My friends and I just visited the upper site yesterday. We hiked in from the gate at the target shooting range (which was very busy with people practicing). Someone has marked the TH to the dig site with pink plastic tape, so it is unmistakable where to go. The site has definitely been worked over more in the two years since I was last there. I found some small crystals with nice terminations, but they were much harder to come by than last time. It was still a very fun outing.
My friends and I just visited the upper site yesterday. We hiked in from the gate at the target shooting range (which was very busy with people practicing). Someone has marked the TH to the dig site with pink plastic tape, so it is unmistakable where to go. The site has definitely been worked over more in the two years since I was last there. I found some small crystals with nice terminations, but they were much harder to come by than last time. It was still a very fun outing.
I loved your video and went to the upper site 2 summers ago. It was fantastic! The down side is that I called the ranger station today, and the gate on fr5510 at the target shooting range is closed permanently from now on. That means, to access the upper site, you would have to hoof it a ways. Anyway, thanks for the great info on all your videos.....they really make rockhounding look like fun!
@adventuregrl1 Thanks for the update, that's good information. It's too bad they keep cutting off our access, but understandable. I was up there last year and someone had left a burnt out trailer up there. Probably was a meth lab. It's a shame really.
Loved it. I stumbled upon your site looking for my son, Dusty's Youtube I recorded of his song called Amethyst. Dusty, is also a rockhound. I will have to tell him about this. Thanks!
just went up there a few days ago... all it did was rain but i did find quite a few little crystals in the lower area, didn't want to go into the upper area because of all the snow still there... Great place for beginners!
Hey Guys, just want to inform you all I went up to this spot today with my son. We parked at the trail entrance and walked in. Around a slight bend in the trail my son and I noticed something large and brown taking up the full width of the trail. We suprised a LARGE brown bear sleeping in the sun. It posted up on his front legs and we were eye to eye at about 100 feet. If I had to guess this guy was pushing easily 800 - 1,000 pounds. We briskly walked back to the truck. PLEASE be careful!!!
@btuck72 Wow, that is highly unusual. A brown bear sighting on Snoqualmie Pass is worth reporting to the forest service. They need to be tracked. Black bear are quite common though and can surprise you around corners. Stay alert out there.
Hey Garrett, Amethysty Quartz crystal guy from the border of the active claim Doug Hol (e ) den. lol just up there three days ago, at Hanson, and I got a Great, Rutilated, with Chloride in the rutilation, or whatever!! Lots of Snow, a few bare spots and lots of nice ones just at or below the surface, as always. Thanks for the book, and the Pic of my Amethysty Quartz, Dug near tha Active claim... whatever.
-Dick West, See you ltr. Pal...
NO MINING ABOVE SIGN ;...... CRY BABY DICK WEST WAAAAHHH
@ChrisFlipsAlot: You can start with Mica Peak and see if there are big sheets of mica up there. Also, with mica, you should find pegmatites, which are big, white veins going through the granite or whatever is next to it. Pegmatites are famous for beryl, a light-green hexagonal crystal that, if cooked longer, coulda been an emerald...
How far is the "orange paint on various tree-trunks" (5:00) from the parking site shown at 2:55? Also, can we just dig anywhere on the site and expect to find some crystals? Thank you for the video!
@Iwillbot: no more than a couple hundred yards, I'd guess, from the parking area to the paint. The weird thing about a landslide deposit is you can't really predict anything. But you're pretty safe. You'll find small crystals among the fir needles as soon as you get into the trees.
After our trip to Hansen creek Saturday I went to the bookstore and picked up your book (Gem trails of Washington). I cant wait for my next trip out to check out some of your other spots.
@todntes I wish I could take credit but it's all Garret Romaine. I'm just a pal with a camera. We have a new HD camera we're playing with which should improve the video quality quite a bit.
Garret's book is well written and most spots are family friendly
My family and I were at the lower spot today. We had a little trouble finding it, but with the help of a park ranger we were able to get there.
I was sad at how other people have left the site. Lots of undermined trees (stumps and live) deep holes that weren't filled back in, and A LOT of trash.
We found lots of pieces though! I have scrubbed them, but there are still some really stubborn spots. Is there anything I can use to clean them that wont harm the crystals?
