BOULDER BUSTER Volume #49 Issue # 7, 2014
HELL’S CANYON GEM CLUB
Serving the Valley for
62 YEARS
P.O. BOX 365
LEWISTON, IDAHO 83501
PURPOSE OF HELLS CANYON GEM CLUB, INC.
The purpose of this nonprofit, social club is to promote the rock hound hobby by providing opportunities for the collection, working
and displaying of gems and minerals, as well as educational programs in the field of geology.
MEETINGS: 2nd Friday of each month
Board Meeting 6 pm Regular Meeting 7 pm
VISITORS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME
Dues: Adult [per person] $15.00; Junior [under 18] Free with a responsible adult membership.
President
Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
Past President
Steve Rand
Mel Wilks
Marylou Northrup
Marilyn Sharp
Linn Enger
2014 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
208-791-2325
208-301-3939
208-743-6944
509-758-4218
208-746-4957
1st Year Trustee
Richard Peterson
1st Year Trustee
Jerry Blemka
2nd Year Trustee
Betty Wilks
2nd Year Trustee
Torch Yates
Federation Director
Jeremy Giard
Federation Delegate
Gail Giard
HELLS CANYON WEBSITE: http://www.hellscanyongemclub.com
WEBMASTER: Rick Westerholm: [email protected]
208-276-7077
509-758-7384
208-301-3939
208-743-3358
509-758-2581
509-758-2581
===================================================================================================================================
HOW TO FIND OUR MEETING PLACE
BOULDER BUSTER Volume #49 Issue # 7, 2014
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
Hello Rockhounds
I guess summer has finally arrived and vacations have started. I hope everyone has some rock outings planned
and are enjoying the nice weather. Make sure of safety and carry lots of water out there. I have not heard
anything about crystal claim but I am sure it can be accessed so hope everyone enjoys. The garnet claim is still
in the process, Linn had to redo some paperwork so hopefully it will get through soon. The club picnic was a lot
of fun and everyone had a good time despite the cooler weather. So bring some new found treasure’s and we
will see everyone on the 11th
Steve
May 9 Board Meeting
(No June meeting--picnic)
Steve Rand opened the meeting at 6:30pm
Officers present were Steve Rand, Mel Wilks, Mary Lou Northrup, Marilyn Sharp, Linn Enger, Richard
Pedersen, Torch Yates, Jeremy and Gail Girard.
Minutes were approved.
Marilyn gave a treasurer's report.
Mary Lou made a motion and Torch seconded it to pay the $38 bill for a Silent Auction banner to be
used at the show in October. Motion was made, seconded & passed to pay all other bills.
The reception for the Silent Auction Banner was so good that it was decided to order two more
banners, one saying Kids Corner and one for demonstrators.
Marilyn was appointed to go ahead and order the skirting for the tables that we use at the show.
The Hells Canyon Gem Club Library is now at Linn's house. It was agreed to move the library to
Northrup's house but this will take a little time before it is moved and ready for people to check out
books.
Gail Girard gave a federation report. One of her main points was Shirley Leeson is creating a display
case of slabs of material no longer available to dig to show at all NFMS Shows. She needs members
to donate slabs with name & location it was found. Look through your collections if you would like to
donate. Also Rockhound of the Year nominations are due.
Meeting was adjourned.
==========================================================
Regular meeting 7pm
The Library was discussed again. It will move to Northrups house.
Is there still snow at the claim? Rick was going to drive up and see. He has since reported that one
road has a washout (not passable) and the other is blocked with snow. Should be able to go through
the snow road early in June.
Linn has heard nothing on the garnet claim.
Jerry Northrup made a motion, Teresa seconded it to pay $72.75 to join the Washington State Mineral
Council for another year.
Mel Wilks said he was organizing a field trip to McCann's place for fire Opals. It will be Saturday
May17. Meet at Walla Walla Community College at 9:00am.
BOULDER BUSTER Volume #49 Issue # 7, 2014
Randy Squires said he had been in Boise and talked to some rock club m,embers down there. Their
club goes on numerous field trips and invited any of us to attend with them if we like.
Gail gave a federation report. See Board meeting minutes. It was brought up to submit a bid for
2017 Federation Show. The general consensus was no.
Jerry Northrup announced a day of rock & flea market sales at Hermiston Oregon on May 18.
