Hey everybody,
This week I want to talk about the Hauser Geode Beds. The Hauser Geode Beds are located in Imperial County, California. First I want to talk a little on the history of The Hauser Geode Beds. I'm sure Native Americans used material from this area for tools, and weapons, but we're going to start with the earliest modern day history. The Hauser Geode Beds was discovered through stories told by a stage driver who worked for the Butterfield Stage Company which serviced from San Bernadino to the La Paz gold fields in SW Arizona. This driver spoke of hollow rocks filled with crystals of different colors.
Years later in 1937 his son Joel Hauser went in search of these hollow rocks that his father spoke of, and found the present day Hauser Geode Beds Joel Hauser dug these hills for more than twenty years, and this is where my first helpful tip comes in. When exploring this area for your best chance of finding geodes stay to the proven areas. You will see alot of hills that look like they would be full of geodes, what your actually looking at are sixty year old tailings piles left by Hauser, which are just full of broken pieces of geodes. The Hauser Geode Beds are now under BLM ( Bureau of Land Management ) jurisdiction, and not open to new claims, this also means commercial collecting is not permitted, and collecting is limited to 25 pounds of geodes per day.
Before we get to where the good beds are, we need to talk about safety. This is a very remote area, and should NEVER be visited during the summer months. Your over 15 miles to anywhere, over 20 miles from civilization. Summer temperatures can exceed 125 degrees. The roads leading to the geode beds are rough at best, and should only be attempted in a high clearance vehicle, or 4X4, both is the best idea these washes get really sandy, and is not the place to bring your family car, or mini van, remember you still have to go to work on Monday. Another benefit of staying out of this area in the summer time is that you won't step on a rattlesnake, although if it's early fall, or late spring keep an eye out. As always with off road travel tell someone where you are going, and when you expect to return, and then stay with that trip plan don't deviate. If you don't return on time search groups will know where to look for you. If you break down stay with your vehicle, it's much easier to spot a vehicle from the air than a person. No matter what time of year it is, always carry 1 gallon of water per person, per day of planned excursion. I not talking sports drinks, sodas, or even beer, I'm talking WATER.
The only real geode safety is don't burrow so deep into to side hill that you need a flashlight. This is very unstable ground, because of the fractured rhyolite you shouldn't dig in to the side of the hill more than a foot, and children even less. The top of your hole will cave in just with someone walking by. Don't get buried alive, use common sense, and keep cleaning out your hole which includes knocking the roof down every 12 inches.
All right, the first area of the Hauser Beds that I will discuss is the actual area that Joel Hauser mined. This area is best accessed from Hwy. 78 about 8 miles south of Palo Verde, California. Turn west when you get to Milipitas Wash follow about 10 miles, or so, and there will be a BLM sign on your left at your turn. Just follow the tracks to a big wash, and your there. Here is a GPS reading to help you out N33 22' 47.58" / W114 59' 33.92". This area rarely produces really large geodes, but the awesome blue centers make up for the size. These geodes range from golf ball size to softball size, the centers are blue, or lavender, and you can find a dozen or so pretty easy if you are willing to dig for a couple hours. If you would like to see a Hauser blue geode look in my photo gallery named treasures found.
The second beds I'm going to tell you about are the Cinnamon Beds. N33 23' 28.94" / W114 59' 3.83" This area offers lots of different colors in the centers, even centers that have quartz, and calcite together, known as SC type geodes. These beds get their name from the orangish / brown color that you can find here, but I've found black centers, calcite cubes, and splashes, even tubular shaped geodes here. It's almost always windy on this hill, so bring your beanie hat in the winter.
Last, but not least are the Potato Patch Beds, which gets its name from the shape of the geodes you can find there. Some are round, but most are oval, the centers are pinks to white. The beds are on the top of the hill on your right as you drive up to this GPS reading N33 23' 17.99" / W114 58' 39.54" , and yes it's worth the climb.
Well I hope you enjoy the Hauser Geode Beds, remember all the safety stuff, and have fun.
Check out this video that The Gold Fever Show just added: http://www.myoutdoorchannel.com/outdoorchannel/blog/media/video/index.one?a=view&vid_id=425665
My next blog is a combination gem, fossil site in Arizona, awesome place.
See you on the trail !
Craig Wiita
