[Rockhounds] Idaho metamorphics trip

[Lanny R]

Good summer day to you all,

Looks like nothing but summer weather for most of us. The steady hot  
summer weather is doing a good job of eliminating the delay in the  
snow melt. Thus the area east of Clarkia, Idaho is mostly free of snow  
and there should be no snowbanks blocking roads soon.

For those interested in going up in the Freezeout area for garnets and  
kyanite, the planned trip is still on if anyone wants to go. I'm  
looking at August now, generally during the week is better for me, but  
no date is set.

We can take a couple of days and look for garnets and kyanite in  
several areas and if anyone wants more time, I can give them  
directions to more locations. There also is the Forest Service star  
garnet diggings near Clarkia for those who want something else to do  
before or after the trip (it's closed Wed. and Turs. open the rest of  
the week).

Can't predict the weather more than 5 minutes in advance, but  
typically in recent years it has been hot and sunny up there, nights  
might be cool. Thunderstorms are possible, and in past years rain,  
snow and anything else was possible. The main road on the divide is  
mostly at 5,800 to 6,100 feet, it runs through the forest, and open  
grassy or rocky ridges.

Collecting will consist of working in hard rock, decomposed rock and  
picking crystals up off the surface of the ground. Collecting can be  
difficult to easy, your choice. The road is mostly in good condition  
and can be negotiated with a pickup and most likely even a car with  
good clearance (I haven't driven it in two years, but it generally  
doesn't change much).

Regards,

Lanny