Lloyd Nye announced that his claim for garnet digging, close to our crystal claim, will come up for
new ownership sometime this fall. Something to think about.
A field trip to China Hollow will follow the Hermiston Federation Show in August. If you are planning
to attend the show, August 15,16 & 17, you might like to add an extra day or two and go on to China
Hollow.
We talked about holding a Rock Fest Contest at our Christmas party this year. Main rules will follow
later, but basically we will have categories: Collector or the year, Cabochon of the year, something you
have purchased, Facetor of the year, project of the year. You enter your prize pieces, members who
attend the party will vote on them that evening & prizes are awarded. Categories will be better
explained with the rules. As you hunt rocks and make projects this year keep this contest in mind.
Your efforts may make you a winner.
Our June Club meeting will be held at Beachview Park in Clarkston for a club picnic. June 13 at 6pm.
Bring salads or desserts. Hamburgers & hot dogs will be furnished.
Door prizes were given.
Show & Tell: Randy Squires showed a knife with obsidian blade and a bear's jaw for a handle. It was
really a beautiful piece.
We learned more about rocks/minerals by helping Bruce Borgelt identify some of his rocks.
Meeting adjorned.
(submitted by Marylou Northrup).
If you would not be forgotten as soon as you are dead, either write things worth reading
or do things worth writing. Ben Franklin
Everyone you will ever meet knows something you don't (you can learn from anybody)
Don't let your emotions overpower your intelligence.
And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the
music.
===========================================================
The reason we struggle with insecurity is because we compare our behind-the-scenes reel with
everyone else's highlight reel.
There are not 24 hours in a day-- its actually 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4 seconds. Do you know how
we “adjust” for that??
BOULDER BUSTER Volume #49 Issue # 7, 2014
WSMC FIELDTRIPS 2014 ( Will be updated—see mineralcouncil.org )
The Washington State Mineral Council plans guided fieldtrips to collecting sites. Open to member clubs, and the
general public. Most trips are free. Included will be Pow Wow trips (must join to go on trips). Host clubs and
contact persons will be set up as I gather info. For now, go to mineralcouncil.org for updates, or contact Ed
Lehman @ [email protected] , or home (425) 334- 6282 cel (425) 760-2786.
Date
Host
Site
Material
Tools
07/13
Spk
Smokey quartz
Dig, Lt hard rock
07/19
Msvl
Lolo Pass
8:00 @ Lolo Hot Springs
Darrington Rock
11:00
Show
Travertine
Hard rock tools
08/02
Shltn
Salmon Creek
I-5 Park & ride in Toledo
Agate, petrified wood,
pseudo coprolites
Wading
08/16/
NWOS
Greenwater
9:00 @ Enumclaw Ranger
Station
Agate, Jasper
Dig, lt hard rock
09/6-7
POW
Red Top
8:00 @ camp (W fork M fork
jct) Dues, see above
Agate, geodes,
jade, jasper
09/13
NWOS
Little Naches
9:00 @ Enumclaw Ranger
Station
Thunder-Eggs
Dig, lt hard rock
10/04
Msvl
D.P. Mine & H.T.
9:00 @ Money Creek Camp
Creek
Ore, picture Jasper
Lt hard rock, light
11/08
MtBkr
Blanchard Mt
Stilpnomelane &
Chert
Hard rock tool
Meeting place and time
9:00 @ I-5 240 exit gas Station
Kit = Kitsap M & G Soc— T B D
Msvl = Marysville R & G Club - Ed Lehman [email protected] (425) 334-6282 or (425) 760-2786
MtBkr = Mount Baker R & G Club—Kris Menger @ (360) 927-0994 [email protected]
Elb = Ellensburg R Club—Steve Townsend—(509) 933-2236 [email protected]
Spk = Spokane Rock Rollers—Mike Shaw—(509) 244-8542 [email protected]
NWOS = Northwest Opal Soc—Tony Johnson—(253)863-9238
This is just a work in process. Participants please respond for corrections and updates.
Thanks, Ed Lehman
100 tons of small meteorites, mainly fragments of dust, enter the earth's atmosphere
every day.
Earth is the only planet in our solar system with plate tectonics. Without them, carbon
wouldn't be consumed and recycled, and the Earth would overheat, just like Venus.
