[Rockhounds] Virgin Valley Nevada Collecting

[Tim Fisher]

You will have plenty of company, as all the fee mines open on 
Memorial Day weekend. Be prepared for MUD. We have had near record 
precipitation so far this winter and it surely won't dry out before 
Memorial Day. A 4WD is useless when the wheel wells are so caked with 
gumbo that you can't turn the wheels. And the "dirt" at VV is 
particularly nasty gumbo. It's more like talcum powder when dry and 
you can't even stand up on it when it's soaked. Make you arrangements 
well in advance or you will surely be SOL (if you aren't already 
thanks to the Travel Channel lol). Digging in the wall is the only 
way to go, IMHO. It's expensive (well not to me it isn't) for a 
reason; namely you have a much greater chance of finding worthwhile 
material. The only other worthwhile activity is to buy a scoop from 
the Rainbow Ridge and spend a full day going through it. It certainly 
is easier than digging. Make or buy a Virgin Valley pick or you will 
be wasting your time. A rock hammer is not very useful; it smashes 
the pieces instead of merely finding them. I don't think I have ever 
gotten mine out of the truck at VV. You will be listening for the 
ting of the pick on glass or feeling for the scratch of the tine like 
you were scratching glass. Once you locate a piece either soak the 
entire clod in a bucket for a while or use a long screwdriver if it 
is in the wall. You don't want to damage that piece until you get a 
good look at it. My first trip to VV was wasted searching tailings 
piles; my subsequent trips were worth the drive, because I ignored 
the tailings.

At 04:19 AM 3/3/2008, you wrote:
>Hi Dean, Thanks for the info. I will be paying attention to all the details
>anyone gives us. I have seen some very expensive rates for some places to
>collect in the walls.  Do you feel this is worth it?  I have to look at this
>as possibly the only time I will make it, as the distance is long and I am
>not retired.  We plan to be there over the Memorial weekend for a couple
>days. I am mapping out other places in Nevada also, but probably not too
>deep into the wilderness mostly because of lack of experience in desert
>areas. I have a four-wheel drive vehicle (renting) and plenty of GPS
>gadgets, but am flying in from PA, which limits the tool selection I bring.
>The hammer you referred to, is that a geologist-type hammer or a small crack
>hammer?
>
>Thanks
>
>Clyde

Tim Fisher
Ore-ROCK-On!
Email address at http://OreRockOn.com