September Similkameen Trip

 

Seven club members explored the gravel bars on the Similkameen. Thank-you Katherine for organizing the trip, Duane for cooking the hot dogs without a BBQ, and Wayne for the photos.

Club Weekend - Greenwood

Thank-you to Jerome and Sandra for providing the camping venue, and preparing the Sunday dinner.

Three club members attended Greenwood Founders Day. The booths in the park were relatively cool to visit, and the vendors on the main street were in full sun.

On Sunday, 5 club members collected copper ore/feldspar/quartz material from old ore dumps near Greenwood, then had dinner in Westbridge.

 

Founders Day

 

Club Event July 18, 19

Founders Day in Greenwood.  Saturday July 18th We are going for the day and plan to explore the mine dump from the Motherlode Mine at deadwood northwest of Greenwood on Sunday.  If you are interested in attending one event or both please let Jerome know before Thursday.  

If you want to take in both days and wish to camp you are welcome to stay at Albos place in Westbridge B.C.  If you need details let Jerome know before Thursday.  

It was suggested the club provide dinner Sunday after the trip to deadwood.  If this is to happen two things need to occur: 

Three directors need to approve dinner and we need to know how many are going to attend.  Thursday commitment.                           

Sat. we will go to Greenwood and socialize there in the pm.  Those camping can make their way to Westbridge and set up in the pm. On Sunday we will leave from the first gas station coming down the hill into Rock Creek at 10 am.  

Club members will have received an e-mail with Jerome's contact information. Please let him know by noon Thursday if you plan to attend any or all of the above.

Rendezvous Post from Jodie

Rendez vous was a lot of fun.  I went cause rockhounding on your own isn’t always the best, especially when exploring new areas.  The trip to Lillooet was beautiful,, especially the canyons at the convergence of the Thompson and Fraser rivers.  Once there, I got to speak to a few club members and got to know their names at least.  I chose Scotty Creek for my excursion, and it did not disappoint.  We drove for about one hour to get to Scotty Creek Road, a forest service road on the way to Cache Creek.  There, to our amazement, was a pile of rocks and crystals, that were free for the taking.  These rocks had been excavated during the expansion of the road for forestry reasons.  In the host rock were, what I think are amethyst and citrine drusy, we got our fill then it hailed on us.  I will bring some to show the club.  The society’s meeting I missed because my dog Pheobe was too tired to attend, and I was on my own in the tent with her.  I did participate in the auction on Saturday night, got a beautiful piece of red jasper, and a big chunk of chalcedony and a polished book-end set.   On Sunday I got to show and sell my jewelry and some slabs at the tail gate sale.  Of course I bought more slabs.   Finally, the pig roast was really good, this was a smaller Rendez-vous than the one in Salmon Arm in 2024, but a really good showing by the Hastings Rockhound Club.

  

Oliver Community Arts Council Open House

Thanks to Jodie, Katherine and Sam for setting up and staffing a booth for the club. The event was not as well attended as the OCAC expected, but we bought baked goods from the Sagebrush Singers table, and Sam picked out some heirloom tomatoes.

 

Rendezvous 2026

Eight club members participated in Rendezvous 2026 based in Lillooet on the long weekend. It was well attended, and they even had to cut off registration as the venue building was "at" capacity. Host clubs were Hastings and Lillooet.

Five of us went on the "Deadman" field trip - a long drive, but picking specimens off the gas line and the road side.

 I think this was the best find of the day at that location.

Our wagonmaster handed out small pieces to anyone who did not find something really good.

On Sunday, five of us were on the "Scottie Creek" trip. Those who had been to the site before had been chiselling a rock face. At some time recently, the bluff that narrowed the FSR was blasted and the rock dumped on a wide flat area. Lots of parking, and much easier to hunt.

Break a rock or boulder open, and there are crystals inside.

 

Bear

I was walking back toward my truck behind a tall fellow. We spotted a young black bear on its hind legs trying to figure out how to open a Cap-It canopy on a truck similar to mine.

My bear spray of course was at home. The tall fellow said he had hunted bear, and said this was a "teenager" . He spoke loudly to the bear - the kind of stuff you would say to a teenager, and chased him down the bank behind for about 100metres. We didn't see it again.

The truck owners have photos of the paw prints, but no scratches.

Rock Auction

A few club members bid on the rock auction items - below is a sample of the lots that were put up for auction.