Littleton Gem and Mineral Club

Sat., May 21, Devil's Head, near Deckers, CO. Trip leader Mike Snively. Smoky quartz, topaz, fluorite, etc. Time to find more nice smoky quartz crystals, fluorites, etc. at Mike's favorite spots. (Weather day on Sunday, 5/22/11.)
Dist = 35 mi.      4WD = No      Kids = OK      Tools = D,H

Sat., June 4, LGMC Honey Bee/Queen Bee Claims, (near Harris Park,CO). Trip leader Jim Hooten. Exchange trip with other Clubs. Amazonite, smoky quartz, fluorite, etc. Popular new Club collecting area. Easy walk from parking area. (Weather day on Sun., 6/05/11). Map at May meeting.
Dist = 50 mi.      4WD = Opt      Kids = OK      Tools = D

Sat., June 11, Glacier Peak Mine, Joe Dorris Claim (near Lake George, CO). Trip leader Jim Hooten. Joe Dorris has graciously invited our Club to try our luck at collecting some of the beautiful amazonite and smoky quartz specimens that are famous from this area. Give yourself plenty of time to get there, as it is a good 2 hour drive from Denver.
Dist = 100 mi.      4WD = Opt      Kids = Sup      Tools = D, H

Sat., June 11 to Sun., June 18, Montana collecting areas. Trip leader Bill & Cynthia Mahnken. They invite anyone interested to join them, and other club members, to take a trip to Montana to collect at some classic localities for smoky quartz, amethyst septers, sapphires, and who knows what else. Go for part of the trip, or stay the whole 2 weeks. Call Bill or Cynthia to coordinate and to get detailed information.

Sat., June 18, LGMC Peg-1/Peg-2 Claims (near Harris Park, CO). Trip leader Jim Hooten. Exchange trip with other Clubs. Amazonite, smoky quartz, albite, goethite, topaz, etc. Easy walk from parking area. Map at the May meeting. (Weather day on Sun., 6/19/11).
Dist = 50 mi.      4WD = Rec      Kids = OK      Tools = D, H

Sat., June 25, Red Feather Lakes (Rainbow Lode Mine) (north of Ft.Collins). Trip leader Jim Hooten. Amethyst quartz, iron-stained quartz, clear quartz. The Club has had a great time with past visits to this historic collecting locale, with some good success as well. Map at the May meeting. (Weather day on Sun., 6/26/11).
Dist = 125 mi.      4WD = Opt      Kids = Sup      Tools = D, H

Sat., July 9, Glen Cove, north flank of Pike's Peak. Trip leader Gary Lundquist. Topaz and smoky quartz. Gary 's agreed to again lead the Club back to this "classic" topaz collecting locality. Toll Road costs $10/individual, max $35/vehicle. Be prepared for some extensive uphill climbing to get to the main collecting areas. Location maps available at the May meeting
Dist = 90 mi.      4WD = No      Kids = Sup, teens only      Tools = D,H      Fee = Yes

Sat.-Sun., July 23-24, Coffee Pot Springs, near Dotsero, CO. Trip leader Jim Hooten. Pseudomorphs of goethite after pyrite, plus fossil collecting in the area, plus hydrothermal(?) quartz crystals. Brachiopods, clams, and other Pennsylvanian-aged fossils in local limestone quarries. Map at the May meeting.
Dist = 150 mi.      4WD = Opt - Rec      Kids = OK      Tools = L, D      Camping = OK

Sat., July 30, Joe Dorris TOPAZ Claims (near Tarryall Mtns-north of Lake George). Trip leader Jim Hooten. Joe has invited us to his Topaz Mountain topaz claim. This is an operational mine, so some different rules apply. Joe will require that each individual, or family, purchase a bag of gravel for $40 to help pay for operations and facilities. Each bag will contain at least one nice topaz. In addition, everyone can work the gravel dumps for topaz. While working these dumps, you are working for Glacier Peak Mining. Joe will assess ALL topaz found, and decide whether to release to the finder, or retain as a "company stone". These stones may be offered to the finder with an option to purchase at wholesale rate.
Dist = 100 mi.      4WD = Opt      Kids = Sup      Tools = D,H

