Part of our new EPIC POCKETS series, we investigate the new "Sunny Side Pocket" which has already yielded over 400lb of crystals! Caleb K explains his discovery and the process to carefully extract these huge specimens.
Nice find. curious if the pockets at Pikes Peak are found near the margins of the batholith or are they found just randomly throughout the granite or granites.
Don't let age stop you. I have a buddy that's been digging in Colorado since the 80's and is almost twice my age and can do circles around me up in the mountains.
Try driving up Pikes Peak toll road and parking near Glenn Cove. You can hike up to the base of the cliffs and look for topaz and smoky quartz. Also try Rampart Range road near Woodland Park. The rocky cliffs that overlook highway 24 are accessible from Rampart and they have yielded up to footlong smokies or larger (also excellent quality). The collecting areas in Lake George are plentiful (but there are many claims). If you can make it to Devil's Head north of Woodland Park there are many collecting zones and great minerals. There is a book called Colorado Rockhounding, where you can find maps and information about collecting all over the state. I would recommend that as a good starting point. Beware that the information may be outdated and mining claims are always changing.
I know almost nothing about crystals, so a couple of questions. 1. About how much are each of those worth, what's the value range? Also when you are surrounded by crystals like that, do you notice any difference in your brain function?
+Rising Moon They are worth anywhere from $5 to $1500, depending on the size and quality of the crystals. I notice a feeling of great satisfaction of locating the crystals. I can't say definitively if there is any change in 'brain function' other than happiness. :)
