2023 FIELD TRIP DATES
The club has joined Northern California Field Trip Chairmen’s Association — check out their website for additional trips.
February 25
Black Butte, CA – Jasper/Agate and Suiseki Stones
March 25
Yuba River, CA – Yuba Blue and Suiseki Stones
April 15
Hwy 70 – Jade and Vesuvianite
May 12-14
Fallon, NV – Jasper, Agate, Selenite , Fossils, etc
June 16-18
Tonopah, NV (various sites)
July 14-16
Western Idaho (various sites)
September 16-17
Feather River Rock, Gem & Jewelry Show – Our annual rock, gem & jewelry show
October 14-15
Royal Peacock Opal Mine – Precious Opal, Fluorescent Minerals, Petrified Wood
FIELD TRIP GUIDELINES
Please follow these simple suggestions to make our field trips fun and smooth-running for you, the other members, and for the field trip leaders. These guidelines apply to ALL club outings.
- Be on time to the designated meeting place. We will not wait on stragglers.
- Sign-in on sheet/waiver form so we know that you have joined us.
- Listen to all instructions given by the field trip leaders.
- Our field trip leaders typically use cell phones. If you have one, be sure to give phone number to the leaders. They shall be used primarily for emergencies or travel assistance, not unnecessary “chatter”.
- Once at the collecting site, stop and listen to field trip leaders about what we are there to find and gather. Please be quiet until the leader is done (they don’t want to have to say the same thing over and over again. They would like to collect too). Only then do you scatter to find your rocks.
- If there is more than one collecting site in a day, all persons must be accounted for prior to departing to the next location (this requires patience, but also members need to load up and get going). Don’t keep everyone else waiting on you.
- Rely on your field trip leader’s directions and guidance; they are more familiar with the territory.
- If you are going to leave the group to make a “side-trip” or to explore a surrounding area, you MUST notify your field trip leaders. This also pertains if you are leaving to go home without/before the group.
SOME ETIQUETTE AND SAFETY TIPS
- DO NOT LITTER, EVER! Pick up all of your cans, bottles, lunch sacks, cigarette butts, etc. •Always ask if dogs are permitted on said field trips. You are liable for your dog(s).
- Stay on existing roads when traveling, and park to the side of the road so others can get around your vehicle to pass if necessary. Please don’t tear up public or private property. This is the number one cause of loosing collecting sites.
- •Always follow the AFMS’ code of ethics.
- Be kind, gentle and respectful to club members and to our lands.
- Please walk away from others when smoking. Do not leave your butts on the ground.
- Come prepared with a full tank of gas and plenty of food and water.
- The time posted is the DEPARTURE TIME — be early or get left behind!
- When traveling on dirt roads, turn on your vehicle lights and leave plenty of space between vehicles so you can see clearly with the road dust. When you come to an intersection, stop to make sure the vehicle following you knows to turn. The vehicle behind you should then stop there to wait for the next vehicle
Field Trip Code of Ethics: (from the US Forest Service)
Rockhounds, both as individuals and collectively as members of clubs, pride themselves on their good manners in the field. They know that maintaining their good reputation is important in order to keep the welcome mat out at collecting sites. This code of ethics is in general use throughout the rockhounding community and is posted here for your information.
- I will respect both private and public property and will do no rockhounding on privately owned land without the owner’s permission.
- I will keep informed on all laws, regulations or rules governing collecting on public lands and will observe them.
- I will, to the best of my ability, ascertain the boundary lines of property on which I plan to collect.
- I will use no firearms or blasting material in rockhounding areas.
- I will cause no willful damage to property of any kind — fences, signs, building, etc.
- I will leave all gates as found.
- I will build fires in designated or safe places only and will be certain they are completely extinguished before leaving the area.
- I will discard no burning material — matches, cigarettes, etc.
- I will fill all excavation holes which may be dangerous to people or livestock.
- I will not contaminate wells, creeks, or other water supplies.
- I will cause no willful damage to collecting material and will take home only what I can reasonably use.
- I will support the rockhound project H.E.L.P. (Help Eliminate Litter Please) and will leave all collecting areas devoid of litter regardless of how found.
- I will cooperate with field trip leaders and those in designated authority in all collection areas.
- I will report to my club or federation officers, Bureau of Land Management, US Forest Service or other proper authorities, any deposit of petrified wood or other material on public lands which should be protected for the enjoyment of future generations for public educational and scientific purposes.
- I will appreciate and protect our heritage of natural resources.
- I will observe the “Golden Rule,” will use “Good Outdoor Manners” and will at all times conduct myself in a manner which will add to the stature and “public image” of rockhounds everywhere.
