geodes Archives - Page 27 of 33

November 19, 2017August 14, 2018

Hyner View State Park

American Geode visited Hyner View State Park during the American Geode rockhounding and fossil hunting trip to Renovo, Pennsylvania and the world famous fossil locale of Red Hill. We were told that Hyner View State Park had the best sunset in the area, so we raced up a very winding road to the top of the mountain to witness one of the great sunsets. The photos speak for themselves, but we need to explain what the platform is that is visible in some of the photos. Due to the freedom of Pennsylvania laws governing outdoors activity, and the self-responsibility that the PA law requires, people go hang gliding off that platform. Per Pennsylvania law, unless you have been invited on to someone’s property, you are liable for yourself. Unless you are under the invitation of a property owner, even if you trespass on someone’s property, and get hurt, the owner of the property is not liable; you are liable. As a result of this, there is much more freedom allowed in Pennsylvania on public lands, as the state is not liable, and you are fully responsible for your safety and well-being. This brings many hang gliders to Hyner View State Park for hang gliding. We were told that someone goes up there with their hang glide, and then they have a friend drive down to meet and rendez-vous with them when they land at the bottom.

The laws of personal responsibility apply to rockhounding as well. One can rockhound along a state road outcrop. As long as the outcrop is not private property, you can rockhound. You are not allowed to rockhound or pull over along national highways however. This is a very important distinction to make because I-80 and I-81 are full of large outcrops, but they are off-limits since the highway is national. This is why American Geode was able to fossil hunt along old Route 15, along the outcrop that is Red Hill and in infamous ghost town Centralia.
http://www.americangeode.com/blog/red-hill-fossil-discovery-part/
http://www.americangeode.com/blog/fern-fossils-discovery-centralia-pennsylvania/
American Geode recommends each rockhound to plan their excursions in advance, exercise safety with goggles and protective clothing and gear, and to ensure that you do not trespass on private property. American Geode can provide guidelines from our rockhounding and fossil hunting trips, but American Geode are not legal experts.

Hyner View State Park was full of trails, and a a great place for cooking out. A family could bring a picnic, tools, charcoal, burgers and dogs for grilling out and take advantage of the permanent grills up there at the top of the mountain.

When rockhounding near Renovo, or fossil hunting at world famous Red Hill, American Geodes recommends a drive to Hyner View State Park for one of the world’s great sunsets, and maybe some hang gliders!

November 15, 2017August 14, 2018

Fern Fossils Discovery in Centralia, Pennsylvania

American Geode returned to the abandoned ghost town of Centralia, Pennsylvania to trace the source of rumors and stories about fern fossils that had supposedly been discovered in this dangerous, forgotten town in the heart of coal country. October 2017, returning from a successful trip in Renovo, PA, making a Red Hill fossil discovery, the team decided to stray a little off of I-80 and revisit Centralia. Centralia, PA is an old coal town that had been abandoned, demolished and condemned in the 1990s due to an underground coal mine fire raging since the early 1960s. Centralia can still be discovered on a map, and it is like walking into a set for “The Walking Dead,” or a show set after the Apocalypse.

There are many articles written about Centralia that contain more history and background than American Geode can share. We were there because people were telling us that they found fern fossils.

We parked the car past the second cemetery in town, walked about 300 meters, and found a hillside that was in fact covered with slate and shale. This was somewhat treacherous and American Geode would classify this site as “intermediate.” Wear boots with soles made for rocky and slick surfaces, wear gloves, long sleeves in case you stumble, and bring water and food because you are in an abandoned town after all. We were reluctant at first to start digging, but to paraphrase Walt Disney it was time for us to stop talking and “just get to work.”

We were very excited when we started finding branches, and some ferns. American Geode believes that this is the site of a swamp or marsh where trees fell and died. We found many more branches and logs than we did fern fossils. The fern fossils are the most dramatic however and most highly sought after. Following is background on the fern fossils one can find in Centralia, photos of our adventure and a video. We are selling many of the fern fossils we discovered this trip. Please contact American Geode for details or visit us on ebay: https://www.ebay.com/usr/americangeode

From the American Geode eBay shop:

Fern fossils, tree branches from Centralia, Pennsylvania, from an abandoned off-limits site. This is the first time they have come to market.

