachella. Meeting time is 7:00 AM prompt, not a minute later so please allow 15 minutes early to insure promptness. Thankyou.

Pebbel Terrace photo as taken by Kenny Irwin from 40,000' elevation