October 21, 2017 Field Trip Clipper Mine

Past Field Trips

October 21, 2017 Field Trip – Clipper Mine

We will be exploring the tailings pile of the abandoned Clipper Mine out past Carbonado in Pierce County. We will be looking for Copper, Azurite and Chrysacolla.

Meet at the Rosie’s IGA Market (closed) behind the Chevron Station, 29393 WA-410, Buckley, WA 98321

Our Field trip guide is Tony Johnson (253-863-9238). The group will leave promptly at 9 am. So don’t be late.

You will need hand tools: hand pick, small shovel, scoop, plastic bucket or backpack. Sturdy hiking shoes. It’s an easy 1/4 mile hike with slight elevation from the road to the mine.

We will NOT be entering the mine as it’s too dangerous. Rock hunting confined to the tailings pile only as it still has a lot of good stuff in it. The kids will also enjoy climbing up and down the pile looking for rocks.

If it has not been raining it can be a little muddy when hiking to the site as we cross a couple of very small creeks. If it has been raining it will definitely be muddy along the way.

We did this field trip last year and it was so much fun. Everyone went home with something.

A little bit of history on the Clipper Mine:

The Clipper mine is located in the Carbon River Mining District of Pierce County WA at an elevation of 3823 feet.  The first discoveries in the district were around 1898.  The Clipper was part of the Surprise group of claims dating to around 1901.  The Leola Mining Company drove the Clipper tunnel using three shifts of men.  They were following a lead copper ore vein that at the opening was a 15 inch width and eventually grew to a 15 foot vein.  Assays showed $43 a ton in copper, silver, and gold after 380 feet of tunnel had been run.

The Clipper mine had also been known by the name Mother’s Day mine at some point in it’s history as well.  The workings of the mine consist of 1200 feet of tunnel with several short crosscuts or horizontal branches.

Here is a link to the website with pictures. http://www.ghosttownsofwashington.com/clipper-mine.html

Updated: January 7, 2018 — 9:03 pm

Presidents Message

  • Digging It!  September is here, and it looks like a wonderful month so far for getting together and getting out in the field. First, thank you to everyone who helped make our August picnic and club auction such a success. The delicious food, generous donations, volunteer help and spirited bidding made it a great afternoon, and the auction raised $750 for the club. We return to our regular meeting schedule on Thursday, September 10, at 7:00 p.m. at the American Legion Hall in Kent. Our program is all about YOU: Show, Tell & Transform, where you get to briefly present …

Meeting Announcements

  • This program is all about YOU. Bring a rock, mineral, fossil, or other field find that you would like to turn into something. It might become a cabochon, carving, display specimen, jewelry piece, slab, polished piece, or something entirely different. Bring your item and share: Where and how you found or acquired it What interests you about the material What you’re considering making from it Any questions or challenges you would like help thinking through Then we’ll open the conversation to our knowledgeable and curious club members. Together, we can discuss the material, possible designs, cutting or finishing approaches, and other ideas that might help you take the piece from field find to finished project. You do not need to have a complete plan or any special expertise. That’s part of the fun. Bring the piece itself if possible, along with any sketches, inspiration photos, or examples that might help explain your idea.

  • 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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