My family and I were at the lower spot today. We had a little trouble finding it, but with the help of a park ranger, we were able to get there.
I was sad at how other people have left the site. Lots of undermined trees (stumps and live) deep holes that weren't filled back in, and A LOT of trash.
We found lots of piecesthough! I have scrubbed them, but there are still some really stubborn spots. Is there anything I can use to clean them that wont harm the crystals?
You can try muriatic acid, which is simply wood bleach that you can buy at the hardware store. Oxalic acid works, too. It's usually just a rust stain that will actually come right off.
Thanks, I spent the afternoon at the lower spot today with my daughter. She is too young to dig but loved climbing around the mountain side. We mostly just picked pieces and watched people. We are always looking for new adventures and rock hunting seems fun. This is our first rock hounding trip and look forward to checking out some of your other areas in your videos. I could not locate the upper spot (should have wrote down the directions). Thanks again, Todd and Jillian
@todntes Glad you had fun. It's always good to get the family out exploring. How was the road in? Is it still drivable? Last year it really sluffed off about 3/4 of the way in.
yes, there will be snow at Red Top. I don't know if it's deep enough to impede you, but just judging from the traffic cams at Snoqualmie Pass, it's still too early. The Ranch would be a better bet.
@bluegodjanus There's a good chance there's still snow up there and you probably won't be able to drive all the way in as there are a couple of snow avalance chutes that cross the road.
It's slightly NE of Ellensburg up Reecer Cr. Rd. I can't give you details due to the character limit here. The Gem Trails Of Washington book has a good description. It's basically somebody's farm. Don't know about parking though and they want you to call ahead for an appointment. (509) 962-2403
Rock 'n Tomahawk is over by Ellensburg. It's a rough road to the ranch. You should definitely pick up Gem Trails of Washington, as it is geared to new rockhounds who want to score something every time out.
I can't recommend taking your tractor up there. The roads get narrow. You might consider getting a small dual sport bike that you strap to the back of your cab. Something like the old Honda 80 from the 70's. Street legal and trail worthy.
Wish I had found this a couple days earlier. I am a truck driver and would have enjoyed the lower dig. Is there room there to park a cab of a 18 wheeler?
You are right, there is a claim just above the lower dig. The upper area we describe is much further up. Drive 3 mi up from the lower switchback and take a right. Remember to stay left where the road splits by the shooting area. Park right before the road makes a sharp right and gets steep n rutted out. From there walk east to where the road turns and you find a small trail leading down to the old road. The dig is about 1/2 mi. in. The road is good and you shouldn't have a problem.
Thank you for the kind words. We're working on putting together the next episode but it's a little ways out.
The way I remember that gate is that it is for the right side of the split. Hansen Creek Rd. is on the left side. If it was blocking the left side of the split then yes that would be an issue. I have never seen Hansen Creek Rd. gated in the 4 yrs I've been going up there. Things do change...
I'm still going to go up on Saturday to verify this as an excuse to get up there.
The gate was just at the target range where the road splits. The ranger's suggestion for the future was to park on the downhill side of the gate and walk in. That said, I'm going back again sometime because the upper area is definitely worth a visit! I wish I knew the mileage between the two points, but it was easily hikeable with a daypack of rock samples. Your video was very accurate in showing the locality and the conditions. Looking forward to another episode!
I don't recall that there ever was a gate on these roads. The last thing we want to do is send people up behind gates that close. I will go up next weekend and verify the status of any gates and update this post.
The current Gem Trails Of Washington lists the mileage from Tinkham Rd. as 1.6 to the lower dig and 3, from there, to the upper turn off. Bob Jackson's map lists it as 4.7 to the upper turn off from Tinkham Rd.
Excellent video!! Just an update as of 8/7/09, we were hunting the upper area beyond the target shooting range gate and afterwards drove down the road to find the gate CLOSED! Two nice young men on the other side of the gate drove down to where they could get cell service and phoned in our predicament to the ranger. We were released about an hour later! What an adventure! Special kudos to the two who helped us, they phoned and then returned and waited until we were rescued. Great guys!
