Golden Tunnel Mine New Links

Golden Tunnel Mine Claim Map

Many thanks to Tom A. for sending me this link to a 1901 prospectus for the Durango Boy Mining Company who owned the Golden Tunnel Mine.

Here is the link: http://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc1.31822031028566

And here is the mill site and vein map.

Ore Veins and Mill Site of Golden Tunnel Mine Area

The Strange New Mexico Crop Circle? Plus some Fluorite and Smokey Quartz

So, we are planning a trip to New Mexico soon and will probably be going to a family reunion in Ruidoso. So what do I do? I get to work seeing what I can find for rockhounding spots in the area. Right away I find another wilderness study by USGS. Why is it that every time I find a good rock hunting spot, the government has blocked it with a wilderness area? I discovered some of the most beautiful crystals are now closed up in a wilderness area. What a shame.

Sierra Blanca, White Mountain Wilderness, Lincoln Co., New Mexico

Anyway, after realizing that this area is not going to see me, I started looking for nearby areas and as usual I ended up a long way from where I started.

I got to read all about Fort Cummings, Cooke's Spring, Cooke's Peak, and the Butterfield Trail. Pretty interesting actually. I really liked the nearby Peak named Massacre Peak that I noticed on the map.

Fort Cummings

When I read about this stuff, I always check out the USGS map locator and look at the topographic maps of the area and Google Earth. I just love Google Earth. I can look at stuff that I want to see and have even pinpointed petrified logs using it. While looking at the topographic map, I noticed there were mines everywhere near Cooke's Peak. Some info I got from a mine claim for sale said that this mining area had lots of agate, jasper, quartz and petrified wood. Cool! I'm sure there's a USGS report about it. I just haven't found it yet.

Topographic Map Showing the Mines

Apparently there used to be a mining town called Cooke's Town at the bottom of the mountain. Woohoo! A ghost town! I also ran across another report, this one from the Museum of New Mexico discussing The Fluorite Ridge, Fluorspar Mines and I am ready to head out! 

New Mexico Fluorite - Fluorite Ridge

Anyway, while I was scrolling around using Google Earth, I noticed this VERY STRANGE IMAGE. Near the Fort Cummings area. I have no clue. it is not a mountain, It is not a mine, It is flat. It circles through the ground and lava. I'll let you all figure it out. I'm clueless, well not clueless. I might have an idea, but of course it involves the GOVERNMENT. Of course it does!

Strange New Mexico Crop Circle

So much to see, so little time! I'm ready to go now!

North Fork Snoqualmie River

Last Friday was such a beautiful day, and I was off, so I just had to get out. Looking for rocks at this time of year can be difficult due to the snow. But a couple weeks ago I stumbled across a neat Geological Survey Report about the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area and it made me want to check out the North Fork Snoqualmie area. I figured that the elevation would be low enough for me to get to without snow and it's not a huge distance away. So off I went.

The first part of the North Fork Road was a nice gravel road, but that soon changed the further I went.

North Fork Snoqualmie Road

As soon as I got up the canyon, it turned to mud. Pretty deep mud. But I kept going anyway. Pretty soon my car was covered in mud. I passed quite a few areas where it looked like the road had been washed out and repaired. I stopped to check out the rocks and take some pics on the way.

Small Creek at a Washout - Should Have Looked Closer at the Red Boulder

Unfortunately as I got close to my destination I ran into snow. I was only .2 miles from my target mine, but the snow just got too deep. The canyon that it's in just doesn't get much sun.

The End of the Road

One of the mines I wanted to see was on the other side of the creek, and I noticed that unless I had on waders I would never get across now. It's just too deep.

Lennox Creek

So, I turned around and headed back towards North Bend. I stopped and checked out the North Fork Snoqualmie River for awhile. It too was running pretty fast. 

North Fork Snoqualmie River

I had read a report that there was a mine up above this area that didn't have a road, so they tried floating their ore down the river in barrels. Needless to say a lot of them didn't make it and you can find the ore in the river sometimes. Unfortunately I only found one little rock that has a bright speck of gold on it. I actually picked up the rock because I liked the colors in it, greens and red. I also found a nice piece of serpentinite (I think) for a yard rock.

If You Look Real Hard You Can See the Gold Speck - Hah!

Following a brief stop there I headed on back down the road. After crossing the Sunday Creek Bridge, I noticed a small stream coming down from the hill, so I stopped and got out to look over the rocks. I found a nice piece of pink feldspar (I think) here, and a heavy piece of quartz. 

Small Unnamed Creek

Needless to say, I didn't hit the jackpot here, but I sure got to enjoy the beautiful day, scenery and weather. 

Mt. Si - What a Beautiful View! 

I will definitely be back after the snow melts.

My Finds - Not Sure what they are - But They're Pretty!

9/6/13 Update:

Just took some rocks out my polisher and found that some of these polished really well. What do you think? It's not really jasper, more like sandstone, but it polished nicely to this point. I figured it would break up into pieces...

Kind of looks like Picture Jasper