Grand Marais Rock Hunt 2020

[@MichiganRocks]

If you're going to visit this site, please be careful not to trespass. I have received a couple messages from people who live in the area that there have been quite a few trespassers lately. I am on state land in this video. The coordinates are 46.6877614, -85.8972673. Take H-58 to School Forest Road. Cross the Sucker River and turn right onto Deer Lane. Do not take Sandy Lane. Sandy Lane leads to private property. Also be aware that there is a very sandy spot on the way. I could barely get though in my Jeep without putting it into four wheel drive.

[@gayle8153]

I don't know about anyone else, but I could watch you pan over all the multicolored stones being washed by that beautiful clear, cold water for hours! Thanks for letting us go along!

[@MichiganRocks]

I did watch them for hours, three days in a row. It was a good three days.

[@mickihaendiges6359]

Retired as an Ob/Gyn. Your videos have sparked my lifelong love of Rockhounding. You offer a full online education. Thank you, sir! Micki Haendiges. Love it.

[@MichiganRocks]

I don't feel qualified in geology enough to call this an education. I do feel qualified to teach rock tumbling though. I'm better at that than geology. Anyhow, I'm glad you're happy with what I'm doing. I'm having a ball doing it.

[@kellyngrey4950]

I'm from Texas and have never been to the Great Lakes. I really appreciate you taking us along with y'all when you go rock hunting!

[@MichiganRocks]

Thanks for coming along!

[@davidhile5363]

That’s it, I’m going rock hunting in the morning !!! Sadly it won’t be Lake Superior 🙁. Loved the one with the thick band of quartz through the middle. Reminded me of those chocolate cakes you get out of the vending machines with the white filling in the middle. The driftwood roots with the rocks trapped in them and the driftwood with the worm hieroglyphics were awesome. It’s amazing the creations of nature. Again, thanks for taking us and Sam along and for being a good mentor.

[@MichiganRocks]

The driftwood on those Lake Superior beaches is pretty amazing. Some of those are huge trees.

[@pennyhoward3438]

Bless you for sharing with Sam, memories I'm sure he will always remember. Love the rocks, purple one is beautiful.👍👍🙂

[@MichiganRocks]

It's a very light purple, but I'm convinced that it is amethyst. I took it to Karen in Grand Marais at the agate museum. She said that she sees about a half dozen of them come in per summer.

[@AccordionLadyMi]

There is something so soothing hunting rocks and listening to the waves lapping the shore. I am amazed you can identify so many rocks by name. I have found lots of unakite, but never knew the name of it. My daughter and granddaughters and I hunted rocks at Grand Marais two years ago. We probably won't make it to Lake Superior this year. But tomorrow we are going rock hunting near Lakeport State Park on Lake Huron. Nice work, Sam, on finding so many agates. Fran

[@MichiganRocks]

This trip was Sam's first time looking for agates, and he was a natural. I know a few rocks, but I don't consider myself very good at rock identification. I have a video called, "Name that Rock, Lake Superior Edition" that you might like. I show several common rocks that I do know the names of.

[@gwynnfarrell1856]

I think that the details in those little agates give them big agate status. They really are exquisite. Your quartz and something looks like quartz and red jasper, or "quasper", in "Katydidese". 😊

[@MichiganRocks]

I'm not sure that's jasper. I would have guessed rhyolite. But that would just be a guess too. I'll keep my eyes open for some Katydidese though.

[@karenpacker8862]

Congrats Sam on first and more Agates. So many beautiful rocks and beautiful day!!!!

[@MichiganRocks]

Sam definitely a better eye for agates than I do.

[@landjgoff]

I just love your clear, clear water and rocks.

[@MichiganRocks]

I can't take credit for either of those, but I do agree.

[@sherryjohnson4090]

This is the best way to unwind after a long week. Thank you for sharing.

[@MichiganRocks]

You're welcome.

[@merlinjones6485]

Nicest hunt yet! I could spend hours on a beach like that and never get bored. I didnt have anything on my bucket list, but now I do. Have you ever used a small shovel on a beach to uncover some hidden stones. Found my best Petoskey about three inches under beach sand on Lake Michigan. Of course I was discreet and made sure my terrible deed went unobserved. And I did fill the hole back in. The best treasures might lie just beneath your feet!

[@MichiganRocks]

No, I have almost never dug for rocks. I have always felt like my best bet was covering more ground. It seems like you'd have to get really lucky to dig in just the right spot. The best situation, in my opinion is going out right after a big storm. Then the rocks have just been turned over so there's a whole new batch spread out on top to look through. That's hard to do unless you live close or get lucky.

[@medusassnakes70]

I so enjoy your videos. I find them very relaxing and exciting as well. They have the element of, 'you never know what will turn up'.

[@MichiganRocks]

And for that reason, some have better rocks than others. You've got to take the good with the bad, I guess.

[@AmericangypC]

This is the best way to learn about different rocks with the relaxing sounds of the water. Thanks!

[@MichiganRocks]

My pleasure. Really, it was a pleasure to be there. Love that beach!