My friends and I just visited the upper site yesterday. We hiked in from the gate at the target shooting range (which was very busy with people practicing). Someone has marked the TH to the dig site with pink plastic tape, so it is unmistakable where to go. The site has definitely been worked over more in the two years since I was last there. I found some small crystals with nice terminations, but they were much harder to come by than last time. It was still a very fun outing.
adventuregrl1 4 months ago
My friends and I just visited the upper site yesterday. We hiked in from the gate at the target shooting range (which was very busy with people practicing). Someone has marked the TH to the dig site with pink plastic tape, so it is unmistakable where to go. The site has definitely been worked over more in the two years since I was last there. I found some small crystals with nice terminations, but they were much harder to come by than last time. It was still a very fun outing.
adventuregrl1 4 months ago
Thank You! We're just trying to have fun and share it.
Cheers,
Dusty
DustyFingers5 7 months ago
@DustyFingers5
I loved your video and went to the upper site 2 summers ago. It was fantastic! The down side is that I called the ranger station today, and the gate on fr5510 at the target shooting range is closed permanently from now on. That means, to access the upper site, you would have to hoof it a ways. Anyway, thanks for the great info on all your videos.....they really make rockhounding look like fun!
adventuregrl1 5 months ago
@adventuregrl1 Thanks for the update, that's good information. It's too bad they keep cutting off our access, but understandable. I was up there last year and someone had left a burnt out trailer up there. Probably was a meth lab. It's a shame really.
DustyFingers5 5 months ago
Loved it. I stumbled upon your site looking for my son, Dusty's Youtube I recorded of his song called Amethyst. Dusty, is also a rockhound. I will have to tell him about this. Thanks!
cindyleeboo 7 months ago
just went up there a few days ago... all it did was rain but i did find quite a few little crystals in the lower area, didn't want to go into the upper area because of all the snow still there... Great place for beginners!
ghostofonyx343 7 months ago
Hey Guys, just want to inform you all I went up to this spot today with my son. We parked at the trail entrance and walked in. Around a slight bend in the trail my son and I noticed something large and brown taking up the full width of the trail. We suprised a LARGE brown bear sleeping in the sun. It posted up on his front legs and we were eye to eye at about 100 feet. If I had to guess this guy was pushing easily 800 - 1,000 pounds. We briskly walked back to the truck. PLEASE be careful!!!
btuck72 8 months ago
@btuck72 Wow, that is highly unusual. A brown bear sighting on Snoqualmie Pass is worth reporting to the forest service. They need to be tracked. Black bear are quite common though and can surprise you around corners. Stay alert out there.
DustyFingers5 8 months ago
Hey Garrett, Amethysty Quartz crystal guy from the border of the active claim Doug Hol (e ) den. lol just up there three days ago, at Hanson, and I got a Great, Rutilated, with Chloride in the rutilation, or whatever!! Lots of Snow, a few bare spots and lots of nice ones just at or below the surface, as always. Thanks for the book, and the Pic of my Amethysty Quartz, Dug near tha Active claim... whatever.
-Dick West, See you ltr. Pal...
NO MINING ABOVE SIGN ;...... CRY BABY DICK WEST WAAAAHHH
alongthepatholife 9 months ago
Hey I live in Liberty Lake WA, only about 5 miles from Mica Peak any suggestions on spots to check out around here???
ChrisFlipsAlot 1 year ago
@ChrisFlipsAlot: You can start with Mica Peak and see if there are big sheets of mica up there. Also, with mica, you should find pegmatites, which are big, white veins going through the granite or whatever is next to it. Pegmatites are famous for beryl, a light-green hexagonal crystal that, if cooked longer, coulda been an emerald...
gromaine3 1 year ago
How far is the "orange paint on various tree-trunks" (5:00) from the parking site shown at 2:55? Also, can we just dig anywhere on the site and expect to find some crystals? Thank you for the video!
Iwillbot 1 year ago
@Iwillbot: no more than a couple hundred yards, I'd guess, from the parking area to the paint. The weird thing about a landslide deposit is you can't really predict anything. But you're pretty safe. You'll find small crystals among the fir needles as soon as you get into the trees.
gromaine3 1 year ago
After our trip to Hansen creek Saturday I went to the bookstore and picked up your book (Gem trails of Washington). I cant wait for my next trip out to check out some of your other spots.
todntes 1 year ago
@todntes I wish I could take credit but it's all Garret Romaine. I'm just a pal with a camera. We have a new HD camera we're playing with which should improve the video quality quite a bit.
