Black Mountain

- Dog Day Options

The Plan

It’s August. It’s hot. I’m feeling a bit purposeless and maybe a tad on the plump side. And there I am, stalking the refrigerator. In moments like these, what I need is an outdoor adventure—something to stretch my legs, fill my lungs with fresh air, and set new expectations. Time to escape to the cooler, thinner mountain air.

There’s a remote mountain, 70 miles west of here, accessible by:

• 25 miles of pavement
• 40 miles of dirt road
• about 5 miles of matted-down sagebrush trail

This mountain:

• towers 1,000 feet above the desert floor
• peaks at around 8,000 feet above sea level
• offers grand vistas, springs, and desert wildlife
• is more isolated than the tourist-filled mountains farther west

It’s not just the breathtaking views; there’s interesting geology too:

• Earth’s oldest rocks intruded by young volcanic formations
• Phonolite, soda trachyte, alkali meta trachytes, and latite abound
• A pegmatite with spodumene and fluorapatite nearby

Why am I still staring into the refrigerator? Black Mountain, here I come!

4 PM — Action

There’s no time for a full-blown expedition. Just enough time to toss a few essentials in the truck: ultraviolet lamp, battery, headlamp, map, camera, hammers, rock bag, and water bottle—

And some food. It won’t take long; I’ve already mapped out the fridge.

If all goes as planned, the sun will set as I arrive. After hunting fluorescent rocks, I’ll kick back, enjoy the stars, and tough it out. Somebody’s got to do it, right? LOL

5 PM — The Trail

I’m on the road again. Decades ago, I worked this part of Wyoming as an exploration geologist. It was my first professional job after graduating from college. The topography, the smell of sagebrush, and the road dust bring back old memories.

So much time has passed! My children are now older than I was back then. Until a year ago, my oldest son was driving the same pickup truck I bought new while working that first job.

- What A View!

Thirty miles later, not a single vehicle in sight. But it wasn’t always this way. Three decades ago, this area was a hotbed of activity. Now, all that’s left are memories and some reclaimed land.

Navigating the backcountry—crossing bogs, small spring-fed creeks, and jagged, rocky ridges—I feel energized. I arrive at Black Mountain before sunset. Perfect!

- I’M Feeling 250 Feet Tall

8 PM — The Pegmatite

Now, where’s that pegmatite? I can’t get there with my four-wheel drive, so hiking along this mountain ridge is the way to go. It’s exhilarating. My:

• heart pounds
• lungs work double-time in the rarefied air
• and at golden hour, it’s glorious

Yes, even during the dog days of summer, life is good.

A small exploration pit blasted into a low outcrop marks the pegmatite. This was a common exploration method in the early 1900s before more refined prospecting methods were invented.

Unfortunately, there’s nothing interesting in the pit. This pegmatite is small, truncated by erosion to the west, and frankly, it’s disappointing.

Dave Mark, a geologist and friend, visited this location in the mid-70s, bringing back some samples of pinkish-purple spodumene found in a draw below the outcrop. I had planned to scope it out back then, as I was more mineral-focused, while he was energy-focused. Ah, the oil exploration adventures he had in Saudi Arabia—what stories he told!

- Black Mountain Spodumene

Though I find some gray opaque spodumene and schorl tourmaline in that same draw, what’s exposed in this pegmatite:

• lacks significant zoning
• has poorly defined exposed crystals
• and presents a macroscopic hodgepodge of minerals

From a collecting perspective, it’s disappointing. Many Wyoming pegmatites are like this; it’s as if they solidified before they had a chance to differentiate.

9 PM - The Night

It’ll only take about 30 minutes to explore this pegmatite with my ultraviolet lamp. If I wait till it’s dark enough, I’ll have to spend the night here—it’s too steep and dangerous to drive off this mountain at night.

