Rockhounding near the Mexican border.

[TerryC]

Yesterday, I headed to the Coronado National Forest to look for geodes.
Using this Neil Bearce publication

I headed to Site 58.

The Coronado is considered semi-arid but I found MUCH water.

A BEAUTIFUL place with beautiful scenery!

Can you see the whitetail deer in the center of the pic?


A high clearance vehicle is needed but 4x4 is NOT.


There are THOUSANDS of geodes to be collected but all are encased in rhyolite. OUCH!


This one is about 4 inches across.... I did not bring a hammer and chisel. (groan!)


I also found some FANTASTIC banded agate!


I did find some broken pieces


I saw at LEAST 15 pickups with the BIG GREEN STRIPE on them so this area of the Mexican/Arizona border is well patrolled. Take a hammer and chisel with you and a goodly amount of elbow grease and collect as many geodes (and agate) as you can carry! Go for it! ╦╦C

 

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[TerryC]

╦╦C

 

[SD51]

Looks like a great time in a cool place Terry, thanks for sharing!

 

[TerryC]

A VERY scenic place. Wide open between mountain ridges. Several CBP trucks on the ridges watching expansive valleys between. One other couple was rockhounding with two children. They had a few geodes that they found up the hillside from the creek. I was not prepared for the climb. Also in the area is supposed to be an obsidian dyke. I did not go far enough down the canyon to reach it. I would highly recommend this site(58) to anyone looking for geodes! ╦╦C

 

[TerryC]

╦╦C

 

[tamrock]

Back in the 1990s I drove a 1993 Chevy Lumina Euro, which was a company car up to an underground copper mine called Oracle Ridge up on Mount Lemmon. Beat the hell out of that car getting up there. My visit was about collecting some unpaid invoices. The mine finally filed bankruptcy and they split town leaving a lot of suppliers holding the bag. When I got back down the hill the oil light came on. Getting out to check the situation I see a small thin trail of oil behind me. I had a couple quarts of oil to add and found a fella in Tucson who was able to drain all the oil and successfully braze weld the hole shut in the oil pan without even removing the pan. I think I paid a $100 bucks cash for the job because he didn't take plastic.

 

[TerryC]

Back in the 1990s I drove a 1993 Chevy Lumina Euro, which was a company car up to an underground copper mine called Oracle Ridge up on Mount Lemmon. Beat the hell out of that car getting up there. My visit was about collecting some unpaid invoices. The mine finally filed bankruptcy and they split town leaving a lot of suppliers holding the bag. When I got back down the hill the oil light came on. Getting out to check the situation I see a small thin trail of oil behind me. I had a couple quarts of oil to add and found a fella in Tucson who was able to drain all the oil and successfully braze weld the hole shut in the oil pan without even removing the pan. I think I paid a $100 bucks cash for the job because he didn't take plastic.

When you come down the SW side of Mt. Lemmon, there is a bubbling creek that crosses the gravel road near the bottm of the grade. Good, clean water there. Nice and cold! Snow up on Lemmon right now. Thanks for the input, friend. ╦╦C

 

[islamoradamark]

Thanks for the videos nice looking area

 

[pat-tekker-cat]

Beautiful country!
I was going to tell the OP, "ya know you gotta be carful around border areas..."
Then I seen it was you, lol.
I know, you know, what you're doing.

You mean a tire tool wouldn't pop you out some of them geodes?
You gotta throw some tools down in that wheel well buddy...

 

[Blak bart]

Man that's awsome...I wanna go there !!

 

[TerryC]

Beautiful country!
I was going to tell the OP, "ya know you gotta be carful around border areas..."
Then I seen it was you, lol.
I know, you know, what you're doing.

You mean a tire tool wouldn't pop you out some of them geodes?
You gotta throw some tools down in that wheel well buddy...

Yes, I know how to take care of myself. The great part of being in Arizona is most actors on screen would be UNDERGUNNED here! I had a 4 pound hammer and chisel back at the Jeep but too tired to go back to get it. I will be back here OFTEN! They will patiently wait in the rock 'til my return. Good to hear from you, Pat! ╦╦C

 

[TerryC]

Man that's awsome...I wanna go there !!

The only thing stopping you is the decision... first class or coach! ╦╦C

 

[Blak bart]

You are oh so right....got to be like the Nike commercial and "just do it"

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Thank you for sharing!

 

[TerryC]

Rugged yet awe-inspiring landscapes.
╦╦C

 

[A2coins]

Makes me wish I was in Az still those are really cool would be fun to look for. Nice post

 

[nomad 11]

Yesterday, I headed to the Coronado National Forest to look for geodes.
Using this Neil Bearce publication
View attachment 1804056
I headed to Site 58.

The Coronado is considered semi-arid but I found MUCH water.

A BEAUTIFUL place with beautiful scenery!

Can you see the whitetail deer in the center of the pic?
View attachment 1804060

A high clearance vehicle is needed but 4x4 is NOT.


There are THOUSANDS of geodes to be collected but all are encased in rhyolite. OUCH!
View attachment 1804062

This one is about 4 inches across.... I did not bring a hammer and chisel. (groan!)
View attachment 1804064

I also found some FANTASTIC banded agate!
View attachment 1804066 View attachment 1804067 View attachment 1804068

I did find some broken pieces
View attachment 1804072

I saw at LEAST 15 pickups with the BIG GREEN STRIPE on them so this area of the Mexican/Arizona border is well patrolled. Take a hammer and chisel with you and a goodly amount of elbow grease and collect as many geodes (and agate) as you can carry! Go for it! ╦╦C

that second picture up from the bottom on the left looks like the last beef sandwich i ate. make mine xtra juicy. mmmmmmmmmmmmm ! happy searching