Garret's book is well written and most spots are family friendly
Cheers,
Dusty Fingers
DustyFingers5 1 year ago
My family and I were at the lower spot today. We had a little trouble finding it, but with the help of a park ranger we were able to get there.
I was sad at how other people have left the site. Lots of undermined trees (stumps and live) deep holes that weren't filled back in, and A LOT of trash.
We found lots of pieces though! I have scrubbed them, but there are still some really stubborn spots. Is there anything I can use to clean them that wont harm the crystals?
Overall we had a lot of fun!
wingsofchange87 1 year ago
My family and I were at the lower spot today. We had a little trouble finding it, but with the help of a park ranger, we were able to get there.
I was sad at how other people have left the site. Lots of undermined trees (stumps and live) deep holes that weren't filled back in, and A LOT of trash.
We found lots of piecesthough! I have scrubbed them, but there are still some really stubborn spots. Is there anything I can use to clean them that wont harm the crystals?
Overall we had a lot of fun!
wingsofchange87 1 year ago
You can try muriatic acid, which is simply wood bleach that you can buy at the hardware store. Oxalic acid works, too. It's usually just a rust stain that will actually come right off.
gromaine3 1 year ago
Comment removed
todntes 1 year ago
Comment removed
todntes 1 year ago
Thanks, I spent the afternoon at the lower spot today with my daughter. She is too young to dig but loved climbing around the mountain side. We mostly just picked pieces and watched people. We are always looking for new adventures and rock hunting seems fun. This is our first rock hounding trip and look forward to checking out some of your other areas in your videos. I could not locate the upper spot (should have wrote down the directions). Thanks again, Todd and Jillian
todntes 1 year ago
@todntes Glad you had fun. It's always good to get the family out exploring. How was the road in? Is it still drivable? Last year it really sluffed off about 3/4 of the way in.
DustyFingers5 1 year ago
@DustyFingers5 the road was ok only 2 small spots that were a little soft but no problem for any pickup or 4wd.
todntes 1 year ago
One of my all-time dumbest planning jobs. We went up in early April and the road was horrible.
gromaine3 1 year ago
Snow hmm, I remember venturing out in that. Ha! Ahhh god times.
MrJakemr 1 year ago
oops, you're talking about Hansen Creek -- it's probably above the snow line right now.
gromaine3 1 year ago
yes, there will be snow at Red Top. I don't know if it's deep enough to impede you, but just judging from the traffic cams at Snoqualmie Pass, it's still too early. The Ranch would be a better bet.
gromaine3 1 year ago
I am hoping to get up there next week, do you think there will still be snow?
bluegodjanus 1 year ago
@bluegodjanus There's a good chance there's still snow up there and you probably won't be able to drive all the way in as there are a couple of snow avalance chutes that cross the road.
DustyFingers5 1 year ago
i migt go hear sometime
fenderstrat296 1 year ago
Aloha Dusty,
This video is great help. We are planning to go today and I am using the Gem Trails of WA. Hope we get lucky.
Ciao!!!
Falsetto2002 2 years ago
Hi,
I wish you luck. Be forwarned there will most likely be snow.
Cheers
DustyFingers5 2 years ago
OOPS! sorry. Slightly NW of Ellensburg
DustyFingers5 2 years ago
It's slightly NE of Ellensburg up Reecer Cr. Rd. I can't give you details due to the character limit here. The Gem Trails Of Washington book has a good description. It's basically somebody's farm. Don't know about parking though and they want you to call ahead for an appointment. (509) 962-2403
DustyFingers5 2 years ago
DustyFingers5 where is the Rock n Tomahawk Ranch located, and could I park the cab there
newrockhound 2 years ago
Rock 'n Tomahawk is over by Ellensburg. It's a rough road to the ranch. You should definitely pick up Gem Trails of Washington, as it is geared to new rockhounds who want to score something every time out.
gromaine3 2 years ago
I was just planning on going to the lower dig. I hope that is possible. I looked tight in your vedio.
newrockhound 2 years ago
Hi newrockhound,
I can't recommend taking your tractor up there. The roads get narrow. You might consider getting a small dual sport bike that you strap to the back of your cab. Something like the old Honda 80 from the 70's. Street legal and trail worthy.