[@geminirose55]

So many cool rocks... I paint rocks as a hobby and saw so many that would have come home with me, especially those flat boring grey oval shaped ones, basalt maybe?., someday I’ll check out the beaches by Duluth MN towards Thunder Bay, Ontario (once the border reopens and its safe to do so). Thanks for all these videos, I really enjoy your excursions on the beaches of the Great Lakes 😊 .... 🇨🇦

[@MichiganRocks]

Yes, the flat round black or dark gray rocks are basalt.

[@taltos1455]

Let's be honest, the water is cold 365 days a year up there! Thanks for yet again a great video!

[@MichiganRocks]

I was silly enough to bring a wet suit, mask and snorkel. Those all stayed in the Jeep for the three days I was up there. When I'm in my nice, warm house, I have visions of swimming for agates, but it never seems like a good idea when I'm there. I have gone in the water several times the the past, but I'm not sure it was long enough to be considered swimming.

[@taltos1455]

@@MichiganRocks Honestly anyone who goes in Lake Superior past waist deep for at least 10 seconds, even in July, should be considered a true swimming champion.

[@MichiganRocks]

@@taltos1455 For me, the key is putting shampoo in my hair. At that point, you kind of have to go under to rinse it off. I think that got me in on two camping trips. This time I just lived with dirty hair.

[@morganyoubargainedfor]

There’s so much variety at that location. I love it

[@tinkerbellblue5142]

What a beautiful place, thanks for sharing 😊🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@MichiganRocks]

You're welcome. It really is a great beach.

[@mary-anneswanson9931]

Hi Rob , I think it is great that you can pass along your knowledge of rock hunting to Sam . I feel immediately relaxed when I watch your videos . The water ,the beach the rocks and driftwood all make for a fun and calming time :) See you (and I hope Sam too ) next video :)

[@MichiganRocks]

I made several videos on this trip, so Sam will be in them too. I'm really excited for next week's video. It's something that people have been asking me about for a long time.

[@mary-anneswanson9931]

@@MichiganRocks Excellent can't wait :)

[@tonywild6581]

That was a lovely walk along the beach and some some nice finds. Amazing how night the water must go to wash the trees out and the banks away.

[@MichiganRocks]

I've never seen a Lake Superior storm in person, but I've seen videos. When my son was a freshman at Northern Michigan University, this happened. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gJKspn5rot98o6s

[@tonywild6581]

@@MichiganRocks omg, that is unbelievable that the lake could be so powerful. I can see now why the trees get washed out the bank. Thank you for the link. I appreciate that.

[@MichiganRocks]

@@tonywild6581 I enjoyed watching it again. I have been to Black Rocks, so I know just how impressive those waves are. He did a good job of showing a typical day there before the storm. Three people died that day from getting too close.

[@lotsofrocks1905]

It's funny what you mentioned about midway through the video, how you were looking in the wet for bigger rocks and Sam was in the dry looking at smaller rocks and finding all the agates. My girlfriend and I have this same relationship and she has found some real stunners all about almond sized. I'm always looking for the baseball sized and have never found one. (I realize they're super rare) I keep telling myself it will be worth it when I finally do, but her growing jar of littles sure does look pretty!

[@MichiganRocks]

There are several more videos coming from this trip. Sam's total volume of small agates was way more than mine. I have found a lot of little ones in the past though, and I'm ready to find something bigger. As you said, they're very rare, but if you don't look in the big rocks, you'll never find a big agate. I think the key is to split your time between big rocks and small rocks.

[@marsharamsay2793]

Hi Rob Great rock trip. I'm going to be one of those ones that says did he just throw that rock back. I guess as a newbie I would have kept all those rocks to polish but you would tell me that you have a lot of rocks and that you can be more selective in which ones you keep. The young fellow is doing a great job at hunting rocks as well. Thanks again for the trip.

[@MichiganRocks]

Looks like you already know how I'd respond. Thanks for saving me some typing!

[@michaelgibson4019]

Great video! Thanks for sharing. I was at lake superior state campground Monday-Thursday and found 14 agates and a bunch of other neat rocks.

[@MichiganRocks]

I stayed there too, but we didn't do that great on agates, except for the really little ones.

[@michaelgibson4019]

@@MichiganRocks The ones I got were about quarter sized and 1 golf ball sized .

[@MichiganRocks]

@@michaelgibson4019 Those are respectable sized rocks. I am not a skilled agate hunter. I don't live close enough to get much practice. I sure love trying though.

[@michaelgibson4019]

@@MichiganRocks I am new to this myself . I do alot of metal detecting for old coins and float copper. And play with the black beach sand for gold. Next time your in the area give me shout. I have a area that has a ton of agates in the hard rock sticking out everywhere

[@MichiganRocks]

@@michaelgibson4019 I'll do that. I don't have a metal detector because most videos I see, people just find pocket change. I don't see the fun in that. If I live in the Keweenaw, I'd have one already. Float copper would be a blast to find. My sister and her adult kids live in Lake Linden and the surrounding area. My nephew has offered to take me to some gravel road where he finds datolite. I have also panned the black sands for gold. Every year, I bring home some and run it through my homemade miller table. Most years, I don't find much gold, but some years I've found a lot. It's just flour gold so it doesn't amount to much, but it's fun to find.

