Oct 6th, 2018 – Field Trip to Red Top West Side (N of Cle Elum)

Past Field Trips

I know this is late notice, but it looks like it will be a beautiful Fall day this Sat. and I want to get one more shot at the agate and jasper around Red Top before winter weather prevails there.  So I’m going up there digging and anyone that wants to join me is welcome.

There is no hike involved, but you do need to cross a rock slide which is fairly steep.  Dig site is just above the rock slide.  The agate is fairly plentiful just under the surface there, and is a light blueish grey color.  The jasper has nice creamy blue and brown tones, sometimes with blue veins or inclusions, occasional bright reds which are awesome.  Crystals can be found in the hard rock as well as in the rock slide and dig holes.   

Meet at 9:45 at the Mineral Springs Store (Mineral Springs Resort on Google Maps) 27510 US-97.  If you pass FR 9738 (Blue Creek Rd), you’ve gone too far, as this is the road that the group will take towards the dig site.  Mineral Springs is about a 2 hour drive from Renton/Kent, over Snoqualmie Pass.
Group leaves promptly at 10:00.  Dig and hard rock tools.

Roger Danneman cell # 425-757-3506.

Updated: October 9, 2018 — 7:39 pm

Presidents Message

  • From the Top of the Rock Pile . . . . Boy was it good to see everyone after 16 months of no in-person meetings! We had a good turnout. I estimate we had 30 people. 27 members signed in but I think there were about 3 additional people who didn’t make it to the sign-in table. I would like to remind everyone to sign in at the front door. You get a door prize ticket for the drawing later in the meeting plus for insurance purposes, we need a headcount and the names of those who attended our meeting. …

Meeting Announcements

  • Lake Wilderness Arboretum Annual Picnic Potluck – Sunday, August 8th Setup noon. Enjoy a picnic lunch together at 12:30 pm. You bring your picnic lunch and the club provides drinks and a limited selection of store-bought desserts. If you attend church and are a little late  – that’s okay too. Mark your calendar now and plan on attending! It’s always so nice visiting with each other outside of our club meetings. This is such a beautiful, relaxing location for our annual Club picnic. The Lake Wilderness Arboretum is so gracious to allow us to use this outstanding spot. We are under the trees which with picnic tables and parking. It’s a great family event. Afterward, the Lake is within an easy distance for swimming, beach fun, and the children’s play area. We advise that you move your car to that section’s parking lot if you decide to take advantage of the lake beach and playground areas. Our club Arboretum parking area closes after we are done. It is a picnic with a rock and mineral auction following. It’s also a great time to sit and chat with each other and talk “rock”.   Lake Wilderness Beach area.           Lake Wilderness Park – all new!      

  • Dr. Russell Calvin Boggs will be speaking at our meeting. He is the founder and curator of the North Cascades Mineralogical Research Institute and Museum. Mark your calendars and plan on attending. I would like to give him a warm welcome as he traveling from Marblemount during peak traffic time to speak to us. A non-profit corporation to promote mineralogical research, operate a mineralogical research lab (XRD, petrographic microscope, and Electron Microprobe), and operate a mineralogical museum primarily related to the Pacific Northwest.

  • Time is Running Out – Lower Dues for 2021 2021 club membership dues is $15 for a family or individual! The Board has approved a temporary reduction in our dues for 2021 only to $15 per family or individual. As of October our dues will go back up to $25 per family or individual. Our club is resuming in person general meetings on June 10th. Our general meetings are held on the 2nd Thursdays of each month at 7 pm. From our website you can use a credit card to renew your membership. You can also mail a check to CMS, c/o Charles Benedict, 25838 W. Lake Wilderness Dr. SE, Maple Valley WA 98038.

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