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

  • From the Top of the Rock Pile 2024 is in our rearview mirror. It was a very successful year for our club. We moved our Cascade Gem Show to June at Kent Commons. It has been an excellent decision for our club. We had the largest attendance since resuming our shows in 2018, with approximately 3,200 visitors! The proceeds from our two club auctions in 2024 brought in around $1,800. These funds help to cover our club’s largest expense, the liability insurance policy. I expect the premium for 2025 will be near $3,000. Our booth at the Puyallup Gem Faire …

Meeting Announcements

  • February 13th – Jim Cerenzie – Finding New (Old) Rockhounding Sites Our club member, Jim Cerenzie, is going to speak on how he finds long forgotten sites to hunt for rocks and crystals. He has a YouTube channel called the “Vug Meister” where he and his son go rockhounding to these places. If you watch YouTube please support him by subscribing to his channel. Show ‘n Tell: Your favorite rockhounding find. It can be a find from a field trip, your yard, the beach, or a riverbed.

  • March 13th – Field Trip Preview by Roger Danneman Where will we go this year? Join our wagonmaster Roger Danneman as he gives us a preview of all of the places the Club will explore this year on field trips – and what kinds of materials you might find there. Show ‘n Tell: Something you’ve found on a prior field trip (with a club or on your own!).

  • April 10th – Rock BINGO Kent schools on spring break. So all you members, junior members and their friends, your grandkids, guests it is time for our Rock Bingo night.  Everyone is guaranteed to be a winner. Rock Bingo is free tonight – bring 3 wrapped presents (see below). Maximum 3 game cards per player. Each player is to bring 3 wrapped presents. Rocks, minerals, fossils, cabachons, slabs, jewelry, or anything that you think would be a nice gift.  Guests do not need to bring any wrapped items.

  • May 8th – Glaciers by Paul Ahnberg 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: A white or clear mineral or crystal.

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