May 4th 2025 Field Trip to First Creek (agate, crystals, geodes)

Past Field Trips

Note: the date for this trip has changed to Sunday May 4th (from Sat May 3rd).

On Sunday May 4th 2025, we will be going to First Creek which is east of Cle Elum and part of the Teanaway formation.  Meet 9:30 AM in the Cle Elum Safeway parking lot near the gas pumps (exit 84 – 702 W 1st St, Cle Elum), about 1.5 hour drive from Renton.  We’ll leave there at 9:45, head east on Hwy 970, and park at the First Creek parking area (about 10 miles away – just 1/2 mile north of 97/970 junction).

Group will leave from the First Creek parking lot about 10:15 AM!

Agates, Jasper, Geodes, and Crystal – Bring digging and hard rock tools, buckets, and sturdy shoes. Appropriate clothing for weather, lunch, drinking water and snacks.  Bug spray for ticks.  This is a 2-mile hike on a logging road with 5 moderate ups and downs and there could still be snow and/or mud on the trail in May.  A wagon or jogging cart is handy for carrying tools and material.

Roger Danneman (roger.danneman@gmail.com  425-228-8781 or 425-757-3506 cell).

 

Updated: May 20, 2025 — 9:43 pm

Presidents Message

  • From the Top of the Rock Pile Our annual club picnic went off great. The grass and Arboretum area was not wet or muddy, plus it didn’t rain while we were there. We had the usual club members attend, plus a few new faces. I forgot to count how many people attended, but I estimate around 40. Thank you, Angie and Brian, for shopping for the food and setting everything up. Thumbler’s Tumblers donated a tumbler for our picnic auction and another one for our holiday auction in December. The new double-barreled 15# tumbler sold for $120, approximately one-third the …

Meeting Announcements

  • Many of our members may recognize Tom as a vendor from our gem show and many other shows. His booth is “A Point in Time.” His presentation will focus on regional archaeology and how it relates to geology, paleontology, astronomy, and more. He promises to be a “traveling museum of prehistoric artifacts,” many of which can be passed around! He is always so interesting to stand at his show booth and listen to him talk. This meeting will be fascinating and hands-on. Show and Tell: A fossil of any type.

  • Our wagonmaster, Roger, will go over the field trips he has planned for this year, including samples of what you can find at each location.   Show and Tell: Your Best Rock Find Of Last Year.

  • We’re still developing the 2026 calendar of events, but we know one thing for sure – our March general meeting will happen on the 12th at 7pm. We hope to see you there! Show and Tell: also coming soon!

  • Come one, come all and play ROCK BINGO! With schools out for many local school districts, we invite members, guests, and especially families and kids to come and enjoy one of our most fun nights of the year. Everyone is guaranteed to win at this FREE event! All you have to do is bring three wrapped presents – presents can be rocks, gems, minerals, crystals, fossils, cabochons, slabs, jewelry, tumbled stones – anything you think might be a nice gift for a rock enthusiast. 

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