[@Indyanas_ocean_view]

Those agates were really cool. the one that i found is about the size of a pea. I think that pretty purple stone is amethyst.🥰😍🥰👍

[@MichiganRocks]

I do too. I took it to Karen Brzys at the Agate Museum in Grand Marais. She said that it was amethyst. She said that about a half dozen are brought in to her shop each summer. agatelady.com

[@Indyanas_ocean_view]

@@MichiganRocksawesome. 💜😍🥰😍

[@robertspencer5219]

Love those rocks! I grew up not far from Lake Ontario in upstate NY so the view reminded me of home as well.

[@MichiganRocks]

I've never hunted Lake Ontario. I wonder how the rocks compare to Lake Huron and Lake Superior.

[@robertspencer5219]

@@MichiganRocks I lived near Oswego, NY up to about Pulaski, NY and the rocks look very similar. The beaches I went to were all rock, no sand but I think they do have some sand beaches nearby. So I think you would find almost the same type of stones, still fun to travel and was really fun seeing one of the Great Lakes. I'm down in south Florida now so looking over the ocean gives me that same feeling.

[@MichiganRocks]

@@robertspencer5219 Thanks for the rock info. There is so much Great Lakes shoreline that I have only hunted a tiny, tiny fraction of them.

[@gator83261]

Nice, I like the one with the wide band of quartz as much as an agate. I was north of Duluth, south of the other Grand Marais a couple of weeks ago, found agate chips/pieces on the beaches, but hit the rock shop in Beaver Bay and got small agates for memories. Fun.

[@MichiganRocks]

I want to get to Minnesota to do some rock hunting some day. My dream is to get into a Minnesota gravel pit.

[@nicolagraynewzealandrockho8976]

Wow love the purple rock. So many pretty rocks in the water. My 9 year old and I went rock hunting on the beach today, it was very rough. I love the unikite.

[@MichiganRocks]

I hope you found a few good ones.

[@nicolagraynewzealandrockho8976]

@@MichiganRocks lots of lovely Jaspers.

[@simikatra3434]

This is like meditation to me, rocks and wave sounds, absolute bliss. I'm thinking the pink rock maybe Rhodonite. Really cool video. I can't wait to go to the seaside when restrictions are lifted. 💦💎💦

[@dandickinson1003]

Been under the weather for about a month. It’s nice to see a good rock hunting video even though I can’t get out.

[@MichiganRocks]

I hope you feel better soon. In the meantime, I'm glad you can live vicariously through my videos.

[@AgateAngler]

I'm going to second the Yellow Jasper at 4:00 . Sam is a lucky guy to spend some time hunting with such a legend. Thanks for sharing the hunt.

[@MichiganRocks]

Thanks for backing up Kate on the jasper ID. Sam doesn't think of me as a legend. He thinks more of me as that guy who lives across the road.

[@rickbailey7183]

I LOVE your scene transitions! You're such a natural videographer. Keep up the beautiful videos!

[@MichiganRocks]

I'm glad I'm a natural, because I sure don't have any training. Thanks for the compliment. I'm just winging it for most of this.

[@anitamitchell3452]

I have to say ... "That water is gorgeous today." Congrats on the rocks you found. Personally, I'd be checking out the driftwood. Looked like there was a ton of it to go through. : ) Have a great day guys, was good to see Sam again.

[@MichiganRocks]

That's some big driftwood. Whole trees in a lot of cases.

[@anitamitchell3452]

@@MichiganRocks I know ... lol ... isn't it exciting? I love driftwood almost more than my kids. lol They know and understand.

[@MichiganRocks]

@@anitamitchell3452 It's good to know how you rank. My father in law carves fish among other things. He likes to mount them on driftwood, so I grab a piece now and then for him. It's easier when I'm in my kayak so I can just strap it on the back.

[@jennstumpf1]

Great finds! Nice the videos with Sam along and I also enjoyed the video with his (I assume) whittling talent! Nice job, guys. Thanks for the awesome documentation that there’s a cool world away from the city, even if I can’t seem to get there for work!

[@MichiganRocks]

Yes, that was Sam's carving. I tried to convince him to make a video of his other carvings, but so far no luck.

[@jennstumpf1]

Michigan Rocks Wish he would, he has a real artistic eye. Nice work!

[@ridgerunner66]

Beautiful day out. Really nice finds.

[@MichiganRocks]

It was a great day.

[@carlabythelake8162]

Do you ever plan on looking for Yooperlite? I know it's a long shot, but I can't help but wonder if any got carried down here to the West coast. With the high water my favorite rock hunting beaches are inaccessible for now, sadly, so we plan on going up to Whitefish Point for a day. Thanks for the video, guys!

[@MichiganRocks]

Tune in next Friday to see our Yooperlite hunt. We went out the same night that we made this video. I actually just got back from looking on a Lake Huron beach for them. No luck on Lake Huron so far, but I want to try another beach before I give up. We did find one little rock with a super bright blue spot on it, but the spot was pretty small.

