Type of material found
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Petrified Reed
Petrified Palm Fiber
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Description of material
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Petrified Reed. This material occurs as float in all shades
of brown. You will be able to recognize it by the reed pattern which shows
good cellular structure. Most of this reed is too porous for cutting.
Good cutting pieces can be found, though, by selecting the darker brown
chunks of solid agate showing fewer reeds than the porous variety. This
reed is found around the westerly side of the butte as well as on the top.
Petrified Palm Fiber. This is a good grade palm
fiber which occurs as
grayish-brown to dark brown pieces. When viewed closely the fiber eyes can
be easily recognized on a break across the fiber grains. To reach this
material, walk up the dirt tracks to the end of the road and then go east
along the side of the butte. Although the palm fiber is not as plentiful as
the reed, it is well worth hunting for, as it cuts into beautiful cabchons.
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Equipment needed
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Rock pick
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How to get there
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Highway 58 from Mojave cuts across vast, level desert
floor interrupted only by the Joshua trees and solitary buttes projecting
skyward. At 8 miles east of Mojave, turn right onto a well-traveled dirt
road. The highway was once located to the south and you will soon cross
what is left of the macadam. Continue to the railroad tracks (1.5 miles),
cross the tracks and take right hand road. Continue for .9 mile. Here a
road branches right to a spot suitable for camping. Follow main road of
Lonely Butte. You can find some root and fiber here. However it is best
to stay on the main road for another .5 mile and then turn left onto dirt
tracks (toward butte). Take it slow and easy going up dirt tracks about .3
mile. Then walk east across small, dry washes. You should be seeing
pieces of reed all around. At the end ofthe dirt tracks is the palm fiber.
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