Cargo Muchacho Mountains (S CA Site 8)

by Jerry on January 19, 2010

Directions: We only visited Site B, on Indian Pass Rd. Mitchell’s directions are accurate. Rather than park at the designated site, we ventured a short distance further east and took a side road off to the right which led about 1/4 mile over and down to a wash.
Google Map
GPS: 33.001 N 114.778 W

Date: January 2010

Notes: We were hoping to find palm wood and dumortierite, but were most successful finding significant amounts of kyanite which was not listed in the Gem Trails entry. No palm was found, but in addition to all the kyanite we could carry and several pounds of mostly smaller dumortierite pieces, we picked up a few pounds of potentially nice agate in browns with red veins.

Kyanite 20 pounder

Kyanite 20 pounder

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Yermo (S CA Site 47)

by Jerry on December 12, 2009

Directions: You should have no trouble following Mitchell’s directions to the sites. The “old pole line” road noted in the text for Site B is marked as BLM Rd 7640.
Google Map
GPS: Site B – N34.937, W 116.758; Site C – N34.943, W 116.771

Date: December 2009

Notes: Don’t bother with Site A, very little material, none above tumbling size. At Site B we found plentiful agate, jasper and chert, much in 10 to 20 lb range. Colors were mainly tans and browns, but many included red and yellow stringers and spots. At Site C there was even more material, with some chert blocks in the hundred lb range. After gathering all the agate we wanted, we concentrated on looking for petrified palm, but found none at any of the sites.

At Yermo Site C

At Yermo Site C

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Paul Bunyan Agate (S CA Bonus)

by JerryDecember 9, 2009 Bonus Sites

Directions: This site is located just northeast of Barstow, CA. From I-15 just east of town take Fort Irwin Rd north 7.1 miles. Turn left on Irwin  Rd and after 1/2 mile turn right on a minor dirt road. Follow it 1.9 miles north, then at the base of a small mountain take the road [...]

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Warm Springs (OR R3 Site 60 – GR)

by JerryOctober 5, 2009 Gem Trails by State

Directions: Garret’s directions and map will get you there and get you to the various sites. His GPS coordinates are accurate. We came from the Burns side and found the roads to all the collecting sites in very good shape (until it rained).
Google Map
Date: October 09
Notes: Our rock club (Central Oregon Rock Collectors) made a [...]

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Ames Creek (OR R1 Site 19 – GR)

by JerryOctober 5, 2009 Gem Trails by State

This is a side note confirming the Holleywood Ranch fee dig site near Ames Creek (a few miles outside of Sweet Home) mentioned in the book. Our rock club (Central Oregon Rock Collectors) made a field trip to the ranch in Sept 09. There is literally tons of wood available and digging in the excavated [...]

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Glass Buttes (OR Site 57 – GR)

by JerryAugust 17, 2009 Gem Trails by State

Directions: Garret’s directions and map will get you there and get you to the various sites. There are a lot of meandering cross roads in the back country though, so GPS is helpful. We might have given up on the rainbow site if not for having accurate coordinates from the book. As it is, it’s [...]

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Harney Lake (OR Site 70 – GR)

by JerryAugust 17, 2009 Gem Trails by State

Directions: Garret’s site directions are spot on. Google Map
Date: August 2009
Notes: There is plentiful tumbling material scattered about, some already wave polished. Colors tend to be rather drab and for us most of the material is rather uninteresting. We found a couple of pieces of petrified wood, but nothing special. The oolitic agate from up [...]

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Like the New Edition

by dkatski50July 10, 2009 Member Feedback

My girlfriend and I spent the July 4th weekend in Central Oregon. The new edition of Gem Trails came in very handy as we had no problems navigating the Glass Butte sites, Ochoco Lake, Lucky Strike Mine and others in the area. Directions were pretty spot on and the specimens we found were good quality.
I’ve [...]

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Great job!

by livewireJune 16, 2009 Member Feedback

This website is amazing, and you guys are doing great stuff. My hat’s off to you.
Garret Romaine

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Rabbit Springs Nodules (NV Site 15)

by JerryMay 5, 2009 Gem Trails by State

Note: The information for this site is taken from the May 2009 issue of Rock & Gem by Robert Beard.
Directions: Rabbit Springs is actually over the border in Idaho. The Gem Trails directions appear adequate.
Google Map
GPS: 42 03.765, 114 40.217
Date: March 2008
Notes: Refer to the Rock & Gem article for details. Note that site is [...]

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