We spent over half our time up there we got so "busy". Then we decided to head down to the base of Haystack and the HUGE wash beyond it and the hills down the main road. The base of Haystack Rock where our best white agate "pancakes" had come from several years ago had new plastic Claim markers all over the area which was Quite the Bummer!
Down the road the huge wash that had been lined with material Looked to be a disappointment too. Compared to "after the flood" it was filled in with So much more dirt and gravel! Humph.
It was clear that normal erosion and winter runoffs were filling it in and covering all the great agate and jasper that was exposed in 2003.I felt heavy hearted but we still had over an hour to spend and so walking was in order. There was still HOPE! Knowing exactly what to look for helps us move fast and cover plenty of ground out there. Hiking away from "known" spots and erosion-searching is our forte Anyway, and we ended up rewarded with enough "pretties" to be happy!
There is even wood out there although my rounded blond piece was a real oddball. It had tumbled from a Very long way away I think!
A few nice white "pancake" nodule agates showed up for us too this time, although we could no longer go where we Used to collect them! The actual veins of colorful agate and jasper and concentrated areas of nodules may mostly be Claimed now but over the time that area got carved out, plenty got spread ALL OVER , probably for miles! What a rockhound needs these days is Time and Hiking ability to find the more "random" pieces eroding out of the steeper hillsides and washes away from the Claims and roads. As soon as it's dry in the Spring is probably a better time of year too. I think we're done (for good) with this area ourselves, but its so darn interesting Someone who reads this might want to check it all out someday!
Thank Goodness for the way Mother Nature moves rock around! She gave us a great trip to fascinating country and lots of pretty and unusual rocks to show for it. After soaking them all overnight in bleachy soapy water to get off the lichens we had some good-uns!
Thank You to all who have shared my musings! And especially THANK YOU to Mike Streeter for all his work posting Field Trip Reports for those of us that can't do it ourselves yet!
KOR!
Rhonda and Rick
