| BLACK DAM,
N.M. - Geodes |
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February 12, 2007 The Roving Rockhounds gathered at Verla’s Border Rock Shop at 8:30 Monday morning. There was not an “official” field trip leader for this area but Dave Millis volunteered to take us to the various collecting locations around Lordsburg as he had done in past years. Our first field trip was to be to Black Dam in the Coronado National Forest for geodes. There was some discussion in the group whether this area had been closed to collecting because of recent incidents with Mexicans crossing the boarder and drug runners. After checking with the U.S. Boarder Patrol and informing them of our plans, they gave us the go ahead. We took I-10 West to Exit #11 and headed South to Animas and a spot in the Forest very near the Mexican border. There were about 10 vehicles and close to twenty rockhounds in our group for this trip. We all spread out to look for the elusive Black Dam Geodes. (I never did see a “Dam” but I did see a water tank.) Herb Macy and his brother Hobert busied themselves collecting busted geode halves which they sell in their rock shop back in Oklahoma as “air plant” containers for $10 each. By the looks of it, Herb and Hobert had a fortune in the back of their truck by noon. After lunch everyone returned to geode hunting in the hills and valleys West of our parking area. Around 3PM everyone but Bob Merrill was back and packing to head back to town. After waiting for some time for Bob, we decided to split up into groups of threes with our walkie-talkie radios and scourer the countryside. Bob finally showed up an hour later from his “walk-a-bout” exploring new areas for geodes. Thankfully, he was alright and a call was sent out for everyone to return for a caravan back to town. |
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 Lining up at the rock shop for our first trip our of Lordsburg. |
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 The long dirt road into the Black Dam area of the Coronado National Forest in far southwestern New Mexico. |
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 View of the surrounding area at Black Dam. The mountains off in the distance are located in Mexico. |
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 Another couple of views at Black Dam. |
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 You can see the small busted pieces of geodes on the ground in the above picture. You have to hike a good distance to get into an area which has not been picked over. |
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 Close
up of the ground showing several small geodes. This area was
famous for very large geodes but it has been picked over to
the
point where large ones are very hard to come by.
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 Black Dam parking. |
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 Herb
Macy and his brother Hobert busied themselves collecting busted geode
halves which they sell in their rock shop back in Oklahoma as
“air
plant” containers for $10 each. [Judy and Bill
Ruddick pictured on the right.]
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 By the looks of it, Herb and Hobert had a fortune in the back of their truck. |
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