March 16th, 2019 Baker Lake Field Trip Report

We had beautiful weather for this fieldtrip to Baker Lake and Swift Creek.  There was still quite a bit of snow to cross, but the waters were relatively shallow and easy to pick with waders and gloves.  7 CMS members made this trip. There’s interesting jasper (with golds, greens, browns, and reds) metamorphed into layers and swirls, a lot of quartz veined rock, and a blueish agate in sand/gravel pockets.  Iron is present, giving bright reds to some of the material.  I found at least one nephrite tremolite jade rock which is predominately light cream in color and had a density of 3.4.  Other rocks from the trip will be further diagnosed.  I put a batch in my tumbler and plan to bring some for the April meeting.  All in all, I think a good spot for a March trip while the reservoir is at a low point and plan to return next year.
Submitted by Roger Danneman CMS Field Trip Guide.

Updated: May 6, 2019 — 4:23 pm

Presidents Message

  • Digging It!  May is finally here, and with the snow clearing, the flowers blooming, and the rains letting up a bit (hopefully), that rock fever is hitting us all pretty hard. I hope you all had a great time at the Rock Bingo night last month! The Big Show is Coming! We are now less than two months away from our Cascade Gem, Mineral & Jewelry Show, which will be held June 27–28 at Kent Commons. This is our biggest event of the year, and as I mentioned when I started my term, the people are what make this club

Meeting Announcements

  • Our own Mike Blanton will bring his expertise to this club meeting program – he will share the tools, tips and tricks he has developed to drill holes in stones and minerals so you can do more with the rocks you find. Show and Tell: bring a rock you’d like to make into something else.

  • Club Wagonmaster and rock shop creator Roger Danneman will present an overview of the new club shop – including equipment, scheduling, stewards, and what you can expect from this exciting new resource.  Show and Tell: bring a rock you want to polish or make into a cabochon (or something you’ve already polished or made)

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