CMS Oct 3rd 2020 field trip to Red Top

Past Field Trips

The Hwy 410 closure is said to be in effect for weeks, so I’m changing the Little Naches trip to Oct. 24th.

However, the Oct. 3rd weekend weather is forecasted to be very nice, so I still want to do a trip then.  I’ve decided to lead a trip back to Red Top.

There are two options from the same road where we park:
1). Our dig site for agate/jasper close to the road, or
2). A 4/10 mile hike up Indian Creek Trail to the meadow just below the agate beds loop.

Option 1 has some fine agate, jasper, and occasional crystal geode fragments and is about 50 yards up a steep slope.
Option 2 has more whole and half geodes in the diggings, but is a 4/10 mile hike, the first 50 yards being fairly steep, then flattening out.

Meet 9:45 AM at the Mineral Springs Store (27510 US-97).  Group leaves promptly at 10:00.  Bring dig and hard rock tools.  The meeting spot is about 1 ¾ hour drive from Renton/Kent.  There are DOT restrooms at Snoqualmie Pass and I also like to use the Cle Elum Safeway for coffee, restrooms, gas.  Mineral Springs Store does have a rest room for customers.  Usually open by 9:30, but they seem a little lax on timing.

Contact me for updates if planning to attend.

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

Updated: October 9, 2020 — 9:39 pm

Presidents Message

  • Digging It!  Thanks to everyone who came to the club camp out at Teanaway campground near Cle Elum last month. After a brief spell of rain the first night, we were blessed with sun, clear skies, and rockhounding the rest of the weekend. And a big thanks to Roger Danneman for doing all of the trip organizing, and keeping us all warm and well fed during the weekend. This month I’ll be giving a talk at our club meeting about how to use Gaia for rockhounding. If you have specific questions, please bring them along or feel free to email …

Meeting Announcements

  • Noelle Barnes will present Using Gaia for Rockhounding, an overview of the features and tricks associated with the app Gaia and how you can use it for GPS, saving waypoints, navigation, photo tagging, trail recording and more. Show and Tell: Bring the rock(s) that have the best “story” – and tell everyone how you found them and where!

  • Club board member Paul Ahnberg will talk to us about the impact of wildfires on our lives – from protecting your home to staying safe while out rockhounding – and what we can do today to help mitigate our risk. Paul will combine his knowledge gained from learning at both the WSU Green School (Master Gardener) and WSU Climate Steward programs. Show and Tell: Bring something you found, from a place that you know has since been impacted by floods or wildfires – or was impacted shortly before you arrived. Tell your story!

  • December’s date and time is coming soon. We will update this page as soon as we know more.

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