But I could explore the pegmatite now, in the twilight. There’s still too much light to see any subtle fluorescence. If I find brighter glowing rocks, I’ll:

• stay
• enjoy the stars unobstructed by moonlight
• and relish the desert night

If not, I’ll:

• get off this mountain before dark
• visit the rattlesnake hills a dozen miles away
• and still enjoy the stars and the desert

So, it’s back to the truck. Get the lamp. And back to the pegmatite. Another glorious walk down the ridge and back—hardly an inconvenience.

- Typical Green Glow

A cursory inspection reveals the usual uranium ion-activated coatings. The colors are deeper green and much less intense than those on Casper Mountain. I’ve concluded most Wyoming locations have green glowing rocks.

- Schorl On Albite And Quartz. Albite Fluorescing A Dull Red

The feldspars and their admixtures have a dull red-pink fluorescence. Nothing unusual. So, I’m off this mountain.

10 PM - The Wind

Man, it’s dark and very windy. Definitely not the nice night I was hoping for.

It’s howling at 50 miles per hour. I haven’t experienced wind like this since last winter’s blizzards. It’s moaning, rocking the truck, and is the only sound I hear.

If it were September instead of August, I’d be in trouble, as this wind would be the precursor of an early fall, life-threatening blizzard. It might snow here this time of year—but just a dusting. Nothing to worry about.

11 PM - The Rattlesnakes

The stars are fantastic. There’s no moon and not a single beam of light for 50 miles. The black rocks absorb light from my headlamp, making the night seem even darker and the stars more brilliant.

There are two trails leading to a single, rocky creek crossing that separates me from the Rattlesnakes. But I can’t find either the trails or the crossing in the dark. It’s been too long ago, and tracks are overgrown near the creek. What to do? I won’t be exploring the Rattlesnakes tonight using the truck.

12 AM - The Night

Yet, the night is still young. Let’s get the lamp out and explore the outwash material around the creek.

The usual uranium stuff glows green, lighting up chalcedony and fracture/joint fillings in other rocks. But several pieces of volcanic debris light up with a dull red-magenta glow. One small, highly altered piece glows orange. Hmmm… maybe there’s some potential there.

- Fluorescent Volcanic Float

1 AM - Outa Here

My headlamp batteries are dead. Now I’m stumbling around with the ultraviolet lamp’s dull purple glow. It’s not much help. If I fall, I’ll probably break either the plastic case or the very expensive UV bypass filter on the lamp. Or worse. It’s time to pull the plug, get back to the truck, and have breakfast in town.

4 AM - Casper

Beautiful sunrise! My memory goes back to earlier times when I got up before sunrise and commuted 60 miles to work. Watching the sunrise was an integral part of those mornings.

Although my rock bag is empty, my spirit is full. I’ve been revived.

When young and working out here, I measured success by the ‘how much.’ But with my gray hairs, I’ve acquired a new perspective. It’s enough to just be.

That creek still needs crossing, and I’m sure more adventures lie beyond it. So, someday, I’ll be back.

Looking Back

I’m still looking forward to that someday. Since then, I’ve visited many other places, taking me far from Black Mountain. Along the way, I’ve replaced that four-wheel-drive truck with something more suitable for South Florida.

Now I’m back, but I lack a way to get out there. I don’t want or need a second vehicle, but I might replace my car with a Tesla pickup when available—if someone twists my arm.

Until then, I’ve thought about getting an adventure motorcycle, but I’m not sure where to strap on the pick and shovel.

Update

My ex-partner got the South Florida car, and now I have something more suitable—an SUV. So, it’s game on for the Rattlesnakes again after all these years.

Since I originally wrote this, those volcanic intrusions have been prospected and drilled for their low-grade gold potential. That activity has probably exposed some very interesting material in the hillsides and roadcuts. Plus, there are a few amazing isolated camping spots and unique outcrops nearby.

And now, unlike in the past, I can get there. Stay as long as I please. Enjoy it as my authentic self. I own my life and, more importantly, my time again. My life has been rebooted. And I’m making up for lost time. Somebody has to do it. LOL

Cheers,
D 🪨🔥

8-8-04