UPDATED INFO: Stoddard Wells Rockhound Tailgate Show and Field Trip for Tri-Color Marble

9:00 AM, Saturday, September 25, 2021

On Saturday, September 25, 2021 , we’ll be headed to Stoddard Wells, CA, near Apple Valley. This outdoor rock show, which runs Sept. 24-26, is sponsored by the Victor Valley Gem and Mineral Club. It’s the 45th Annual Stoddard Wells Rockhound Tailgate. Hours: 9 AM  – 5 PM daily.

Free event, everyone is welcome! FREE Vendor Spaces, dry camping, restrooms available. First come, first served. All donations welcomed. Handcrafted jewelry, cabs, slabs, rough, and more. Breakfast and lunch available. NO saving spaces or competing with VVGMS’s fundraising activities – i.e. food, drinks, grab bags, spin the wheel or auctions. Rain or Shine!! For the show itself, it’s especially important to follow “Tailgate” signs to the show site, as the meetup location for the fieldtrip is 1/2 mile away.

Saturday field trip 9:30 – 11:30 AM is slated to target tri-color marble. Meet at Tailgate location per map and instructions below at 8:45 am. 4WD is required.
Must RSVP to field trip leader, Rex, at rexch8@yahoo.com with the subject line “Tailgate field trip.”

Tri-Color Marble photos above courtesy of PLS member Rex N.

Directions:

From I—15 Northbound towards Barstow:
Hwy 15 North THRU Victorville! EXIT at 2nd Stoddard Wells Rd at BELL Mtn. (EXIT # 157). Turn Left/East at Ramp STOP sign. STAY on Stoddard Wells Road 4 mi. until next STOP sign at Dale Evans Pkwy. Observe “Tailgate” signs high on NW corner power pole. Check Odometer here! Continue Straight on Stoddard Wells Rd. 7 miles to “Tailgate”.  Road becomes a graded dirt road about 4/10 mi. from the Dale Evans Pkwy intersection. Proceed East/NE past “Grange” fork to “Tailgate” site. Cars & RVs can make it w/ease & care; go slow and watch out for potholes. Please look for “Tailgate” signs along route. Need clarification? Visit https://vvgmc.org/tailgate.html

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Pasadena,+CA+91101/VVGMC+Tailgate,+Apple+Valley,+CA+92307/@34.3692906,-117.7497546,86720m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x80c2c368f3ae0b77:0x12747768f808aadb!2m2!1d-118.1386005!2d34.1427587!1m5!1m1!1s0x80c483099e171ffd:0x8f0470b903f30488!2m2!1d-117.1100043!2d34.6704078!3e0

March 13, 2021 Field Trip to Sidewinder/Ord Mountain

March’s field trip will be a return to the Sidewinder Mountains.  High clearance or short wheelbase vehicles are recommended for this trip. 2wd is okay. Those with passenger vehicles might need to be shuttled when we get close to the collecting sites. We’ll be searching for both tri-color marble (pictured above) and blue marble.  Tri-color marble is a beautiful green, black, and white material and is perfect for yard rock and spheres.  It’s also a good beginner material for making cabochons. We’ll also explore tailings piles in the Ord Mountains for chrysocolla and malachite.  copper minerals

Our last stop will be to the Prime Cut Rock Show in Lucerne Valley.

Please email Rex at rexch8@yahoo.com for updates and additional information.