Rare earth elements are not rare. Lutetium, the least abundant rare earth element, is
nearly 200 times more common in the earth's crust than gold.
99% of earth's gold lies in its core. Enough to form a 1.5-foot coat around the surface of
the earth. (now just how did they figure that out???)
"Government can’t deliver a free lunch to the country as a whole. It can, however,
determine who pays for lunch." Warren Buffett
If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said
faster horses. Henry Ford
BOULDER BUSTER Volume #49 Issue # 7, 2014
2014
NFMS CALENDAR
ITEMS
The Multi-Federation Field Trip:
Terry, Montana
July 31, August 1, 2, 3, 2014
We are having a great response to the Terry Field trip, have been getting lots of questions and signups.
Field trip update: Come join us in this international gathering, there will be collectors from most states and from Canada.
Plans are coming together from all sides. There are a few points I would like to review again so everyone will be clear on
the process. When you call or e-mail telling me you will be coming, I need to know where you are from, club affiliation,
how you will be staying, tent camping, RV dry camp, RV park or motel and where and full names of all attending. That is
my information list so I may have estimates on numbers attending. IT IS NOT A REGISTRATION for any of the trips, and
camping around the City Park is on a first come first served basis. When the park is full then we will fill the county block
across the street and when that is full we can utilize two more blocks, a block away to the east. There will be showers and
RR at the park plus there will portable toilets at each of the blocks. We are making arrangements for a honey wagon
Friday evening (small fee) to empty RV tanks and the Portables.
For all those that didn't receive the latest updates, all trips to the river will be by buses. This is because of the high fire
season and we do not want to cause a problem on these ranches with cars driving over everything. Fossil trips will be
auto caravans.
Thursday and Friday evening we will have 2-3 programs each running 20-40 minutes long.
After discussion with several others it was decided to add a live auction on Sunday afternoon to help defer some of cost
of this trip. There will be a donation jar during the weekend and if you would like to bring something nice for the
auction please do. We would love to receive a variety of things from around the country. I thank you in advance. Don't
forget to bring items to Buy-Sell-Trade on Sunday.
There will also be some fee areas for those who want to hunt dinosaur material besides our trips. These
numbers will be posted on our next update.
* When you arrive you will be asked to sign a liability waiver, which will be part of your trip signup. We ask that you check
in at our information table for instructions and schedules, to meet your camp hosts, trip leaders (10) and a few simple
rules for your camping and the trips. We want this to be a special trip for all and a safe one also.
* Things to bring on your trip. Sun Screen, good sturdy shoes, long pants, water containers, bug spray, rock picks and a
regular screw driver, collecting bags, if you have rubber boots (thigh high) bring them also, hats as this is mid summer
and daytime temps could reach 90 + degrees and our nights are cool. There will be a chance in seeing a rattlesnake on
the trips. I have seen only 3 in last 20 years, but they are in the area.
If you plan on staying at a motel or RV park for this trip and have not already made reservations, Terry is full, you will
need to make reservations in Miles City or Glendive both about 30 minute drive to Terry by interstate.
Looking forward to meeting everyone
For more information contact Doug True, Field trip Chair,
(406) 670-0506, or email [email protected]
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------NFMS Annual Meeting
August 15, 2014 , 4 pm Hermiston Conference Center, Hermiston, Oregon
Hatrockhound Happenin’
“The Biggest Little Show in Town”
The 2014 NFMS Show and Convention is rapidly approaching. We, the Hatrockhounds, are all looking forward
to showing you a good time. I want to remind folks to get their advance registrations in to me. The cut-off date
is July 15, so we can finalize our plans for banquets and such. I am going to be gone from July 15th until the
beginning of August, so I am hoping you can get the forms to me early so I can send your advance tickets in a
timely manner.
BOULDER BUSTER Volume #49 Issue # 7, 2014
If you are wanting to camp, we do have quite a number of spaces (42), but you need to preregister to be assured
of a spot. The information is on the preregistration form that you can find on our website hatrockhounds.org, on
the NFMS website under Federation Shows or in the April newsletter.
