See note on bottom about the links


With the goal of finding a source vein (and to get a little traditional rock hounding in), I was out the door by 4am, timed to meet the dawn on Finney Creek. The Forest Service web site still lists Finney Creek road (FS 17) as blocked by a landslide at 7.5 miles in, as it was the last time I went up there. However the way is now clear. My plan was to investigate an apparent ophiolite about 13.7 miles down FS 17. The particular unit of interest is described as a garnet amphibolite with rare eclogite....and is situated such that the glacier would have cut across it distributing any jadeite within the unit along Finney Creek. I was just hoping to find a piece of the eclogite. If possible, after that, I was planning to continue prospecting up Segelsen pass (FS 18), and then the Swede Heaven area, then Deer Creek Oso,etc. My First stop along the way, past the landslide, was FS 1715, across Finney Creek heading back down. I was looking for access points to the creek. First I drove the length of the road which ended at Clendene Creek, a washout they obviously don't plan to repair. There is posted a mineral claim there, not for jade, but for placer gold. A quick snoop following Clendene down to Finney proved the area unsuitable for casual rockhounding, at least while the creeks are so high. So I turned around and went up an unmarked road that headed west, it ended a bit before Chute Creek at an out-crop of quartzitic greenschist that has been quarried. So I turned around again and went back to 1715 and the bridge that crosses Finney. Here there is easy access to the creek and some gravel bars. I spent about half an hour down on the bar, but found nothing but serpentinite. The serpentinite there is a very pretty green with lots of black, often fairly hard, weathering unevenly. The inside is just an ugly black/green on small fractures...and it is everywhere. I have read that some contain good jade (inside or outside), but I doubt it. Even if that were so, what a waist of time breaking them to look for it! I did find one once on a trip last year that was jade, but I know Finney has better stuff, so I still say don't waist your time.


So back to FS 17 and up to the next bridge across Finney. I decided not to check up Gee point as I figured it to be snowed in, but there are very promising ulramafic units up there (a probable source for the jades). There are very
few places along 17 to casually rock hound as it is very steep. But the area of the bridge is level with the Creek, and offers numerous gravel bars. There were some folks camping at the bridge, and as it was still very early I decided to go for the eclogite first and hit the creek on the way back, as I doubted that I would be able to make it all the way through the Pass anyway. Unfortunately I was only able to go another mile or so before the road was covered in snow. Just short of the target unit. Disappointed, I resigned myself to search the bridge area, choosing to go a respectful distance down stream from the campers who were just getting their day started. The first spot I check, following a little stream, had gravel bars on the other side of the Creek. So I took off my boots and waded across. Once again however I came up empty but for this unknown piece (weathered hydrogrossular garnet), and some massive smoky quartz (which is everywhere). I picked up a few pieces of the serpentinite as well, just on the off chance they were cuttable.



Back across, I drove about 200' down the road and tried again following another stream. This time I stumbled on a very large gravel bar on the correct side of the creek. But again just serp....so much serp. I did pick up a really large quartz boulder that had a lot of orangish red in it for my brother's wall (he was quite pleased with it). Now, deeply disappointed, I vowed not to stop on Finney again for the day and headed back down 17 and East around to Darrington. I toyed with the idea of looking for Aaron's site, but decided that, gas and time being an issue, my time was better spent going to locations I was aware of. I decided to shoot for an area of rodingization in a unit above Deer Creek (on the east side about parallel where the creek crosses the faults), the same kind of unit that I believe the source of the Deer Creek jade is located, along that fault. Unfortunately the DNR road to the area was gated and I did not have the time or energy for a long hike. So I resigned myself to search the creek at the same location as last trip in Oso. First I ate lunch then headed down to the creek which was much higher than last time (spring, go figure). I don't feel that I found much this time. I think my heart was no longer in it. Just as last time my spray bottle broke while I was searching this area. By the way, definitely don't lick the rocks around Oso. You can smell the septic tanks. I got rocks, but no "Aha!" pieces. Just the standard suspects, but a couple of good ones.


I still had time for a plan "C". Having recently gone through my collection, I noted that I didn't have much to show for Pilchuck Creek. I had hit Pilchuck early in my jade career, and so couldn't say for sure what it had to offer. Now with more experience, I might be able to find something good. The place I hit last time on Pilchuck was at the confluence of Bear Creek (another noted locality). So I hit it again. There were some other folks there as well, just leaving. And another couple sunbathing. Its a really nice area with lots of swimming holes, very popular. I started my search at the point where the creeks meet. First I noticed the rodingite, very similar to Grandy Creek, but more weathered, and not as common. Then I noticed the rock hound sign, you know, broken rocks and piles of the usual suspects, left behind. (garneirite,serpentinite,etc) I picked up one such piece they left behind that I believe is jade. I also found two rindy pieces (not good stuff, don't bother with it or just break it there to make sure), as well as blueish-grey serpentinites and the usual suspects that tended toward jade and curious browns, but no "Aha!" pieces. However, I did pick up a consolation prize . As I was set to leave I noticed another couple had arrived and were shoveling and screening the gravels across the creek from me. So this area is a rock hound mecca! And thus picked over. I off loaded my finds...



...and decided to wade up Bear Creek, as its banks are overgrown and thus less appealing to the casual rock hound. I didn't go too far as I was running out of time. I didn't find much, but did find one "Aha!" piece in the creek (There wasn't much in the way of gravel bars). Contenting myself with that, tired and disappointed, I decided to just pack it in and go home. It was about 3:30 and I had promised to be home for dinner. Not too far down the road I spotted a turn out with a trail and at the last moment pulled in. What the heck, just a quick look for the next trip! Across the street was an access point for the ORV park, and the trail on the creek side of the road proved to be an overgrown motor bike path. I followed it a ways until it ran parallel with the creek. At that point I decided to just scramble down the steep bank (about 20', but navigable) hoping this out-of-the-way spot might prove Pilchuck's worth. The Creek below was fairly wide with giant boulders but few gravelly areas. Along the bank I immediately noticed a translucent green jade, of typical Pilchuck color. I also noticed some blackwall rodingite. In the middle of the creek there was a small gravel island, and seeing as how I was already muddy and wet I waded over. There, in the creek by the bar was a 22 pound boulder of green nephrite with brown (nephrite) spots! Aha! It appears to be mostly opaque to sub-translucent. Not really rindy at all and thus has the "springy" trait of jade. I yipped. Then splashed around looking for more. Wedged in between two huge boulders I found this, looking a bit like a garnierite, but not. Altho it is probably not cuttable it is very good green jade. A hint of what can be found. So that's how you do Pilchuck: below the confluence of bear creek, wading, searching in the creek. Happy, I packed out my jade and went home.

Total trip time from Bellingham: 12 1/2 hours. $10 gas. 1 awesome rock, a few decent pieces and a lot of Junkite.


(The charger to the camera I use is lost, so I only took wet shots of some of my finds, the links here are to Photobucket, but I will be posting some on the wiki proper later. In Photobucket you can view larger pictures, zoom, etc and leave comments on each shot...just go to the main view and click on the pic you want to see...Turns out they are on the main view. Default use to be slideshow, that's what I meant to do...whoops! So click on the pictures to see a larger version, then "full size" or hit slideshow if you care.) Identifications are, of course, preliminary. I reserve the right to re-identify!!!! :-) Take a look at my "Jade" Gallery Pages to see more material from these locations. The links probably appear below. There are several pages with the material scatered about, as well as albums in the normal photo section. FS or NF? Whatever.