Discovered by American Geode in October 2017.

Excellent set of 17 fern and plant fossils, museum quality. Academics, curators, collectors and interior design professionals have called our plant fossil collection some of the finest ever assembled. These fossils are becoming increasingly rare. The mineral Pyrophyllite is what gives the fern and vegetation impressions their unique white color. The unusual gold tint is rare and is caused by iron ore that was present during the fossil formation.

Name: Fern Fossils and Tree Branches
Fern Species: Alethopteris
Location: Centralia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
Time: Pennsylvanian Sub-period, 320-290 million years old
Llewellyn Formation

November 13, 2017February 22, 2020

Rockhound Visit to “The Echo” in Pennsylvania

***June 12, 2019 – American Geode received an email from a gentleman who lived in the area, and knew about this site, and informed us that what we were calling “The Little Grand Canyon” is actually called “The Echo.” We have corrected the title of the article with this new information.

So the American Geode team had planned for a rockhound trip for quartz crystals in McAdoo, Pennsylvania, and instead of finding the cache of quartz, we found something even better,,,,Pennsylvania’a “Little Grand Canyon.” So the American Geode team had heard stories and rumors of rockhounds finding large quartz crystals around McAdoo. We had to go see for ourselves!

The area around Mcadoo is largely abandoned coal mines, strip mines. There is a lot of abandoned history in the area as the coal industry dwindled. You see the row houses that make up the small towns that dot the areas around the abandoned and closed down strip mines, and when you are driving you notice the division between new homes and new business is very stark from the older homes and the old coal mining business.

The story we were told is that rockhounds were finding quartz around the areas exposed by the mining operations. We drove to the largest strip mine in the area, and it was clearly and heavily marked with “no trespassing” signs. Now we don’t do anything illegal, but sometimes what we do may be “unlegal,” but we do abide by “no trespassing” signs when we see them.

We drove around to some other areas not far from the strip mine, kept finding “no trespassing” signs, and we nearly gave up until, while driving down one road, Joe noticed a shack on the side of the road, a fella was sanding down the leg of a coffee table or a stool or something, but his porch was full of stones. Joe said “pull over!” and we did. I let Joe do the talking in these situations, he is kind of like Anthony Bourdain and has the gift of being to strike up a conversation with just about anyone he encounters. Well, after Joe spoke to this fella for 5 minutes, he comes back to the car with directions where the locals find the quartz crystals!

So we followed the directions that our new friend Drew had shared, and we were able to find the path he told us would lead to the locale to find the quartz.

We followed the paths, that were not marked “no trespassing,” but they were not exactly marked “welcome” either. We stopped in our tracks when we saw what looked like THE GRAND CANYON! This gorge, unknown if man-made or natural, was giant, steep, sheer cliffs, beautiful, and a site to behold. Here are the photos:

Now we are pretty reckless at American Geode, but without the right equipment we were not going to scale the Little Grand Canyon to find the source of the large quartz crystals. We did find the area however. Look closely in these photos at the blue rope, tied to the tree? We had been told that people scale down that thin rope, more like cord, to an overhang where one can dig into the side of the mini canyon. Look closely, the rope, cord really can be hard to spot.

So we may return to this spot in the spring with proper equipment, but we did make a wonderful discovery during this trip. The Little Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania is a sight to behold.

When we were walking about, look what we found on the ground!

November 8, 2017August 14, 2018

Red Hill Fossil Discovery Part I

Red Hill is a giant outcrop in North Bend, Pennsylvania that is site of one of the world’s most famous fossil discoveries. Red Hill is the location that helped establish a time-line, and proof of the earliest tetrapods to walk on North America. Red Hill is a fossil location that American Geode would classify as “expert” or “master.” It is a very dangerous location, not only because it is along the highway, but because stones and boulders still fall from the sheer cliff. American Geode made a Red Hill discovery however, and here is the American Geode story about our recent trip to Red Hill.

