[Rockhounds] Yellow Cat Flat, Utah, recent visit

[Jay Bates]

Bob, when I was there last fall almost all the agate after barite was 
gone. Someone or maybe many someones had cleaned it all out. Beside a 
few scraps I only found one nice piece of red agate wood there.  I was 
aware of your trip report before I went and I am sure so were others. 
This area has become very well known after the article in Rock and Gem 
and the spectacular pictures of Yellow Cat wood in that recent book 
published on petrified woods. Those pictures in that book really opened 
some eyes about how spectacular Yellow Cat wood can be and many have 
made the trip. I see your bunny rabbit also. Mine looks like a blow 
fish. Jay

Bob Loeffler wrote:
> Hi Alan and list,
>
> Our club has gone there the last three years and we found tons of the red
> agate after barite in 2007.  I wasn't on the trip last summer.  Here are
> some of the pictures. Each trip has a few pages of pictures:
>
> 2008 trip: no pictures
>
> 2007 trip: http://www.peaktopeak.com/njeffco/2007/yellowcat/yc07_1.php
> The agate after barite specimen in the 4th picture on page 2 reminds me of a
> bunny rabbit laying on his back with its head facing to the left and all of
> his arms/legs sticking up a little.  Anyone else see it, or is that just my
> brain going crazy?
>
> 2006 trip: http://www.peaktopeak.com/njeffco/2006/yellowcat/yc06_1.php
> - Giant petrified log on page 2.
> - Dinosaur bone in rock on page 3.
>
> Regards,
>
> Bob Loeffler
> BobL at peaktopeak.com
> Field Trip Chairman and Webmaster
> North Jeffco Gem & Mineral Club (Arvada, CO  USA)
> http://www.peaktopeak.com/njeffco/index.php
>
> Webmaster and Asst. Dealer Chairman
> Denver Gem and Mineral Show
> http://www.DenverMineralShow.com
>
> Check out the largest Colorado Rockhounding website at:
> http://www.peaktopeak.com/colorado/index.php3
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: rockhounds-bounces at lists.drizzle.com
> [mailto:rockhounds-bounces at lists.drizzle.com] On Behalf Of Alan Silverstein
> Sent: Tuesday, April 21, 2009 5:03 PM
> To: rockhounds at lists.drizzle.com
> Subject: [Rockhounds] Yellow Cat Flat, Utah, recent visit
>
> How many of you have rockhounded at Yellow Cat Flat in Utah?  OK, that's
> what I thought, you can put your hands down now...
>
> This is a huge area (miles across) of Morrison formation exposures north
> of Moab.  It starts about 7 gravel miles south of I70 exit 193 (note,
> they renumbered the exits a few years ago), between Crescent Junction
> (the NW entrance to Moab) and Cisco (the NE entrance).  A lot of the
> skyline to the south is the Manti La Sal mountains, and to the right of
> them, the Entrada sandstone of Arches National Park.  I'm pretty sure
> Yellow Cat's bluffs resulted from the same uplift that exposed the
> Entrada -- just based on observation.
>
> Anyway, I've been there numerous times over the years, mostly returning
> to a few favorite spots to hunt for tumbling material...  Agate and
> carnelian mostly.  Years ago, half a mile west of the "big tire at the
> main junction," you could still find "agate after barite", sprays of red
> square-cross-section agate in roundish shapes 1-2" across, but they are
> pretty rare now.  Hunted to extinction I guess.
>
> I spent the night camped there two weeks ago (April 7), and did some
> rockhunting on April 8.  It was cool, clear, and pretty between major
> cold fronts.  To my surprise, there was a water tank truck jacked up on
> stilts near the main junction, and a lot of truck traffic (various
> types) going by until well after dark, and starting again before
> sunrise!  From some signs, it appears they are drilling an oil or gas
> well miles further down the road.
>
> This time before leaving the area, I explored further south and east.
> I'd read of people finding rare gemmy-red "Yellow Cat petrified wood"
> down that way.  To my surprise, I discovered a site rich with white to
> brown, opaque to translucent, chunks of opalized wood.  Nothing too big,
> mostly under a pound.  But it was fun to find that place for myself; I
> had no idea it was there.
>
> Back at home, doing a little web research, it appears this is well-known
> to some people.  They talked about "going back to the white/gray wood
> site."  Oh well, so much for pioneering.
>
> FYI some photos of the area start here, if you want to see them:
>
>   http://silgro.com/photos/090407-13_Utah/0407-8_YellowcatFlat/
>
> The yellow thing on the roof of my car was a kayak.
>
> Cheers,
> Alan Silverstein
>