We are working on a venue of speakers for your learning pleasure. On Friday, we will have Ed Thornton who
will be giving a presentation related to mineral identification using the computer. On Saturday after the ALAA
Meeting, you don’t want to miss John George speaking for Forest Access for All. We are also booking Professor
Phil Schmitz to give an overview of the geology of Oregon, George Last speaking on the Ice Age Floods and a
representative to present on the John Day Formations.
We are gaining interest in the field trip to the China Hollow Jasper Mine out of Wasco, Oregon. Be sure to sign
up so you don’t get left behind. Either email me, Judi Allison, or give me a call.
Email: [email protected] Phone: 541-720-4950.
NFMS MEMBER CLUBS’ SHOW SCHEDULE
(Partial list)
DATE & TIME
CLUB
SHOW
LOCATION
Aug. 15 Fri 10–6
Aug 16 Sat 10–6
Aug. 17 Sun 10–4
Hatrockhounds Gem and
Mineral Society NFMS Annual Meeting
Hermiston Conference Center
415 South Highway 395
Hermiston OR
Judi Allison [email protected]
541 720 4950, Or Mike Filarski
[email protected]
541 571 2593,
222.hatrockhounds.org
Lisa Stearns 509 386 0584
[email protected]
September 13 & 14
Sat 10–5
Sun 10–5
Marcus Whitman
Gem and Mineral
Society
Walla Walla County
Frgrnds, Com. Cntr. Blding,
363 Orchard St., Walla
Walla, WA
Sept. 27 Sat 10–5
Sept. 28 Sun 10–4
Billings Gem and
MineralClub
Billings Hotel and Conv. Center
1223 Mullowney Lane
Billings MT
Doug True 406 670 0506 2622
Broadwater
Billings MT 59102
[email protected]
October 4 & 5
Sat 9–6, Sun 10–5
Hellgate Mineral
Society
Hilton Garden Inn
2730 North Reserve St.
Missoula MT
Bob Riggs 406 543 3667
[email protected]
Riddles
•
A man buys a used car. He finds a beautiful Buick for $9,500, but he buys it without
paying a dime. How does he buy it?
•
If you have two twins, three triplets and four quadruplets, how many people do you
have?
•
What is the coolest letter in the alphabet?
•
What work can one never finish?
•
Lives without a body, hears without ears, speaks without a mouth, to which the air
alone gives birth. What is it?
•
A man who lives on the tenth floor takes the elevator down to the first floor every
morning and goes to work. In the evening, when he comes back, on a rainy day, or if
BOULDER BUSTER Volume #49 Issue # 7, 2014
there are other people in the elevator, he goes to his floor directly. Otherwise, he goes
to the seventh floor and walks up three flights of stairs to his apartment. Why?
(answers on last page)
================================================================
This is a reprint from the NFMS newsletter, you may have read it, but it bears re-reading and getting
involved. What starts in one place will spread to every National Forest.
May Guild Presentation
John George, Director of Forest Access For All
My name's John. I was born and raised in Eastern Oregon. I'm proud of that fact. My Dad's side of the
family's been there since they came out on the Oregon Trail.
I'm with two different groups. The American Land Access Alliance is found mostly in rock hunters'
groups. My Dad was a very active rock hunter, which is witnessed by all the petrified wood stumps
found all over our front yard. I am also the newly elected director of a group called Forest Access For
All out of Baker in North East Oregon where I was born. ALAA is a group I got affiliated with the group
Forest Access For All. The president of that group is currently a lady by the name of Shirley Leeson.
ALAA has been very active in Southern California and Arizona working on access issues for rock
hunters. I have spoken to a couple of their different groups in Kennewick over the last couple of years;
a very active group of folks.
The group I worked on, FAFA in Baker, we've been actively involved in working with the Forest Service
to keep our mountains open in NE Oregon. I don't know how many of you folks have visited NE
Oregon. Big mining country; Baker was founded around the concept of gold mining. My family has a
small gold mine that we patented in the mid 90's, 20 acres in an area called Green Mountain. Big, big
gold country. We've stewarded the piece of ground over the many years. We do a little bit of
prospecting on it, but nothing big.
FAFA has been on this Travel Management Rule that the Forest Service has been trying to enact on the
Wallowa Whitman National Forest for going on seven years. We keep going around the horn with them
to keep the mountains open. I wanted to come and visit with you and show how it can affect folks like
you and the things you do. I am not a political person; this crosses all political boundaries. I am not a
government basher. hat's not my interest either. I have a great deal of respect for government
employees; I think some folks get a little out of control but also that's not what I'm here to do. I'm just
here to talk about the fundamentals of your access and what's getting ready to happen in NE Oregon.