We started driving around 1am on Saturday morning, so we could stop at another fossil outcrop on the way to Red Hill. Traffic is still heavy leaving New York City however. We tell everyone that just getting out of New York City can be half the time and trouble when you’re on a road trip. The game plan was to stop at an outcrop in Pennsylvania, old Route 15, which is from the same period as Red Hill.

We finally got to the location around 6:30am, and decided to take an hour’s nap as the sun had not risen yet. When we awoke an hour later, we were not alone!

Hell of a way to start a rockhound trip! After the bears ran off however, we started picking around in the rubble and found many Devonian plant life examples, and some fish scales!
Fish scales : Duncannon Member, approximately 367 my.
Devonian Plants : Duncannon Member, approximately 367 my.
Bears : Mamma and her 3 cubs

American Geode would classify this site on old Route 15 as moderately easy. While one can not scale or walk up the outcrop to get to the source material, clearly the elements cause large pieces and boulders to drop. We did not use any tools, we just wore gloves and turned over all the stones and slabs that were on the ground. This site does not have a name to our knowledge other than “old Route 15 fossil spot,” but it was a fun way to begin our trip to Red Hill.

After seeing the bears that morning, I was pretty happy with the trip. It could only get better, or only get worse!
The encounter with bears was picked up by one of the local newspapers as well:
http://s.pennlive.com/kU3Zyrc

If you would like to learn more about rockhounding, or compare notes with American Geode or learn more about places to search for fossils, or to join forces, please contact American Geode by visiting the American Geode homepage: http://www.americangeode.com

Now for “Red Hill Fossil Discovery Part II” when we finally got to the fabled locale, for more excitement, and much, much more hard work!

August 23, 2017August 16, 2018

The 36th Annual Gem and Mineral Spectacular is Labor Day Weekend!

The 36th Annual Gem and Mineral Spectacular will be held at the Whitmire Activity Center at 301 Lily Pond Rd, Hendersonville, NC, 28739. In coordination with the NC Apple Festival, the Show will be held Labor Day Weekend, Sept. 1-4, 2017, from 10 AM ’til 6 PM, except Labor Day, where it will close at 5 PM.

Vendors come from the Southeast US and Canada. Door prizes will be awarded every hour.
The HCGMS’ theme is: Colorful Copper Minerals.
Admission: Adults $5.00, Children under 12 are admitted free when accompanied w/ an adult.

Web Site: Visit the Henderson County Gem and Mineral Society homepage to learn about their other activities and to learn about becoming a member!

Henderson County Gem & Mineral Society Invites You To The 36th Annual Gem & Mineral Spectacular Featuring
“Colorful Copper Minerals”

VENDORS*DEMOS*DOOR PRIZES*REFRESHMENTS

When-September 1st through September 4th
Friday – Sunday 10:00AM – 6:00PM, Monday 10:00AM – 5:00PM

Where – Whitmire Activity Building, 301 Lily Pond Road, Hendersonville, NC

Admission- $5.00 Adults – Children 12 & under FREE when accompanied by an adult
Gem Show Raffle Prize – A unique Turquoise and Sterling Silver pendant!!!!

Keep updated on the best shows with the American Geode gem, mineral, jewelry and fossil show newswire and calendar!
Watch a short video here for gem, mineral and fossil show tips from the experts!
Does your gem, mineral or fossil club or society need new members in your ranks? How about new guests to your gem, mineral and fossil shows? Would you like rockhounds and gem, mineral and fossil enthusiasts to travel across state lines to visit your show? Would you like exponentially more traffic to your club’s homepage or the show’s homepage? Contact us here at American Geode! We can help!

Be sure to check out American Geode’s collection of gems, minerals, rough stones, stone artwork, and other mineral ones-of-a-kind for auction in our ebay marketplace: https://www.ebay.com/usr/americangeode