Outdoors

 Dig Your Own Garnets at The Garnet Hill Recreation Area

The Garnet usually occurs as single crystals attached within small cavities known as vugs. The Garnet bearing vugs seem to occur in specific mineralized zones and areas, and these are confined to certain areas and not randomly dispersed and even manner through the rhyolitic rock. When searching for a zones which will contain the Garnet crystals, perhaps the best clue is the presence of veins are cavities which are lined with sugary, sparkling light gray tridymite, a high temperature version of Quartz. Collectors have worked at this spot for many decades, and broken waste material and rubble completely covers the ground in some areas, burying any potential Garnet bearing host rocks. Often, unless one works within the established pits, a considerable amount of work to move this rock rubble will be required.

Most rock hounds conduct their search for garnets at this location in one of two different ways. The first method involves visually searching the surface and nearby drainages for the dark colored stones that have weathered from the pink to gray colored rhyolitic rock. Small garnets which have come loose from the host rock are spread here and there around parts of the area and their very dark color contrasts strongly with the local rock and soil. Using this visual hunting method usually does find some stones, and the finds come with the least amount of work involved. The garnets collect in small gullies and drainage areas because they are heavier than the surrounding rock in a manner much like a placer gold deposit. The second method is used by other, more energetic rock hounds, who will work to break open the Garnet bearing rock with hammers and how to file for divorce These tough workers seek to break open the hard rock and reveal any gems hidden within. This is a popular method and is actually the best one for locating the finest specimens of Garnet, where the stones are still attached to the mother rock. If one seeks to use this method, it is necessary to bring sharp chisels and heavy crack hammers to break open the hard unweathered rhyolite stone. It is also very hard work. When I dug here, I felt the distinct flavor of what it must have been like to break rock in the old time prisons.