West Western "ROCK"docking while Boondoocking: Rock Hunting

[Ray Eklund]

Tavake HI/AZ I would like to hear more about your rock hound activities if you care to share.
Best finds, fun adventures in the quest etc.
Cheers Richard
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I have been persistent in using the term Rockdocking in the past and have relaxed a bit and try to conform. So I have made some progress.

Richard responded to an another Thread about Valley Fever that I am still working through and never want to find myself waiting and waiting to recover 100%. But, that is another ongoing story.

Rock hunting has always been something I enjoyed. You go to remote areas, get to camp at any convenient spot available, no limit to the exercise and have the true possibility of discovering something of great value or just a heavy "leaverite".

Leaverite = Leave it right where you found it (just a common rock)

Rocks, minerals, fossils, gold panning and just picking up water worn stones that can be painted into rabbits, mice, turtles... as my neighbor does and actually sells them at several beauty salons in the area. So your personality and your interests can be at all extremes... very focused or a general explorer. I could write a Thread for each general area of interest and would find myself at the computer and losing weight just opening up this "can of worms". There is no limit as to the kind of hunt, if any, in an area.

There are many inexpensive books, under $10, for individual States. They will contain hundreds of pages from Sand to Uranium. They can be found on internet book sites by the thousands. The more specific the book, usually higher the cost.

I would make myself available to any inquiries to this Thread about "your general area" or where you plan to go in the WESTERN USA. I know it best as this is where I explore and try to locate anything that is shiny or is significant as to what it is, and maybe of little value to anyone but myself.

We are leaving tomorrow on an early season, lower elevation, curiosity survey of Nevada and maybe find ourselves in Utah in the process, as well. This would be from Las Vegas, NV and to the north. We have spent minimal time in Nevada, but there are unlimited opportunities to scout the State out. We have an interesting discovery of unusual forms of a form of agate, called chalcedony. These "stones" can be 1/2" to 3" and called Chalcedony Rosettes, Fairy Stones, Buttons, Potato Chips and other "nicknames" from the forms they can be found.

About 7 years ago we discovered them in New Mexico volcanics from 35,000,000 years ago. I had never seen anything like these and believed this was all newly found forms.... wrong. Once some word got out of these unusual forms, a group in Southwest New Mexico began selling "theirs" on EBay. Then others began to show up for sale from Mexico and other areas. The professionals I had sent samples to had never seen these forms, before today. Now they seem to be showing up in enough variety that this is just a localized special form.

IF there is an interest in taking your trailer onto Forest Service or BLM roads to hunt rocks or minerals, I can point the general area(s)... but resist giving anyone the GPS location of where I camp and hunt. There has to be some effort put out on your part as well. I also do not give out my favorite fishing holes, where I have buried our gold and silver, or give up our favorite camping spots. But... I will assist to focus on an area, much like the Wyoming Jade and Agate locations done a year or two ago on this Forum.

Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico, Montana are our favorite areas to hunt and camp. Unlimited opportunities to explore.

As you will be told over and over. Gold is where your find it.

You will not find gold where there never was any. Same with rocks and minerals. At first you will feel like the dumbest person, totally confused as to what you are looking at and even WHY. Good. That is the first step in learning.

Although we prefer groups of less than three other people, maybe we can arrange to pick someone from time to time for an entertaining adventure that may or may not amount to anything but fresh air and great views.

There are many Pay to Dig agate sites in eastern Oregon and eastern Washington. Fire Opal digging in NW Nevada (expensive and not worth it, but stop by there to look). Fossil Fish in Kemmerer, Wyoming to quarry. We prefer to find our own spots, usually worthless but we learn each time nothing is found. And when you least expect it... a treasure is found and the spirit keeps you going on and on. It is addictive, the hunt.

Buy yourself a 16 ounce Estwing rock pick and you are now on your way!

Please do not be bashful to ask questions. Many following this thread can help. When we return, I can do this some justice, but setting up some general rules is good to get started. This is a hobby for us. You will spend more money than most of what you find are actually worth... but, a 100 pound meteorite has no preference where it hits the ground, and you were looking for petrified wood...

My last breath. I am always asked what is the most valuable thing you have found in my hunting?

My Wife. And that is all you will hear from that question.

[Stefrobrts]

I have always thought rock hunting sounded like fun. I have always been the type to bring home any interesting rocks I come across in my travels. I try to avoid the 'Long Long Trailer' syndrome, and only collect rocks that fit in my pockets. When we bought our house apparently the previous owner was a rockhound, because we have rocks everywhere around the outside of the house, including a big mound in the garden. I wish he had labelled them, because I am curious about what they are and where they came from!

I have heard about the agate beds in E OR, and thought that might be a fun destination sometime.