Customer Reviews

Gem Trails of Northern California

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have only been to three of the many locations mentioned in the book and found the gems that where mentioned. all and all it's a good book with easy to find places.

Mitchel's "Gem Trails of Northern California" is detailed and specific and is also amazingly up to date. I have visited 5-6 of the locations already with good success at finding the gems he says should be able to be found there. Of course, when I look at older editions of his books and realize how many MORE good gems were available for the collecting 30 years ago, it makes me wish I'd gotten into Rockhounding years ago!

James Mitchell has created a good guide to trails and gems of Northern California. This guide has a lot of locations to go to and the maps are very good. The author also notes historical information to many locations that make the places interesting. There are many black and white photos as well as colored pictures of gems and rocks the author has found to help you identify different stones. I live near quite a few of the locations and have found the information in the book very useful. Not only can you get a good idea of what gems you can find in certain locals but you can get a sense of the history and do futher looking in local museums and other landmarks that the author recommends in different places.

The guide also has lists of tools to use for the beginner and warnings of locations such as certain places might be impossible in winter, or scorching hot in the summer so you can get an idea of how to prepare or plan for an excursion.

All in all this book has a lot of useful information about different places in Northern California and includes really good maps of each place and landmarks to look for. If you want to get out and hike around and maybe find some really neat rocks such as jade, quartz, obsidian, agates, crystals, serpintine and even fossils you can check out this book for a lot of useful information. There are many listings of places and the types of rocks that can be found at each location. This author has provided a very useful tool for places to go. Many areas are easy to get to but the locations do vary. This is a book you can use for a long time to come if you are interested in the history and places in Northern California to hunt for rocks and get out for a nice hike in some beautiful country.

I bought this book for my wife, who likes to rock hound.This book gives good locations and great directions!The maps are easy to read and the mileage is written in.This Author gives history background to some locations which is interesting to know.James Mitchell has by far the best locals,directions,easy to find and kinds of materals listed all in this book.Thanks James, looking forward for more areas to explore in your new books to come,keep them simple!Thanks from one Rock Hound to another.

The book was well written, but I was disappointed that it covered every area but the one we were going to. Calavaras County was like a black hole. The only reference to the area was in the back where it listed the Gem & Mineral Societies. The one for Angel's Camp was a PO Box and even the people at the rock shop didn't know anything about the group.

This is a great book, i didnt know that there was so many places near my home. I just wish gas would go down so i could go to more of the places it the book.