Field Trip Report – December 14, 2013

                                                     Red Hill at Salton Sea, and the Bertram Mine

      A beautiful clear day with a bit of a breeze!  We gathered and cleaned lots of Pumice at the Red Hill, and even found some pretty good Obsidian. 

      There were no mishaps traveling to Bertram Siding on the Union Pacific Railroad, and taking Range Road toward the Bertram Mine for the wonderful, elusive Glauberites. 

I guess they are not so elusive, if you find the right spot to dig. Note the photo of Lance and Paula Gillespie with the monster glauberite dug by Paula! 

We all got pretty dusty here with the earth being very dry and the breeze blowing the dirt back in our faces as we were digging! None the less, it was lots of fun, and very exciting to find a pretty glauberite.

       It’s not a complete trip without a stop for refreshments, which most of us did, at the T/A restaurant in Coachella, called “The Fork in the Road.” A very satisfying end for another satisfying field trip.

Submitted by Barbara Catlin