June 2018 Government Meadows (upper Greenwater) Field Trip Report

Field trip reports

We had a group of 13 vehicles and about 30 people from CMS and the Puyallup Valley Club for this trip on June 9th. Weather was a mix of clouds, light rain and sunbreaks.  Nice temperatures for digging.

Stop 1 – ~11 miles from Hwy410 on FR70 – Just a quick stop to look for agate nodules.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stop 2 – Quick stop to show the earth tone jasper site.  These have been tumbled through the first stage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stop 3 – End of FR70 toward Government Meadows but road branches and we took lower road to dig sites.  There are holes/pits that people have previously dug with opal pieces laying all around them.  You can start in any hole or can find another suitable spot and just dig a new pit.  Lots of common opal here, some with nice color variations.  Petrified wood is present, but considerably more difficult to find.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stop 4 – We drove back down the mountain (about 2/3 of the way back to Hwy410) and turned left onto FR72 which we then drove up about a mile to a large rock slide.  Here we looked for agate and crystal and jasper material.  After about 20 minutes here, the heavy rain started, about 3:15-3:30.  Some material found here that day, still in the rough.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I need to start getting in the habit of taking pictures during the trip of what others have found.  Probably cooler than my stuff.  Thanks to Merriann Fu for her FB posts and pictures.  Hers are beautifully staged on the green leaves.  Others are welcome to also post on the FB Group page what they’ve found.  That FB page is reserved for CMS members.

Submitted by Roger Danneman CMS Trip Leader

Updated: June 15, 2018 — 9:40 pm

Presidents Message

  • From the Top of the Rock Pile Despite the weather concerns, our club picnic at Lake Wilderness Arboretum turned out to be a delightful event. We were blessed with a sunny day, and around thirty-five of us enjoyed the beautiful park, a good meal, and a lot of visiting. The day’s highlight was our club auction, a resounding success. Thanks to everyone’s participation, we raised over $1,100 for our club treasury, marking it the best sale. Our club auctions help cover club expenses and prevent us from having to increase our annual dues. If you’re a new member, we’re thrilled …

Meeting Announcements

  • November 14th – CMS Food Drive & Glaciers by Paul Arhberg Don’t forget to bring a food item for our food drive to support the Kent Food Bank.  What are the benefits of glaciers? Glaciers, slow-moving rivers of ice, have sculpted mountains and carved valleys throughout Earth’s history. They continue to flow and shape the landscape in many places today. But glaciers affect much more than the landscape. Show ‘n Tell: Something white, clear, or a crystal.

  • December 1st – Holiday Potluck Dinner, Election of Officers, and Club Auction. Holiday Potluck Dinner: The club provides ham and turkey. Members fill in with side dishes, rolls, desserts, and drinks. If you cannot bring anything for dinner, please come as we would like your company. We always have loads of food. After dinner, we have the election of Officers for 2025. We close out the day with the club auction. It is a great time to buy holiday, birthday, anniversary, or just because gifts. The auction prices are always a fraction of retail or gem shows. Mark your calendar now! Let’s have a great turnout. Let’s enjoy having dinner together, sitting and visiting with one another, and getting some “rock talk” in.

  • January 9th – Field Trip report of 2024 and what lies ahead for 2025. Our Field Trip Guide, Roger Danneman, will review our 2024 field trips and what was found, then look ahead to what is planned for 2025. Show ‘n Tell: Something you found on a field trip, your yard, beach, a hike, etc.

Current News