[@nancymcshane3501]

Carla by the Lake I am from Florida, and recently NorthCarolina in Ruby Country! I am right now at Illinois State Beach, and the past three nights have found 30 Yooperlites! Not sure I’ll make it to the UP, but certainly Petoskey! Found a lot of purple looking quartz in big chunks up in Kenosha, yesterday. Found out Trump was there while I was Rockhounding! Lol! No rioters at the beach! Love the spoon stick! I have one, but the surf has been up and just used it on the dry land!

[@NurseMickiLea]

Fun hunting with ya, it is harder to find agates when your up looking with a time limit. I have been up to the north shore both on Superior side and last trip was up where you were and man just finding tiny ones was a rush after a day of cold fingers and feet. Looks like you had nice weather and a hunting buddy who had a good eye♥️♥️

[@MichiganRocks]

He did a lot better than I did. In my defense, I was usually looking among the larger rocks, hoping for a larger agate. Sam has a thing for tiny rocks, so he searched those. In total weight of agates, he came home with way more than I did in our three days of hunting.

[@NurseMickiLea]

Michigan Rocks ok, ok I guess I will give you a break. Glad you two had a good time! Beautiful up there!!♥️♥️

[@hukeaz]

I'm in love with that crystal clear water

[@MichiganRocks]

It's pretty amazing. It's even better when it's so calm.

[@robertmandigo7942]

When ice fishing you can see over twenty feet down when in a dark fishing shack, sure miss living up there.

[@MichiganRocks]

@@robertmandigo7942 I grew up on an inland lake that was as clear as that too.

[@NorthSpider]

I'm jealous of the place you guys live at. Where I live most beaches are just sand. And its also amazing to have such clear water.

[@MichiganRocks]

Yeah, I try not to take our Great Lakes for granted. We're lucky enough to have both sandy and rocky beaches so everyone can be happy.

[@storytimewithunclebill1998]

Another cool place with awesome finds. Was fun to watch. Great video

[@sandracarey5709]

All of the rocks look beautiful to me🥰

[@MichiganRocks]

There are a lot of pretty rocks in Lake Superior.

[@cdub531]

Always enjoy these videos. We found a lot of agates at Crisp Point Lighthouse. It’s a rough drive getting to it but well worth the drive for the scenery and rock hunting.

[@MichiganRocks]

I don't remember how many agates we found there, but I liked the rocks in general there the best on this trip. I have a video, but I have other stuff I'm posting first. I am stockpiling videos during the good weather to get me part way through the winter months.

[@donrobertson4611]

Nice video. Some of my happiest hours have been spent wandering the shore of Lake Superior, gathering rocks. My favorites are Carnelian & shiny black fine-grain Basalt. I guess the holy grail is Greenstone. Nice beauty shots of driftwood too. Oh & thanks for no music!

[@MichiganRocks]

One of the most common comments here is how people like the sound of the waves. I can't stand most of the free music that is legal to use on KZbin, so I figure, why hide the sounds people love with sounds that aren't so lovable?

[@MidwestSlotking]

When I was up there a couple weeks ago we went down sandy LN to get to the beach and there was huge banks and we found a bunch of yooperlites. And I’m not sure if the rocks I found were agates or not

[@MichiganRocks]

I think that's the same beach. We didn't hunt Yooperlites on this beach, but we did hunt a couple other beaches for them.

[@pokagal7335]

Ever find jade or jadite around there or elsewhere amongst the lakes? Thanks for another fun adventure hunting for pretties.

[@MichiganRocks]

Not that I know of. I've heard that jade can be found, but I'm not sure how good that information was. I don't know if I'd recognize it if I saw it.

[@pokagal7335]

@@MichiganRocks Watching your rock hunting vids brings me back to mine on the beaches of northern California...not as varied as your beached due to the moraine, but lots of jade and jasper and volcanic type stuff. I couldn't believe my eyes to see so much jade laying around the shores.

[@MichiganRocks]

@@pokagal7335 I'll bet that jade tumbles pretty well.

[@KatyDidRocks]

4:00 looks like a yellow jasper... pretty common on the Yellowstone.

[@MichiganRocks]

I'm pretty bad at identifying jasper, unless it's red. Thanks for the help.

[@KatyDidRocks]

@@MichiganRocks LOL, well, I could be completely wrong - but the color and shape match, and it looks reasonably hard.

[@heatherm2324]

Do you know anything for rocks on Lake Winnipeg? The Grand Beach area. I may be going there in a couple of weeks. I've been checking out minerals for the province and it really doesn't look very interesting. I was wondering if you have ever gone north? Heather

[@MichiganRocks]

I go north a lot, but not that far north. It's "Michigan Rocks", remember? No, I have never hunted rocks in Canada at all. Sure sounds like a nice trip though. Good luck finding some cool stuff.

[@heatherm2324]

@@MichiganRocks Thanks, I'm looking forward to the trip. And will let you know, if, I find anything worth talking about.

[@lovely.]

So was it amethyst? Very curious if I can find amethyst on the Superior coasts!

[@MichiganRocks]

Karen at the agate shop/museum in Grand Marais said it was. She said that she usually has about a half dozen people a summer bring one in. Do you watch Agate Dad? He finds agates with amethyst in them. Up in Canada on Lake Superior there is a an amethyst mine.

[@lovely.]

