Kenneth L. Graham - Rockhounding Wyoming: A Guide to the States Best Rockhounding Sites

B orn in Wyoming near the southwestern edge of the Black Hills, Ken still considers himself a native. The Old West history came to life at an early age, which contributed to the urge to explore and especially find undiscovered wonders. Black Hills gold lured many colorful characters to the Black Hills, adding to his desire to gain more knowledge of this mysterious connection between rocks and men. Kens search cut a trail through local mines and ghost towns, including work as an underground miner at Homestake Mine in Lead, South Dakota, and then expanded into an international quest. A serious mining accident created a career change from underground mining to writing. As time marched on, a new perspective on mining presented an opportunity for Ken to attend Montana Tech at Butte, Montana, resulting in a Mining Engineer degree. This opened more new doors to explore previously unseen minerals and metals of all types. The adventure then expanded to tunnels in places such as the Weehawken Tunnel in New Jersey and the Seymour-Capilano Twin Tunnels in Vancouver, BC. The interest in rocks, minerals, and geology is still very active, with historical information helping to focus on some specifics.

Writing is taking on a more prominent place at this stage of life as his body just cant do what it used to. A novel is in the works. Rockhounding Wyoming is an attempt to share the treasure trail with those who would like to embark on their own adventure. It is hoped that the sites and information shared in this book will help enlighten seekers and provide a little more clarity on what to look for in the geology that surrounds us all.

Currently Ken lives in Craig, Colorado, with his wife Sandy. They still load up and head into the vast expanse all around them at any opportunity. The adventure of the treasure hunt lives on, even if the destiny of old age slows Ken down.

I t has been over twenty years since the first edition of Rockhounding Wyoming became a guide for those with a thirst for adventure and a quest for discovery. Times have changed, but the motivation to seek out the unique and beautiful treasures hidden from the unobservant or unwilling has not. Rockhounding is not a spectator function.

Along with each prize comes a memory of breathtaking landscapes and spine-chilling encounters with bears, rattlesnakes, and other residents of the undeclared wilderness. Each specimen bestows a magical connection to the journey and trials connected with its liberationone that cannot be duplicated by trinkets and souvenirs made in China.

As with the first edition, it is becoming more evident that even fewer individuals are interested in looking for rocks, much less taking the time and energy to unlock hidden values. The beauty is generally acknowledged, but the desire to actively pursue and develop these treasures still falls randomly among many types of people. This book is not meant to be a complete guide, nor a scientific explanation of rocks. It is simply an introduction to a fascinating treasure hunt for those who would dare to follow. It is intended especially for those who manage to break away from the routine of life and chase the rainbow just over the next horizon. Its for those searching for the reality of life without the razzle-dazzle of special-effects filming.

Rockhounding itself has changed even more than the first edition. There are many who are opposed to our treasure hunt. When in high school, not that long ago, I distinctly remember being chastised for seeking agates along streambeds in a campground. The justification for such was defined as preserving these specimens for my grandchildren and great-grandchildren. My wife and I now have eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild who are now all being told that it is for future generations with no definition of when the ban will be lifted. Public access to previous sites has been restricted through litigation and other methods to exclude all but a privileged few. To be sure, some are simply trying to minimize damage to sensitive infrastructure needed to sustain grazing in a harsh land, but most are dominated by overzealous agencies with no obvious oversight on the part of higher management. For example, a site near Encampment is inundated with Private PropertyNo Trespassing signs with Wyoming Game and Fish listed on the poster. Since when did this department gain land as private property? Some have suggested that a few individuals have entered the domain with intentions of making it a personal private resort. Whether this is true or not, the reality is that not everyone within the various departments designated as the protectors of our public lands is in support of our rockhounding.

This book is intended to be self-study course on geological deposits, without all the hard-to-pronounce words. I hope the reader will observe the landscape and with discernment make new discoveries.

Sometimes the joy is in the search itself, especially if it provides an even greater treasure chest at the end of the rainbow.

I n 1874 General George A. Custer explored the Black Hills under orders to find a suitable site for a fort and evaluate the possibility of minable gold. Civilian miners accompanying this military expedition found gold near present-day Custer, South Dakota. As reports of the discovery reached waiting ears in the East, a gold rush to the sacred land of the Sioux began.

The deposits in the Custer area proved insignificant in terms of any profitable quantity. However, as prospectors worked their way north, more significant finds fueled the fire for more searching and the ultimate discovery of what would become the Homestake Mine in the Lead-Deadwood area. During its heyday quantities worth up to $300,000 worth of gold per load was transported to Cheyenne. This of course resulted in an influx of banditssome successful, others notalong with tales of buried treasure along the CheyenneDeadwood road.

There is still gold in the Black Hills, though no mining of any major size is currently active. Panning for the precious yellow metal could still provide some color, but for the most part it is a lot of manual work for very little. However, treasure is not always gold. There are agates and other minerals found nowhere else that are still discovered here. All will take physical labor of various intensities to both discover and then liberate, but when found all is forgiven and the searcher gains more energy to continue.

Mount Rushmore is probably one of the most recognized landmarks in the Black Hills. The monument is carved in granite displaying an awesome representation of four presidents of our great nation. The mountain hosting these sculptures could have been left in an untouched status, but then no one would have the opportunity to share in the unlocked magic and patriotic pride generated by them. In the same way, many of the rocks sought after by rock hounds do not share their real beauty without some sculpting of sorts. Some very ugly specimens hide awesome beauty within that requires special efforts, such as the Teepee Canyon Agates.

In addition to Mount Rushmore, a second massive mountain sculpture is being constructed. An assistant to Gutzon Borglum, the sculptor of Mount Rushmore, answered the call to carve a giant monument dedicated to the Native American. With counsel from Chief Standing Bear of the Oglala Sioux and other leaders, the warrior Crazy Horse was designated as the great hero of choice.

The work began seven years after Mount Rushmore was declared completed and has been labeled as the fifth face. The Crazy Horse sculpture is also known as the worlds largest mountain carving in progress. It is somewhat thought-provoking how an expedition led by General Custer in the Black Hills, a known sacred area for Native Americans, culminated in his defeat at the valley of the Little Bighorn River credited to this great warrior.