Grant's Getaways: Oregon Treasure in the Dirt
If you're like me, you're bound to be curious when traveling the wide-open spaces of Oregon. I need to know everything I can.
That's how it was when we headed south on US 97 searching for the forty million years of geologic history found in the Oregon state rock called Thundereggs. I cherished these magical, mysterious golf ball size rocks as a child for their drab exterior, but their oh-so-creamy and colorful agate interiors that continue to be trophy prizes for young and old rock hounds alike.
Technically a thunderegg is not a rock; it's a nodule or a geode that forms inside other rocks. But if you were to judge by the throngs of visitors who stream through the Richardson's Recreational Ranch just off US 97 near Madras, thundereggs are without question the most popular rock in Oregon.
The expansive seventeen-thousand-acre ranch allows rock hounds the opportunity to dig and discover countless secrets in the soil. On a recent visit to the ranch, Casey Richardson, co-manager of the expansive operation, led us across seven miles of bumpy back road to a mother lode akin to thunderegg heaven on Earth.
Thunder Eggs
Rock Hunters take kids out to discover the the beautiful inside of thunder eggs at the Richardson Ranch, near Madras, Oregon.
Some Oregon Rock Art
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Rockhounding Tillamook 2015
The city of Tillamook /ˈtɪləmʊk/ is the county seat of Tillamook County, Oregon, United States. The city is located on the southeast end of Tillamook Bay on the Pacific Ocean. The population was 4,935 at the 2010 census. Amateur geology (known as rockhounding in the United States and Canada, and regionally known as rock hunting in southern Oregon) is the recreational study and hobby of collecting rocks and mineral specimens from their natural environment.
Bend Oregon Day 3 - Thunder Egg Rock Hounding, Bungie Jumping, & Smith Rock Canyon
Dan and the Kids continue their adventure in Bend Oregon. This day they head out early to Richardson's Rock Ranch to go hunt for rocks and minerals. Rock Hounding at its best! After a long 4 hours they then head down to Peter Skene Ogden State Park and checkout the Bungie jumping and canyon. They end the day with a long valley hike into Smith Rock State Park. The day was long but one of the best days in Bend Oregon.
LINKS:
Richardson's Rock Ranch
Peter Skene Ogden State Park
Smith Rock State Park
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Polkadot agate
Beautiful polka dot agate
Hunt gravel pit
Large boulder demolition in a pit.
Agate Hunting on the Oregon Coast
Grant McOmie travels to the Oregon Coast on a hunt for all things shiny -
Agates are little rocky nuggets of silica that formed inside ancient rocks or shells millions of years ago and as the outer layer wears away the agate remains. Agates are little rocky nuggets of silica that formed inside ancient rocks or shells millions of years ago and as the outer layer wears away the agate remains. I was surprised to learn that shoreline agates and jasper don't come from the sea, but originate high in the watershed.
Agates come in varied colors ranging from orange to red or pink to lavender -- even black.
Southern Oregon Rock Hounding Part 3 Thundereggs!!
In Part 3 of our Southern Oregon Rock Hounding Adventure, we are down in the thunderegg beds digging to see what we can find. How well did we do? Watch to find out!
BIGEST FIRE OPAL 7,5 KG THE BIGEST IN THE WORLD
Madras: Did You Know
Economic Investments and Business growth opportunities
Rock Hounding at Brownsville Oregon
Going out to beautiful McKercher County Park I love that place, found lots of agate and more beautiful rocks including a arrow head out of brown/black obsidian :) Beaaaaautiful. We went to another area at Brownsville by a beautiful river and sadly I kept getting anxiety but I still had fun :)
Polishing Thundereggs
Polishing Thundereggs with Real Rock.
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Oregon Fire Opal
In this Adventure, Jaws Jr takes us all on the hunt for Oregon Fire Opal!
Rock hounding (crystals) at Highway 97 and Westside road.
Took the kids out rock hounding today, looking for zeolites, quartz crystals, Amethyst, and found some citrine too. The new Westside road interchange off highway 97 in West Kelowna has blasted out some of Mount Boucherie's basalt revealing many fresh vugs full of all sorts of Silicates. Some quite exciting.
Agates and Thundereggs
We are continuing this adventure at Cove Palisades State Park in Central Oregon. We then go down to Round Butte Dam and State Park for some more incredible views. Time for Rock hounding! We head on up to White Fir Agate Beds to dig some thundereggs and stop off at a small creek where one HUGE surprise is there for us!
Acoustic Guitar 1 by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (
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Grant's Getaways: Digging Oregon Sunstones
Oregon’s desert is a vast stretch of the state where distances are great and people are few – but if you know where to look, there are remarkable treasures waiting to be found.
When the Spectrum Sunstone Mine rock hopper fills up and the generator fires up the conveyor belt gets your hopes up: that Oregon’s state gem, sunstones, will roll past you by the hundreds.
Cutting Thundereggs From Little Naches
A few weeks ago when we were up in the Little Naches area of Washington I collected some Thundereggs that were too large for my home saw so I brought them to my rock club when I had the time.
Wanna watch our trip out to Little Naches and get directions on how to get there?
Music: bensound.com
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These are some of the books and maps I use to find rockhounding spots.
Rocks & Minerals of Washington and Oregon -
Roadside Geology of Washington -
Roadside Geology of Idaho -
Gems & Minerals of Washington -
Rockhounding Washington -
Gem Trails of Idaho & Western Montana -
Gem Trails of Washington -
Rockhounding Oregon -
Rockhounding Idaho -
Washington Road and Recreation Atlas -
Idaho Road and Recreation Atlas -
Montana Road and Recreation Atlas -
Oregon Road and Recreation Atlas -
Camera Equipment
GoPro HERO5 Session -
GorillaPod Tripod -
#Rockhounding #CurrentlyRockhounding #Thefinders
IMG_3511.MOV How to find thunder eggs
ROCK HOUNDING FOR THUNDER EGGS AT RABBIT SPRINGS IDAHO
Hogg Mine Part IV
Silhouette Jones & Brother Ilias take you on the final part of the tour into Hogg's Mine. See just how large the crystals can get.