@@MichiganRocks thanks for the info! I gotta give Superior a good look next time! Would love to see you find some Leland blue stone (Vans Beach) and Isle Royale greenstone (Keweenaw Peninsula, lil far up there but would be an amazing find!)

[@MichiganRocks]

@@lovely. I might take a ride to Lake Michigan this summer and do a video. I haven't heard fo Vans Beach. Is that a good spot to go in Lake Michigan? My sister lives on the Keweenaw Peninsula. I planned to visit her this summer, but I don't think I should with this darn virus. I had visions of lots of great videos from up there.

[@lovely.]

@@MichiganRocks Van's Beach is in Leelanau County, supposedly the best place to find the "stone." I say stone with quotations because it's actually metal slag produced by an 1800s iron works industry called Leland Lake Superior Iron Company. The waves have turned the slag into a beautiful blue stone and it can be found best on Van's Beach. It also looks amazing polished (hint hint nudge nudge.)

[@MichiganRocks]

@@lovely. Have you met Karen Brzys from the agate shop in Grand Marais? She told me that a lady came into her shop and showed off her expensive Leland Blue necklace. Karen referred to it as "industrial waste" and offended her. I think that's hilarious.

[@pattikaake5443]

Glad to see you back on the beach.

[@MichiganRocks]

Glad to be there!

[@savagesquirrel9828]

That looks SO peaceful. Best Omar ever.

[@MichiganRocks]

We found some others on that trip that you might like even more. I have a few more videos that we made on this trip coming up.

[@queennirak12]

With so many good rocks how do you possibly stick to the 25 pound limit?

[@MichiganRocks]

I've found it easier as I do it more. I've learned the hard way that if I bring too many home, they just accumulate. I'm pretty selective now.

[@rosiew2260]

Thanks, I will definitely check this area out. I’m also looking for areas to look for yooperlites...I’m thinking more towards Whitefish point. And, are these best found at night, do you know?

[@MichiganRocks]

I think they're only found at night. I don't know how you'd recognize them otherwise. From what I've heard they're found all across the U.P. My sister found them in the Keweenaw Peninsula. This Friday's video shows my Yooperlite hunt at the Lake Superior State Forest Campground and at the Mouth of the Two Hearted River. My advice: walk at least a mile away from the campground before it gets dark and hunt on the way home. Close to the campground, they were pretty scarce.

[@susanpaulson7445]

Would the purple one be a yooperlite? Don’t remember how to spell that.

[@MichiganRocks]

Nope, not a Yooperlite. I'm pretty sure it's amethyst.

[@lovely.]

Yooperlite looks just like your average stone at first glance! Sometimes it can have a somewhat granite look, other times it will just look like any old boring stone in the pile. Very difficult to find Yooperlite without a UV light.

[@MichiganRocks]

@@lovely. Yooperlite video coming next week.

[@CityRockhounding]

Beautiful finds! The banding is so cool.

[@captpaul8827]

Looks like a great day to visit Lake Superior. Your "amethyst" is likely something called Amethystine Chalcedony, a microcrystalline variety of purple quartz. Should tumble very nicely.

[@MichiganRocks]

I'm not sure that it's microcrystalline, but it could be. It looks very much like any other quartz rock except for the color. It seems like something that will tumble nicely to me too.

[@captpaul8827]

Quite possibly. Hard to tell from just the video. I'm hoping to get up that way in a couple weeks, if I can.

[@MichiganRocks]

@@captpaul8827 Good luck!

[@pegjackson9716]

A very enjoyable outing. Thank you. (and Sam)

[@MichiganRocks]

You're welcome.

[@SouthernOntarioSasquatch]

What a beautiful outing on a beautiful day!! Sam made some great finds!! Congrats!! Did you eventually figure out what that purple rock is? Thanks for another terrific video MR!! Cheers! LeeAnn

[@MichiganRocks]

I took it to Karen Brzys at the Agate Museum in Grand Marais. She said that it was amethyst. She said that about a half dozen are brought in to her shop each summer. agatelady.com

[@meganfrancis862]

We are heading to Lake Superior the beginning of August. We are going to start at whitefish point stay at a cabin there for 2 days then travel over to grand Marais, for the rest of the trip. Any tips on where to go when we are there?

[@MichiganRocks]

I have more videos from this trip coming up and three videos from last year. Here are the places I've been: Whitefish Point (I haven't spent much time there), Vermillion Point, Crisp Point Lighthouse, Mouth of the Two Hearted River Campground, Muskallonge Lake State Park, Lake Superior State Forest Campground (AKA Perry's Landing). There are too many people at Whitefish Point for me. We walked to the west from there this summer and ran into a place where there's a house on a big bluff that was washing into the lake and had big rocks at the bottom in an attempt to save the house. We stopped there rather than trying to climb over the rocks. I didn't walk to the east. The rest of the spots on the list have all been good rock hunting for me.

[@virginiarocks]

Lovely. What great stones and a lovely beach

[@MichiganRocks]

It was a good day.

