Treasure Hunt on a Volcano




Jeff heads out across a cornice atop the La Sals, a range of extinct volcanoes near Moab, Utah.

 


Carnivorous snow claims another victim every five minutes.
Though it can be heart wrenching to watch a loved one being consumed,
the best course of action is to sit on a nearby log and enjoy the spectacle...



As we climbed into the thin air, we were forced to leave

behind those who were too hindered by heavy reading

materials...

My father, retired petroleum exploration geologist, 

Christopher Kierst, displays the rock he found in his shoe.

Luckily, these deer decided not to attack us.



The view from the top - somewhere above Miners Basin. The National Forest Service barricaded the old mine
road, left it off the maps and changed the name from Gold Basin to Miners Basin. My dad calls this
"lying on maps," I call it an opportunity for adventure. Through the trees, you can see the switchbacks
of the 40-year-old road highlighted by snow.
We skipped the switchbacks and slid down the snow on our descent.



Inching along at 12,000 feet, we stumble up the last

switchback. To get to the drilling site everyday, my dad's

driver had to back the truck up every other switchback.

The hairpin turns were too narrow to drive the three-mile

road forward!



Among the summits, somewhere under the 30 foot cornice

in the foreground is Panama Vent. The vent is the source

of the amethyst crystals we're searching for.



HAMMER TIME! Jeff enthusiastically cracked open

every rock he could get his hands on looking for crystal.



Forty years ago, my dad worked with a team of exploratory miners who drilled core samples from this 12,000
foot peak. His foot rests on the drilling head. They didn't find the minerals they were drilling for and we
didn't find the amethyst we searching for, but we did find adventure and a great way to celebrate Father's
Day and my dad's retirement.

 



We found these rocks on our way up the mountain.

The blue-green color indicates the presence of copper

in the stones and that we are approaching the vents at

the top of the extinct volcano.