Columbine Gem and Mineral Society Columbine Gem and Mineral Society is Chaffee County, Colorado's own rockhunting, fossil, artifact, lapidary and earth science club.
Meetings are held the second Thursday of every month in the Meeting Room of the Mount Shavano Manor at 525 West 16th (at J street) in Salida, Colorado and start at 6:30 PM.

Meetings include programs, door prizes and refreshments.
Guests and visitors are welcome.


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Please note that while our meetings are open to the general public, field trips are
limited to Columbine members, plus members of our sister club in Oklahoma and the Pueblo and
 Canon City clubs with which we maintain reciprocal agreements. Often, field trip destinations are
 small, remote areas which limit the number of participants.

Interested members must sign up one month before the trip.

To sign up for a field trip you must be a Columbine Society member and sign up on the field trip
 list at a meeting.

If you do sign up for a trip and can't go - please be considerate and cancel your
reservation by contacting the field trip coordinator.

If you wish to join, please use our
Membership Application Form

Please Note our club liability insurance covers damage to property, 
but not personal injury.  Participation in club sponsored events is at
your own risk.

WHAT TO WEAR Recommendations for all outings: 

1. DO NOT WEAR SHORTS OR SANDALS!
2. Wear Long Sleeve Shirt and Long Pants!
3. Bring lots of Water and a Lunch!
4. Wear a Hat, gloves and Sun Glasses!
5. Bring any medications you  may need!
6. Wear Hiking Boots with ankle support.
7. Bring any and all equipment you may need (shovel etc.)!

Jan 14 Regular Monthly Meeting

Where: Meeting Room at Shavano Manor
Time: 6:30 PM
Guest Speaker: Paul Martin on the metaphysical aspect of stones
In Charge of Refreshments: 
Show & Tell: Members should bring a "special" stone of their own
Feb 11 Regular Monthly Meeting

Where: Meeting Room at Shavano Manor
Time: 6:30 PM
Guest Speaker: 
In Charge of Refreshments: Linda Colling and Nancy Drennan
Show & Tell: Fossils
Mar 11 Regular Monthly Meeting

Where: Meeting Room at Shavano Manor
Time: 6:30 PM
Guest Speaker: John Huggins will be speaking on meteorites
In Charge of Refreshments: Donna Curtis
Show & Tell: Brazilian Minerals
April 8 Regular Monthly Meeting

Where: Meeting Room at Shavano Manor
Time: 6:30 PM
Guest Speaker: Einar & Loni Wulfberg talking about their recent trip to Brazil
In Charge of Refreshments: Lori Denoyer
Show & Tell: Tourmaline
April 24 Field Trip: Baculite Mesa, Pueblo

What: Cretaceous Fossils-ammonites, baculites and clams.
Easy (2x2 vehicle)
Sponsor Club: Pueblo
Where: Pueblo Area
Leader: Larry Frank & Einar Wulfsberg
April 24 Field Trip: New Hope Amethyest Claim, Canon City

What: Amethyest.
Moderate (4x4 vehicle helpful)
Sponsor Club: Canon City / Lake George
Where: West of Canon City (Start at intersection of Hwy 50 & 9)
Leader: Dick Lackmond
May 8 & 9 Field Trip: Gold Panning

What: Gold Panning.
Moderate (2x2 vehicle bumpy road)
Sponsor Club: Columbine / Gold prospectors of Colo Springs
Where: Private Claim Point Bar, Wellsville
Leader: Gold prospectors of Colo Springs
May 13 Regular Monthly Meeting

Where: Meeting Room at Shavano Manor
Time: 6:30 PM
Guest Speaker: Bob Carmein

 

"A History of Mine Lighting"

by Bob Carnein

Over thousands of years, miners have used a variety of means to get light into dark corners.  From torches and mirrors to oil lamps, candles, acetylene gas, and batteries, the technology of mine lighting has taken many twists and turns.  Miners' lamps are an interesting collecting sidelight that appeals to those who like the history of mining and technology. 

 

Miners' lamps have also served a secondary function in many mines.  They are useful as indicators of dangerous gases (carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and methant) that are especially common in coal mines but that may also be encountered in other kinds of mining.  The program will look at the history of underground lighting and gas detection, but will stop at the modern era--no electric or batter-powered lighting.

 

If you have examples of old mine lighting, bring them along to share.  Bob will display a part of his collection, which includes most of the basic types.

In Charge of Refreshments: Karen Bertrand
Show & Tell: Peridote, Epidote

May 15 Field Trip: Lake George - PRC Claims

What: Smokey Quartz, Amazonite, Fluorite and Goethite
Moderate (2x2 vehicle bumpy road)
Sponsor Club: Pueblo
Where: Lake George - Pueblo Claim
Leader: Larry Frank / Einar Wulfsberg
May 22 Field Trip: New Hope Amethyst Claim

What: Amethyest.
Moderate (4x4 vehicle helpful)
Sponsor Club: Canon City / Lake George
Where: West of Canon City (Start at intersection of Hwy 50 & 9)
Leader: Kit Kedrich
June 5 40th Anniversary of the Rock Doc Celebration