[@spazzyshortgirl23]

Lovely! Greetings from Grand Rapids. I went on my first trip to Marquette a week ago and MAN I was not expecting the water to be that cold. 😂 got a lot of good finds including my first wild Petoskey stone. A few questions: do you have a recommendation for a beginners rock tumbler? And would you be willing to do a video showing off all the typical Great Lake beach finds (unpolished) as an ID guide for all of us noobs? Most notably, I saw a bunch of a thin pearl-shiny rock that had cracks revealing red-purple stone beneath it. Any thoughts on the kind? I was partially inspired to rock hound on that trip by your previous videos and I ended up interesting some local toddlers (2, 3, and 5) plus mom in the wonders of rock collecting-mom had never spent much time studying the rocks before until then. So I helped create new rock-puppies! Keep up the good work man.

[@MichiganRocks]

You shouldn't have found a Petoskey stone in Marquette. If it was really a Petoskey stone, someone put it there. I did a video last summer called "Name that Rock, Lake Superior Edition". That should be a pretty good guide to the common rocks in Lake Superior. I'd suggest buying a Lortone tumbler. I'd get either a 33b, QT66 or QT12, depending on what you can afford. If you want to take it up a notch, get a Lot-O tumbler to go with the Lortone rotary. The Rock Shed has good prices. therockshed.com. If you haven't seen my two tumbling videos, you might want to check them out. kzbin.info/www/bejne/oaTVnqOGj9d0q7c kzbin.info/www/bejne/moqqd5SiZcpkjbs

[@virginiarocks]

Michigan Rocks I ran into a lady at one of the Lake Superior beaches who says she leaves Petoskey stones all over the state No idea why.

[@MichiganRocks]

@@virginiarocks That's a bad practice. It just confuses people and makes learning about geology more difficult.

[@virginiarocks]

Michigan Rocks I can’t disagree with that. She was on a different frequency, I think. 😎

[@littledabwilldoya9717]

I know EXACTLY where you are/we’re! You would have been able to find Yooperlights there, I’m sure. Erik Rintamaki takes Yooperlight finding classes out, and I’ve personally seen him taking people out from the Grand Marais’ beach, right in town. Sam, you did a great job finding agates! Wish I could have tagged along! Perhaps next time you should carry a good rope ladder. At this rate , the erosion will force us to use mountain climbing equipment, if we can stand the temperatures of the water to go in to hunt.! Happy hunting, guys!

[@MichiganRocks]

We did our Yooperlite hunting farther to the east. Video coming next week.

[@icatz]

60 degrees? It's been 110 here. I'm living vicariously through you, Rob. Such a beautiful place to hound. Could the pink rock be rhodonite?

[@MichiganRocks]

You're the third person to suggest rhodonite. It think that might be right. I wouldn't ever trade your weather for mine. I can put on some more clothes to compensate for the cool temperatures, but I can only take so many clothes off.

[@icatz]

@@MichiganRocks Exactly

[@mercedesfraireperez4969]

Me encanta su trabajo, una belleza! Qué maravilla!

[@kevinburgess6112]

i really enjoy your videos, do you have a video on your play list that identifies michigan rocks? i am from central mi. thanks👍👍

[@MichiganRocks]

Hep, here you go: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rYCmiJSQgaaJnqM

[@luvasconcelossuperacao8405]

Água tão limpinha, pense como dar uma vontade de andar nessa praia, pisando nessas pedras. Muito relaxante, cada pedra linda. 😍

[@MichiganRocks]

Eu amo essa praia.

[@soniak2865]

what do you recommend to cover stones in clear film (spray, lacquer??) so they always look wet and colours shine

[@MichiganRocks]

Personally, I don't like coating my rocks in anything. I tumble them to get that wet look.

[@nancymcshane3501]

If you don’t have a tumbler, and want to see what they look like, try Pledge clear floor wax. I use a Q-Tip, and paint it on. Takes a few coats. Anyway, it’s water soluble, so you won’t be ruining your rock!

[@MichiganRocks]

@@nancymcshane3501 I never heard of that one. It sounds better than coating it with something like polyurethane because it's easily removable.

[@patriciawilliams4314]

Nice video and way to go Sam. 😍😍👍

[@MichiganRocks]

Thanks!

[@starrtoth8635]

Great beach. Thanks for those close-ups at the end!

[@MichiganRocks]

You're welcome!

[@sandracarey5709]

Is the public allowed to go rock hunting there as well, or is a permit needed?

[@MichiganRocks]

Anyone can hunt rocks here.

[@jshilohshea381]

AWESOME HUNT guys !! I'm jealous n deff missing Michigan.....

[@MichiganRocks]

Thanks!

[@judym1128]

Beautiful stones great job. Thanks for sharing.

[@MichiganRocks]

You're welcome!

[@terezasilva9747]

Boa noite amigo gostei muito da sua pedras lindas demais parabéns amigo Deus abençoe você e sua família

[@MichiganRocks]

Estou feliz que você gosta deles. Deus abençoe sua família também.

[@paulmerrill2349]

The fiance and I are planning on heading there next weekend. We usually just go off of the state campground, Would you care to share the location, directions from the state campground, to that beach???

[@MichiganRocks]

Sure. You should have four wheel drive to go there. The road is pretty sandy and at one point, I almost didn't make it through in my Jeep that was in two wheel drive at the time. I put it in four wheel drive for the way back. The worst part is on a sharp corner, so you can't go fast to get through the sand. Here's the spot: goo.gl/maps/1YPj87r4EkdbyjJZ6

[@rosiew2260]

I will be up in Grand Marais in mid August. Can you direct me on what beach this is, and location?