To step back a little bit, the Travel Management Rule was enacted by the USDA in 2005. That rule was
put into place simply to help designate travel routes on the National Forest road systems throughout
the US. All they were supposed to do was go in, look at the road systems, designate a use to them and
inventory the roads. That rule has been manipulated to the point where they are using it as a hammer
to close off access to the public. This is being done to the scale that what we consider an open forest
system will be used to create a closed forest system, which means you will not be able to use
motorized means to get out on the national forest unless on a designated route that the Forest Service
deems you should be traveling on.
So Wallowa Whitman National Forest, which I consider my home forest, is 2.3 million acres in size; it's
a big forest. A little bit over half of that forest is under a wilderness designation; no motorized access
at all for hunting, firewood hunting, gathering gems and rocks, or anything. What the forest service
would like to do is lay on top of that the Travel Management Rule which allows them to designate
motorized use only on designated routes in the forest. It's kind of like that Keep Off The Grass rule you
see in parks. You can go down the trail, just don't get off the trail.
So we have less than half available for motorized access now. If they get what they want, we will go
from less than half that we have now to about 1.5% of the forest that we will be able to get on to. That
will devastate our community. Not only will it be hard on our community, it will be hard on you, who
want to go out on our forest to go rock hunting or hiking.
BOULDER BUSTER Volume #49 Issue # 7, 2014
Let’s say you had a spot you like to think of as your little honey hole, you really enjoyed getting to, and
it was up a draw somewhere. If you don't know that road was going to get closed, let's say from the
main road up it was 20 miles, and they close that road on you and don't designate a use for that road,
you will not be allowed to travel up it. You'll be subject to a penalty of up to $5000 and/or six months in
jail. I don't think people in the Portland metropolitan area know those kinds of penalties are going to
go into effect.
They tried to pass the Travel Management Plan in 2012. We had a large outcry in NE Oregon. It was in
the Oregonian down here. We had about 3000 appeals filed. They have a time limit on responding to
those appeals. With that many appeals, they simply did not have enough time, a ten year period, to
meet with each appellant, so they withdrew the decision.
Fast forward two years later. One of the appeals we filed was based on the fact that the Travel
Management Rule did not meet the current forest plan they have in place. The current 1994 plan in
place now states that the forest is an open forest unless closed. So they have to designate a closure
area. They want to put a Travel Management Rule that says it is closed unless open, a fundamentally
different concept.
So now they are coming back at us with a revision to the forest plan. And amazingly enough, the
revision says that they can designate routes, and they can have a forest that is closed unless opened.
So what I came to ask you is, as a group or individuals, to please find a way of becoming involved in
this process. I feel kind of selfish coming to you to talk about something in my forest, but if you come
to my forest as a rock hound or a hiker, it is going to hurt you too. I would be willing to entertain any
questions you have for me.
Via Facets, 6/14
[NFMS Editor’s note: There was a lengthy Q&A session that I will print in the next NFMS
issue. Also for more information please go to http://forestaccessforall.org/ . ]
==================================================================================
Riddles
•
A man buys a used car. He finds a beautiful Buick for $9,500, but he buys it without
paying a dime. How does he buy it? If he is paying $9500, he won't need any dimes
•
If you have two twins, three triplets and four quadruplets, how many people do you
have?
Two twins are 2 people, three triplets are 3 people, and four quadruplets are 4 people. 2 + 3 + 4= 9.
•
What is the coolest letter in the alphabet?
•
What work can one never finish?
•
An autobiography
Lives without a body, hears without ears, speaks without a mouth, to which the air
alone gives birth. What is it?
•
'B' because it is always surrounded by AC.
An echo.
A man who lives on the tenth floor takes the elevator down to the first floor every
morning and goes to work. In the evening, when he comes back, on a rainy day, or if
there are other people in the elevator, he goes to his floor directly. Otherwise, he goes
to the seventh floor and walks up three flights of stairs to his apartment. Why?
The man is short of stature. He can't reach the upper elevator buttons, but he can push on it with his umbrella on
a rainy day.