SUB QOttlngen 7 204444446

The Rockhound's Guide to CALIFORNIA

by Gail A. Butler

Consulting Editor W.R.C Shedenhelm

FALCON™ Falcon Press® Publishing Co., Inc. Helena, MT CONTENTS

Acknowledgments vi Site Locations vii Legend viii Preface ix

Introduction 1 The Landscape 1 Earthquake Country 3 Sites to See 3 California Wildlife 7 Desert Travel 8 California's Mineral Highlights 9 Legends and Lore of Gems and Minerals 13 Rockhound's Vocabulary 13 Rockhound Rules 17 How to Use This Guide 19 Rockhound Access to Commercial Mines 22

Rockhounding Sites in Southern California 1. Fire Agate at Opal Hill Mine 23 2. Pebble Terrace 27 3. Black and Paisley Agate 28 4. Crystal-filled Amygdules 30 5. Hauser Geode Beds 32 6. Psilomelane near Wiley Well 36 7. Chalcedony Rose Garden and Grossular Crystals at Augustine Pass 38 8. Chuckwalla Well Agate and Jasper 42 9. Psilomelane at Arlington Mine 44 10. Orocopia Bloodstone 46 11. Orocopia Fluorspar 48 12. Eagle Mountain Kaiser Mine 51 13. Big River Botryoidal Chalcedony, Quartz, Jasper, and Agate 53 14. Turtle Mountains Snowy Chalcedony Roses 56 15. Lake Havasu Agate 58 16. Dendritic White Opalite at Goffs 61 17. Danby Opalite and Agate 63 18. Fossil Trilobites and Marble at Cadiz 65 19. Marble Mountains Garnet and Hematite 67 20. Kelbaker Road Nodules and Chalcedony 69 21. Providence Mountains Iron Minerals 71 22. Old Camp Carnelian and Chalcedony Roses 73 23. Ludlow Gems 75

ill 24. West of Ludlow Chalcedony, Calcite, and More 77 25. Hector Agates and Jasper 78 26. Pisgah Crater Volcanic Adventure 80 27. Lavic Siding Jasper and Agate 82 28. West of Hector Blue Chalcedony, Jasper, and Agate 83 29. Newberry Nodules 84 30. Orbicular Rhyolite at Grandview Mine 86 31. Marble Quarry off Stoddard Well Road 88 32. Opal Mountain Opal and Agate 90 33. Onyx and Borate Minerals in Mule Canyon 93 34. Hilltop Agate and Jasper at Mineola Road 95 35. Alvord Mine Copper Minerals and Calcite 97 36. Field Road Agates 99 37. Afton Canyon Collectibles 101 38. Turquoise at Old Toltec Mine 103 39. Clark Mountain Copper and Lead Minerals 105 40. Old Zabriskie Station Precious Opal 106 41. Sperry Wash Fossils, Petrified Wood, and Agate 108 42. Gem Hill Agate, Rhyolite, and Common Opal 109 43. San Gabriel River Gold Ill 44. Wrightwood Actinolite 113 45. In-Ko-Pah Asterated Quartz and Moonstone Feldspar 115 46. Coyote Mountains Fossils and More 117

Rockhounding Sites in Coastal California 47. Patrick's Point Beach Agates 120 48. Agate Beach Jasper, Agate, and Petrified Wood 121 49. Beach-washed Jade and Actinolite at Jade Cove 123 50. Moonstone Beach 124 51. Jalama Beach Agate, Fossils, and Marcasite 127 52. Gaviota Beach Petrified Whale bone and Fossils 129 53. Southern Coast Beachcombing 131 54. Palos Verdes Beach Barite Crystals 131

Rockhounding Sites in Northern California 55. Anderson Lake Agate and Jasper 135 56. Mother Lode Mariposite 137 57. Eureka Valley Smoky Quartz Crystals 138 58. Peterson Mountain Quartz Crystals 140 59. Antelope Lake Rose Quartz. 142 60. Taylorville Fossils 144 61. Buck's Lake Serpentine 147 62. Pulga Californite in Serpentine 149 63. Rich Bar Gold 152 64. Feather River Serpentine 154 65. Willard Creek Agate and Jasper 155

iv 66. Susanville Agates and Petrified Wood 156 67. Cedarville Petrified Wood 159 68. Davis Creek Obsidian Varieties 161 69. Lassen Creek Rainbow and Green-Sheen Obsidian 164 70. Shasta Area Copper Minerals 166 71. Eel River Jade and Crocidolite 168 72. Colorful Jasper and Jade near Covelo 170 73. Hearst Collectibles 172 74. Black Butte Reservoir Showy Jasper 174 75. Goat Mountain Moss Agate 176

Appendices Appendix A: Sources Used for this Guide 179 Appendix B: Further Reading and Information 179 Appendix C: Rockhound Clubs and Organizations 180

About the Author 187

Index 188