Was able to pull off some winter prospecting this month!  Typically rockin’ season doesn’t start here in the Colorado Rockies until April timeframe, sometimes a bit later when the snow is all melted and the ground good and thawed. But this winter is a little different and I have been out prospecting several times since early February already! Yes, there is snow to contend with, but not enough to keep me indoors!

I was able to hit three different spots so far this winter.  All three spots had snow, but there was enough good southern exposed area to have limited snow and somewhat thawed ground.

The first prospecting trip I found signs of quartz and feldspar leading up a hill and followed it.  In several cases I found signs of other digging; good news is I was on the right trail; bad news I was on it after others were…but the signs were good and I suspect there are other areas to check out, so chalk this area up to needing another trip!

The second place I started finding some float about 6 inches under the surface. Heading uphill I was able to find several cool crystals (and many more quartz with faces) so I feel confident they did float downhill; but I haven’t found the source yet. Either the original pocket was above present day ground, or there is more searching to do.  I’m trusting the latter will yield results and plan to hit this spot again this spring.

The third area was one I have visited before, before long I was back into the pocket mud which was very sticky and messy!  I found some neat fluorite crystals and some rather odd and interesting quartz.  None of these have been properly cleaned but will show you the parallel growth and unique crystal clusters.

Got my itch to do some prospecting early this spring which was fun!  Look forward to heading up again here soon, hopefully!  Spring has not yet arrived!