Lapidaryforum.net
Let's Rock => Rockhounding Tips, Maps, Trips Etc. => Topic started by: Sifu on May 12, 2016, 12:37:41 PM
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As an Oregonian, I feel ashamed it took me so long to adventure out to this part of the state. I plan to go back ASAP.
I can't figure out for the life of me how to intersperse text and photos, so I'll just preface here and then attach the photos.
The scenery pics are of Succor Creek, and the next two photos are of things I found there. This includes the first Succor Creek egg I cut yesterday.
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The first photo here is a piece of pet wood from Stinkingwater. Man, it was almost skunkwater. Not an easy place to find material...or maybe I just need to go with someone "in the know".
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Those two (above) are from the Warm Springs Reservoir. That was a fun place. Saw Gopher Snakes and got to practice my high speed drifting on the roads.
Below is a photo of working a Graveyard Point agate seam, and then a couple photos of some little slabs I've made. Graveyard Point and Succor Creek were excellent. I could spend months there, and plan to! Fascinating geology, saw marmots, coyotes, an ermine (first wild sighting for me), and many, many birds. The 4X4ing is also a lot of fun, if not very challenging.
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I have seen the locals there have indifferent results also. There is a great variety of things there that do not make it into the trade, a great area.
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Glad you had a great trip. I am somewhat of a local as I have many close friends in the Succor Creek area. So please, keep your high speed drifting and any other habits for another area. The saying out here is "they take our rocks and leave their trash". So rockhound's need to think first and enjoy the beauty and all the free rocks. I really enjoy driving by the Rockville School and seeing the shot up School Area Speed Limit sign which is 100 feet from the school. While most rockhound's are great people, guess who they remember.
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Only did any drifting at a few unexpected turns at Warm Springs. :) Not a fair induction to reason from that to "ugly redneck tourist". I make a habit of picking up garbage when I camp out. Hope others do too.
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Cool... More people need to do it too. Sounded like you were drifting out in the Owyhee's which is really dangerous. Nothing wrong with being a Redneck, I think I might be considered one. But there are way too many clowns that do come out here and tear things up so I try to discourage it. Great photos of the canyons.
For others with the photo bug they should head out soon. I spent Wednesday roaming the hills and the flowers are going into full bloom. Had my first "there is a rattlesnake less than 2 feet from my boot"!!! So the snakes are out. The burned out areas are prime picking for rocks before the new grass hides them again.
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There are some high meadows up on top along the Owyhee reservoir the antelope herds frequent. The flowers go to bloom covering large meadows several hundred acres in size or larger. We have seen large antelope groups (100+) feeding on the flower tops. If they spook they are like formation of liquid mammals following a single leader across uneven terrain on a full run (45mph+). The whole herd switching almost simultaneously with the leader direction. The reptiles are out. Watch out for Poison Oak. Its out in force.