DustyFingers5 2 years ago
Comment removed
newrockhound 2 years ago
Wish I had found this a couple days earlier. I am a truck driver and would have enjoyed the lower dig. Is there room there to park a cab of a 18 wheeler?
newrockhound 2 years ago
You're into hard rock tools at this point searching for vugs.
No it took a few trips up screening in the lower dig to get those. I think the amethyst is less than 5% of the crystals at Hansen Creek
DustyFingers5 2 years ago
I went yesterday to the lower section and took home 4 amethyst! one is pretty large.
I'll make it to the upper section soon...
woody91142069 2 years ago
Nice Job!
DustyFingers5 2 years ago
Enhydro inclusion - I got one today inside a medium sized quartz point!
woody91142069 2 years ago
Hi Woody,
You are right, there is a claim just above the lower dig. The upper area we describe is much further up. Drive 3 mi up from the lower switchback and take a right. Remember to stay left where the road splits by the shooting area. Park right before the road makes a sharp right and gets steep n rutted out. From there walk east to where the road turns and you find a small trail leading down to the old road. The dig is about 1/2 mi. in. The road is good and you shouldn't have a problem.
DustyFingers5 2 years ago
Cool DustyOne. I am going to drive the xtra next time. You havn't heard that the upper area is private? I am not saying it is, I'm asking though!
woody91142069 2 years ago
Might as well keep the conversation public.
I finially got to watch the whole video. IT pretty well explains the local of the upper area.
Is there much dirt to turn over in the upper zone, or are into the rock at that point?
Was all that purple scored on ONE visit?
woody91142069 2 years ago
I thought the upper claim ( I guess where all the shooting goes down ) was a private area?
I always park down below at the first switchback in the road, and then hike in about 1 mile to the lower crystal spot.
To hike up higher is steep, but worth it, as the crystal and much more plentiful, it seems, about another 20 minutes of hiking up hill.
How kosher is it to drive up top? The ranger didn't say anything about it being provate? hmmm... !!
I want to post some of my finds..
woody91142069 2 years ago
Hello again,
Thank you for the kind words. We're working on putting together the next episode but it's a little ways out.
The way I remember that gate is that it is for the right side of the split. Hansen Creek Rd. is on the left side. If it was blocking the left side of the split then yes that would be an issue. I have never seen Hansen Creek Rd. gated in the 4 yrs I've been going up there. Things do change...
I'm still going to go up on Saturday to verify this as an excuse to get up there.
DustyFingers5 2 years ago
Hi Dusty Fingers 5,
The gate was just at the target range where the road splits. The ranger's suggestion for the future was to park on the downhill side of the gate and walk in. That said, I'm going back again sometime because the upper area is definitely worth a visit! I wish I knew the mileage between the two points, but it was easily hikeable with a daypack of rock samples. Your video was very accurate in showing the locality and the conditions. Looking forward to another episode!
adventuregrl1 2 years ago
Hi adventuregrl1,
I don't recall that there ever was a gate on these roads. The last thing we want to do is send people up behind gates that close. I will go up next weekend and verify the status of any gates and update this post.
The current Gem Trails Of Washington lists the mileage from Tinkham Rd. as 1.6 to the lower dig and 3, from there, to the upper turn off. Bob Jackson's map lists it as 4.7 to the upper turn off from Tinkham Rd.
Happy Hounding!
DustyFingers5 2 years ago
Excellent video!! Just an update as of 8/7/09, we were hunting the upper area beyond the target shooting range gate and afterwards drove down the road to find the gate CLOSED! Two nice young men on the other side of the gate drove down to where they could get cell service and phoned in our predicament to the ranger. We were released about an hour later! What an adventure! Special kudos to the two who helped us, they phoned and then returned and waited until we were rescued. Great guys!
adventuregrl1 2 years ago 2
Another excellent episode, keep up the great work guys!
mattkersplatt 2 years ago 2