[@MichiganRocks]

You should have four wheel drive to go here. The road is pretty sandy and at one point, I almost didn't make it through in my Jeep that was in two wheel drive at the time. I put it in four wheel drive for the way back. The worst part is on a sharp corner, so you can't go fast to get through the sand. Here's the spot: goo.gl/maps/1YPj87r4EkdbyjJZ6

[@rosiew2260]

Thank you. I appreciate all your help. I will look in to renting a some four wheelers. I love watching your videos 😊

[@MichiganRocks]

@@rosiew2260 Another place you could try that is also good is just to the east of there a bet. Before you get to the Lake Superior State Forest Campground, there is a long white fence. I think it's some sort of resort. Look for a foot path going toward the lake. There'e a trail on the other side of the road. I park next to that trail, then walk to the beach. It's not a long walk and there's no bank to go down. If you want even easier access, go to the campground and park just past the campground in the parking lot.

[@John_Montgomery]

hiked the national parks lake shore trail.. it was perfection. august bugs try to eat you alive though. swimming in august water was still cold.

[@MichiganRocks]

Yeah, I've been in that lake in August too. It's warmer, but not warm. We had a few stable flies on our trip, but the weather was cool enough that they weren't too bad.

[@John_Montgomery]

@@MichiganRocks it is an awesome place. it has been 25 years, it is time to try it again.

[@littledabwilldoya9717]

Some summers she never gets very warm. AAMOF, when the Lake is warm, it’s an exception. We just jump in, because if you’d try wading in, you rarely make it. It’s refreshing!!!😁🥶😎

[@John_Montgomery]

@@littledabwilldoya9717 ... camped one year at twelve mile beach, inside pictured rocks national park. 30 years ago. It was perfection then, i hope it still is.

[@MichiganRocks]

@@littledabwilldoya9717 I'm a firm believer in jumping in. When I'm on a boat or a dock, that's not a problem. But when I'm on a beach like this, jumping in is not an option.

[@easterazali9237]

Wow ! You found a quartz burger for yourself ! 😊🥰

[@MichiganRocks]

Yum!

[@easterazali9237]

😁💖

[@JanVafa]

You need to check for yooperlites after dark with UV!

[@MichiganRocks]

I did. The video will be posted on Friday.

[@Smallathe]

A lovely hike and very nice stones. Would love to see post tumbling version. Thanks for sharing! p.s Wild idea - personally I'd LOVE to rock hunt with you.... so if you ever choose to do a give-away without actually giving a rock, that would be awesome for your fans... especially if you wouldn't mind tumbling and sending them one of their stones back...

[@MichiganRocks]

I have looked into doing a giveaway a couple of times. There are actually a lot of legal things to be aware of when doing one. I know that no one actually worries about that, but I like to do things by the rules. To do a proper giveaway, I would almost have to hire a lawyer. I have had several requests to guide rock hunts too. I think that would be a lot of fun, but planning and weather are problems. For this trip, I waited until school was out (I’m a teacher), and then watched the weather for a couple weeks until I found a good forecast. Then I left with only a couple days notice. My local hunts often involve kayaking on Lake Huron, so I have to watch for a day with low, offshore winds. The wind forecasts change the day before quite often, so I have to just be ready to go. That’s harder to do with someone who is traveling to get here. I did have a guy send me a message one night to say that he had driven to Rockport quarry and wondered if I’d like to join him the next day, which I did.

[@Smallathe]

@@MichiganRocks agreed it's complex but I think it would be most rewarding...

[@Smallathe]

@@MichiganRocks I think a trip with some (few) fans would be awesome. I fully agree it's not easy, some terms and concepts should be set well before this starts, and yet - if possible and not too complex (I'm not sure kayaking is the best approach, for example - a simple drive-to and walk along the shores would be the best) - that would be a wonderful project. No rush, of course, you have to be sure if you want to host this trip and so on... It will be most likely with fans that live more or less around you, especially in this pandemic year... You could start a club too... ;)

[@masonz9213]

Hi! Nice video I can already tell!!

[@paulcarder8032]

That great that you bring Sam along. If I ever make it to Lake Superior, Grand Marais will be the place! Did you go visit Karen at the Gitchee Goomee Museum?

[@MichiganRocks]

I sure did. She's having a problem getting people to wear masks in her shop, so I brought her some Petoskey stones to help her out. I brought that purple rock to her for identification. She thought it was amethyst. She said that about a half dozen a year are brought into her shop.

[@frogacademy4068]

Hi from Freeland Michigan

[@MichiganRocks]

Hi.

[@am5173]

Would you ever consider going to Lake Michigan?? Not sure if there would be anything good but I live super close and would love to see someone search the beaches there! Anyways love your channel it’s so calming and educational. Thanks!

[@MichiganRocks]

Lake Michigan was on my list for this summer and might still be. I can make a day trip there without making much if any contact with people, I think. I can’t promise anything great because I don’t know the beaches over there as much, but I’ll give it a try one of these days. Thanks for giving me a nudge.

