Garnets near Ely Nevada
Saturday, March 25th, 2006

Location: Garnet Hill is about 5 mile west of Ely on Highway 50.

Collecting:   Garnets in Rhyolite
 
Tools:  Sledge hammers, screwdriver, chisels, backpack/bucket.

Leaders: Jason Glenn (532-4556), Charles Green

 Garnet Hill is a rhyolite flow that contains garnets in small vugs.  Garnets can get up to 1” in size, but the most common are ¼-½”.  The rhyolite is broken up with a sledgehammer and chisel to find garnets.

Plan to meet at 9:30 a.m.  (Utah Time) at Garnet Hill turnoff (north side of highway), about 100 yards before the Keystone Junction turnoff to Ruth, This is about 5 miles from the western edge of Ely city limits, on Highway 50.  This site is accessible with a car.

Directions:  From SLC, take Interstate 80 to Wendover. Exit at Wendover and take US Highway 93 south 120 miles to Ely.  It is about 240 miles and should take 3-4 hours.  From the intersection of Highway 93 and Highway 50, continue straight (west) through Ely on Highway 50 for about 6 miles to Keystone Junction.  About 100 yards before the Keystone Junction intersection, there is a turnoff to the right onto a gravel road.  There is a BLM stating it is the Garnet Hill road.  Continue on the gravel road 1-¾ miles back to the north/northeast following the power lines.  At the next main intersection, turn right to the southeast.  Go about a ½ mile and turn right again.  Conitnue another ½ mile to the top of the ridge.  We will collect in this area.  It is about another ½ mile to the top of Garnet Hill were the there is a picnic area and other collecting has been done in the past.  A 4WD vehicle is only needed for about the last ½ mile of road to the collecting site.

Let me know if you have any questions, or if you want to sign up for the trip.