Every year for my birthday I take a week off from work and go rockhounding. One of my favorite minerals to dig, especially for my birthday, is Oregon Sunstone.

This year I have decided to combine my birthday weekend with a NW Rockhounds meet-up and field trip. For those of you not familiar with NW Rockhounds, you should be. It was started as a Facebook group for people to share their northwest mineral treasures and lapidary skills. The group is now boasting 7000+ members with new people joining every day. Eventually a shop was opened in north Seattle, and I must say it is one of the best shops I’ve ever been to. I can’t wait to see how they grow in the future.

NW Rockhounds Meet-Up / Birthday Party

May 28 – 30

@ The Spectrum Sunstone Mine

Oregon Sunstone Sunset

Come one come all to this amazing opportunity to dig Oregon Sunstones with a bunch of rock-loving people. My goal is to fill the Rabbit Basin with great rockhounds and starts the mines year off with a bang.

I will be writing a potential story for Rock & Gem magazine about this event, so be sure to be there for the group photo each afternoon. I’ll come up with a time and place we will meet each day for the shot.

Camping:

I’m trying to reserve the tipi at the Spectrum Mine as a sort of NW Rockhounds Headquarters for the weekend. This will be a place we can meet, share stories, have a pot luck, and sit around the fire all night. There is tons of room for camping throughout the area. I hope to plan out a family area and a late night area. Spectrum has cabins for rent for diggers. If you want one of these reserve a spot early with the mine.

Digging:

There are many options for digging out there. There are many acres of public land that we are free to roam and pick up stones. This method will produce many yellow sunstones and maybe a few schillers.

If you’re looking for good colored stones you’re going to have to visit a fee mine. There are currently three fee mines operating in the area. They each have different fees and methods for digging. Look up the mines online for current fee information.

I will most likely be spending my time at the Spectrum Mine and wandering the public area.

Spectrum Sunstone Mine
Dust Devil Sunstone Mine
Double Eagle Sunstone Mine

Supplies:

The sunstones are located in a very remote part of south-central Oregon. Gas and supplies will be many miles away from camp, so come prepared. You will ant to have plenty of food and water. Be prepared for any kind of weather during this time of your. I’ve been there many times and you could be getting sunburnt one minute and running away from torrential downpour the next.

We have created a Facebook events page to get an idea about how many people are interested and eventually how many will be actually attending the event. Please RSVP via Facebook.

Please come join us!