Sat.-Sun., Aug. 13-14, Sedalia Copper Mine (near Salida, CO) (+ possibly either Missouri Ridge, Calumet dump area, or Lone Pine Peridot). Trip leader Jim Hooten. Trip to the old mine ruins near Salida to collect garnet crystals and other interesting minerals. Prepare for a vigorous hike. Map at May meeting.
Dist = 150 mi      4WD = Rec      Kids = OK      Tools = L,D,H      Camping = OK

Sun., Aug. 21, LGMC ANNUAL SUMMER PICNIC & GRAB BAG STUFFING PARTY.

Dist = approximate one way driving distance to meeting place from Littleton.

4WD = No, not needed; Opt, optional (useful if you have one, you may need to ride a short distance with someone if you don't); Rec, recommended.

Kids = OK, a good place for kids; Sup, some potentially hazardous areas (steep cliffs, mine tunnels, etc.). Small children will require some supervision. NR = not recommended to bring small children.

Tools = L, light collecting tools (rock pick, sack, scoop); D, typical pegmatite digging tools (rock pick, pick and shovel, pry bar, chisels, trowel, brush, screwdriver probe, etc.); H, tools for heavy rock breaking (rock pick, sledge, chisels, pry bar, eye protection, etc).

Camping = if noted, camping (optional for an overnight stay) is possible at the site.

Fee = Noted, if any.

General Rules

• The field trip chairperson will make sure that each field trip has a designated responsible leader who will assure compliance with all field trip rules and safe practices, and who is familiar with the location, ownership and hazards of the field trip site.
• Each person participating in a field trip will agree to abide by the AFMS Code of Ethics and the Littleton Gem and Mineral Club's Field Trip Rules and Decorum.
• Only paid members and their guests may participate in club sponsored field trips.
• Guests, other than family members, will not be able to attend exchange field trips and trips to private claims. When proof of insurance is required for field trips, only current members are permitted to attend.
• Guests should be okayed by the field trip leader prior to the departure of the trip.
• Since guests are not covered by the Littleton Gem and Mineral Club's insurance policy, it is recommended that those wishing to attend more than one field trip become a paid member of the Littleton Gem and Mineral Club.
• All members planning to attend a particular field trip must call the field trip leader prior to the scheduled date of departure, preferably within 48 hours of the trip. This will let the leader know who is definitely planning to attend, and it will let you know if any changes have been made concerning the trip.
• Be prompt in meeting at the designated departure point. Most field trip leaders will wait no more than ten minutes and your tardiness may result in your missing the field trip altogether.
• All people attending a field trip MUST UNDERSTAND AND SIGN the liability release form prior to the actual start of the trip.
• Special restrictions may be made for some field trips due to special hazards, collecting or weather conditions, etc.
• Firearms, dynamite, etc., will not be allowed on any field trip. Power equipment is not allowed.
• Children are usually welcomed on field trips; however, they are the responsibility of their parents or accompanying adult at ALL TIMES while on the trip.
• Pets are also usually welcomed as long as they are kept under control.
• If you must leave a field trip early, please inform someone, preferably the leader, of your early departure. The same holds true if you decide to explore the area. The BUDDY system is strongly encouraged on all field trips.
• First aid items should be carried by all members as part of their equipment.
• The field trip area should be left in as good or better condition when we leave as when we arrived.
• REMEMBER! When a newly worked area is left unoccupied, but tools are in or near the hole, this is off-limits to all but the owner of the tools!

• All club members MUST carry their current membership cards while on the club claim.
• Visitors are permitted on the club claim provided that they are accompanied by a current club member and permission has been obtained from a club officer.
• Members must not trespass on adjoining claims.
• A record of hours worked on the claim must be reported to the designated club officer.
• No collecting may be done for commercial purposes.