Finding and transporting Botryoidal Jade in Northern California
Jade Adventures
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California Botryoidal jade hunting is an adventure of a lifetime. We take a helicopter into the totally inaccessible mountains to bring out the finest and rarest of rare California jade. Harsh winters wash out the botryoidal nephrite or jade from the mountainside and expose it for us to find... moreView botryoidal jade products and boulders at California Jade, Botryoidal Jade, Nephrite, River Blossom JadeOur other links: Rockstop.com California Jade online My EBAY store |
| Helicopter prospecting for the “rarest of the rare jades” is an
adventure of a lifetime. We begin our day of excitement on a remote
ridge high in the Trinity alps. The trucks can get no closer to the
magical area we call “Jadeland”. We all eagerly await the distant rumble
of the helicopter. As the sounds of the rotor get closer and closer
everyone watches to get the first glimpse of the chopper. Within moments
the body of the aircraft is silhouetted against the morning sky like a
giant dragonfly. The noise is deafening as the gravity defying beast
comes to rest just in front of us. I myself have never liked flying of
any sort. Now in a twisted deal of fate I am part owner of a ranch that
is accessible only by helicopter or a long and arduous hike, best
described by those who have traversed this gauntlet, as “Killer”. “You
may be able to get out of that gorge but you won't be carrying much jade
by the time you reach any road” Laugh the local natives. We are very
careful not to trespass on neighboring private lands including the
nearby Native American land. Other than the annual erosion, the jade and
the land have remained unchanged for thousands of years. It will remain
the same after our departure as well. We will leave “Not a Trace”.........
After the helicopter lands us in the gorge, our search begins. We look high and low for possible pieces to load into the nets. The massive erosion to the cliffs re-expose an annual supply of fresh stones for us to gather. We carefully examine all candidates for quality. It is very expensive to haul stones by helicopter so we are quite picky about what we haul out. After choosing which stones to remove they are carefully packed in protective material then loaded into the helicopter cargo nets for air-lifting to our awaiting truck beds. As the sun's rays begin to disappear behind the mountaintops the highly skilled helicopter pilot gently places our precious newfound treasure safely into place for transport. Via the winding mountain roads we travel the 5 hour drive to our headquarters. Here is where we will cut and sort the jades to begin the long process of transformation from rough stone to finished product. -Article by Sam Gitchel |
View botryoidal jade products and boulders at California Jade, Botryoidal Jade, Nephrite, River Blossom JadeOur other links: Rockstop.com California Jade online |
