[Rockhounds] Mitchell maps to hell

[jlkelly1066]

Okay, here's my shot at Mitchell and his sorry attempt at
guide books. As a neophyte my sweetheart and I dutifully
purchased Mitchell's book "Gem Trails of Utah." Okay so we
found a "few" of the sites he listed. All too often we wound
up asking around to find where the "actual" site was. It
became obvious, almost immediately obvious that the man (1)
Didn't have any idea where he was when he was collecting (if
he was collecting and not just trying to write another book
to put $ in his pocket. (2) Hadn't been back to the same
site twice and once he wrote edition one never went back.
(Case in point: In the latest edition of GTU Mitchell is
still listing the opalized wood by Kimball Junction. "After
you turn off of I-80 you turn off the first road on the way
to Heber City search and dig in the area between the water
plant and the road." Sound good, right? HOWEVER, if you
follow his instructions the people at the Mercedes
dealership and the people living in the veddy expensive
homes will take great umbruge at you attempting to dig in
front yards on the parking lot of the Mercedes plant that
has been there for at least seven years!)

He is still listing four sites found in the Escalante
National Monument. Huh, Jimmy boy, if ya don't know,
collecting Moqui Marbles will get you a hefty $5,000 fine,
confiscation of vehicle and maybe some time in the slammer
where you will have all sort of time to think about your
lousy book. You cannot collect at Old Paria (same NM), nor
anywhere in or around the Petrified Forest State Park in
Escalante. I know, in all fairness, we all know better than
to collect on posted sites, claims, private land, National
Park, National Monuments, etc. Well we do know don't we.

I can go on and on about his Nevada and Oregon books but
what is the use. I still find people who literally swear by
him, me, I just swear at him and use another page to start a
fire.

Ya'll have a perfectly lovely day.

Kelly