Rosamond Gem Hill Rosamond, CA US Uploaded By Scott (webmaster) Uploaded on Thursday, June 17, 2010 at 09:10:03 PM Viewed 22694 times |
Details | Directions |
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These are what you can find according the reference. For more details and what tools to use go to the website: http://www.highdesertinsider.com/html/gemhill.htm | Go the website for map and directions. Here is what the website says: "Go north on Highway 14 passing through Palmdale and Lancaster. Continue 11 miles to Rosamond/Edwards A.F.B. exit. Turn left on Rosamond Blvd. and proceed 3.6 miles to turnoff marked by sign Tropico Gold Mine. (Nearly opposite 55th St West.) Turn right here for .8 mile to entrance to Burton's Tropico Gold Mine. (Don't bother stopping. Several years ago the insurance rates in California went out of sight causing the mine tours to stop. The current residents at the mine don't like uninvited visitors and do not hesitate to call the Sheriff.) This can prove to be an interesting side trip. Tours are offered of a gold mine which was in operation untill 1958, when it was costing nearly $35 per ounce (the price of gold) to reclaim the gold from the ore. All the mine and processing equipment is still intact and you can tour the mine tunnel, see the "glory hole" and all the machinery used to extract the gold from the ore and make it into gold bullion bars. From the (Mojave-)Tropico, continue on paved road to top of gentle rise. When you reach here, continue on a ways keeping alert for a well traveled dirt road heading due west (to left). This will be 4.7 miles from Rosamond Blvd. (This is the first good dirt road after the low pass opening onto the flat lands.) This road is sometimes marked "Gem Hill Road," and sometimes the signs are down. Follow Gem Hill Road .7 mile, turn left and proceed toward hills. Go approximately .3 mile up the road and park, as the road becomes quite rough farther on. Walk up the road to the green opal vein on right. The road continues to the top of the hill where you will find the blue agate vein. The agate-nodule-bearing basalt may be found all around the top of this hill. The petrified wood occurs in the hills to the east, past the road's end. Jasp-agate is found in float over the entire area." |