What: Fellowship, good times & fun
Sponsor Club: Columbine
Where: At the Rock Doc on Hwy 285 in Centerville
Leader: Cindy Peratt
June 5 Field Trip: St. Peter's Dome

What: apatite, sphene, zircon, amazonite, fluorite, quartz, pink feldspar.
Sponsor Club: Pueblo / Columbine
Where: Colorado Springs Hwy 24 & 21st Street East of the Springs
Leader: Einar Wulfsberg / Larry Frank
June 10 Regular Monthly Meeting

Where: Meeting Room at Shavano Manor
Time: 6:30 PM
Guest Speaker: Our speaker on June 10 is Chris Marchase.  He will be speaking on the Lesher Dollar and silver mining in the Victor/Cripple Creek area. Also if you want you can mention to the club members if they want to bring any coins to the club I would be happy to offer free ball park estimates of what they have. Christopher  Marchase Colorado Tokens & Rare Coin.

PS. If you get a chance visit, lesherdollars.com.  This is one of my WebPages and it will give you an idea what my presentation is about.  
In Charge of Refreshments: Toni Williams
Show & Tell: Rhodochrosite

June 12 Field Trip: Saguache Area

What: geodes, chalcedony & agates
Moderate: 2x2 Ok
Sponsor Club: Columbine
Where: East of Saguache
Leader: Stan Love
June 20 Field Trip: Mount Taylor

What: Mine Tailings, quartz, sulfides, copper & silver ores.
Difficult 4x4 Only
Sponsor Club: Canyon City
Where: Mount Taylor
Leader: Kit Kedrich
July 8 Annual Society Picnic and Silent Auction

What to bring:  A covered dish to share - Chicken, drinks and tableware are provided.
Also please bring donations for the silent auction
Where: Centennial Park, Salida (at the shelter on the west side of Salida Hot Springs Pool)
Time: 6:00 PM
July 11 Field Trip: Mount Antero

What: Aquamarine, Phenakite, Quartz & Fluorite
Very Rough & Difficult 4x4 Only elevations of 12,000 - 13,500 feet
Sponsor Club: Columbine
Where: Mount Antero
Leader: Ralph Eyler
July 17 Field Trip: CANCELLED 

July 25- Aug 1 Chaffee County Fair

Where: Chaffee County Fairgrounds in Poncha Springs.
Leader: Fred Jackson 539.3930 - volunteers needed for booth set up and take down,
and for the "decorate a rock" contest.  We need small rock specimens for give-a-ways.
 Aug 7 Field Trip: Hartsel Blue Barite

What: Blue Barite
4x4 with Good Clearance
Sponsor Club: Columbine
Where: Hartsel
Leader: Stan Love
Aug 12 Regular Monthly Meeting & Field Trip

Where: Poncha Pass for Agate
Time: TBA
Aug 12-15 Contin-Tail Show

Where: Buena Vista Rodeo Grounds
Time: 9am to 5pm
Aug 11 Field Trip: Mount Antero

What: Aquamarine, Phenakite, Quartz & Fluorite
Very Rough & Difficult 4x4 Only elevations of 12,000 - 13,500 feet
Sponsor Club: Columbine
Where: Mount Antero
Leader: Ralph Eyler
Sept 9 Regular Monthly Meeting

Where: Meeting Room at Shavano Manor
Time: 6:30 PM
Guest Speaker: 
In Charge of Refreshments: Sheila Moore
Show & Tell: Topaz
Sept 11 Field Trip: Sedalia Mine

What: Copper mine tailings, Garnets & Magnetite
2x2 OK if no rain
Sponsor Club: Columbine
Where: North of Salida off Hwy 291
Leader: Fred Jackson
Sept 17-19 Denver Gem & Mineral Show
Sept 25&26 Field Trip: Crampton Mountain

What: Petrified wood, Sanidine, Agate & pegmatites
4x4
Sponsor Club: Canyon City
Where: 
Leader: Jim Meacham
Oct 2 Field Trip: Lake George - PRC Claims

What: Smokey Quartz, Amazonite, Fluorite and Goethite
Moderate (2x2 vehicle bumpy road)
Sponsor Club: Pueblo
Where: Lake George - Pueblo Claim
Leader: Larry Frank / Einar Wulfsberg
Oct 9 Field Trip: TeePee Buttes, Florence

What: Cretaceous marine fossils (ammonites, clams, snails, etc)
2x2 OK
Sponsor Club: Canyon City
Where: Florence
Leader: Jim Meacham
Oct 14 Regular Monthly Meeting

Where: Meeting Room at Shavano Manor
Time: 6:30 PM
Guest Speaker: 
In Charge of Refreshments: Loni & Einar Wulfsberg
Show & Tell: Amazonite
Nov 11 Regular Monthly Meeting

Where: Meeting Room at Shavano Manor
Time: 6:30 PM
Guest Speaker: 
In Charge of Refreshments: John & Betty Schnaderbeck
Show & Tell: Fluorite

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American Federation of Mineralogical Societies
Member of the
American Federation
of Mineralogical Societies
Rocky Mountain Federation of Mineralogical Societies
Member of the
Rocky Mountain Federation
of Mineralogical Societies
Colorado Federation of Gem Mineral Societies
Member of the
Colorado Federation
of Gem & Mineral Societies

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