[@am5173]

Michigan Rocks would love to see it and thanks so much for the reply!! Stay safe :)

[@Laylastorm1]

I so enjoy going on these hunts with you. It’s raining and been ugly lately so I haven’t been hunting in 2 whole weeks. Hopefully hitting the creeks next week. Weather permitting

[@MichiganRocks]

Two weeks?!? How do you survive?

[@Laylastorm1]

Michigan Rocks one long day at a time lol. And now I found y’all and get to scan with you it’s a fix. 😬😬😬

[@MichiganRocks]

@@Laylastorm1 I'm glad I can help you through this difficult time.

[@Chef-Really5365]

I would go blind . I love love rocks

[@MichiganRocks]

Going blind would make it more difficult to enjoy them.

[@LindaSmith-vq1br]

Beautiful place to go rock hounding!!

[@karenbonnici6204]

Really Cool. Sam did a great job.

[@coolstonetv]

Good upload! -Wish you a fantastic day! ~~~~~~Like

[@skattlady]

"I don't know what it is, but it's cool.".... "I don't know if that'll tumble well, but I'm going to give it a shot; it's a cool color" THANKS for these comments! I've been looking down a LOT lately and don't know much about rocks (learning though!) so I pick rocks that look "cool" too and hope they work out in the tumbler.

[@MichiganRocks]

If I know the name of a rock, I'll tell you, but I'm not ashamed to tell you if I don't know. I'm more into how they look than what they are.

[@CBeard849]

The steeper the bank....the nicer the treasures! Take a big aluminum ladder with you. I would never make it back up the bank.....with all my buckets!

[@MichiganRocks]

Just take one at a time. That little ladder worked well.

[@CBeard849]

@@MichiganRocks i just returned from the Illinois River here near Selma Oregon with another truck load of rock to decorate my flower beds and yard. I found an old tailings pile of green banded sandstone that looks nice along with some kind of purple & green conglomerate.

[@AriaDiamond]

Any other beaches closer to chicago that are good for rock hunting?

[@MichiganRocks]

I have no idea. I have only hunted Lake Michigan a couple times and that was from Traverse City to Petoskey.

[@aaa-wx1pt]

Great job 👍😘🙏

[@angelawesel4654]

Nice i went today in LK MI 😊 clear as glass 💗 great finds also the same yellow rock i collected alot today.

[@MichiganRocks]

Someone thought that yellow rock was jasper. It's nice when it's calm, isn't it?

[@angelawesel4654]

@@MichiganRocks one piece looks like petrified wood on one side so cool

[@garrett262]

what areas in your part of the state would you recommend for a first time rock hunter?

[@MichiganRocks]

I guess I'd recommend something near your house. If you're new to this, you should be easy to please. There are some interesting rocks on all the rocky beaches I've been to. After you do some hunting, you can start to travel to find new kinds of rocks. If you like agates, Lake Superior is the place to go, but they're really hard to find. If you like Petoskey stones, Lake Michigan and Lake Huron are good from a line approximately from Harbor Springs to Rogers City and south. There are lightning stones in southern Lake Michigan from what I've heard. The point is, there's a great variety. Start where you are and then travel to find new stuff.

[@garrett262]

@@MichiganRocks Thank you for that info, I appreciate it. We live in Northern Indiana and we are planning to come up next week to the Northeastern part of Michigan. I thought we would stay at a Hotel in Alpena and take a few day trips from there. I have found Rogers City on the map but not Harbor Springs. Petoskey stones would be fine as would be Pudding stones and anything else that looks interesting.Agates probably have to wait until another time as it sounds like the UP would be the best place for that

[@MichiganRocks]

@@garrett262 Harbor Springs is pretty much directly across the state on Lake Michigan. If you're heading to this area, I'd suggest going to Rockport State Park. There are a ton of fossils there. You can hunt the beach or the quarry. To the south, the beach is really cool right by the southern part of the parking lot. As soon as you go around the point right there, the rocks are mostly small limestone pieces. I'd check that out for a few minutes and then I'd probably go hunt to the north. The water is really high, so plan to get wet. I went by kayak this spring. In the quarry, there are literally tons of fossils. Many are huge things with the fossils embedded in them. If you look around, though, you can also find some small loose fossils. There are sinkholes behind the quarry if you don't mind walking for a mile or so. Another place you might want to try is Negwegon State Park. To the south is a beautiful sandy beach, but there are good rocks to the north. Again, plan to get wet. You should know that my rock hunts usually cover several miles of beach, so don't expect to just walk onto the beach and pick up tons of awesome rocks. You need to spend some time to find the good stuff.

[@garrett262]

@@MichiganRocks Thank you so much for this detailed information! This was very kind and very helpful and it really helps to plan the trip better. We will probably start out in the Rockport State Park and work our way north towards Harbor Springs. I hope we will find some good rocks even though I know this is not a given

[@garrett262]

@@MichiganRocks Hello again, had a nice trip with some nice rock finds between Alpena and Harbor Springs. Now I need a tumbler and am thinking of the Lotone QT66 with an additional 12lbs barrel. I also like the MJRs, but don't know if the barrel openings are a bit too small. Any thoughts?

[@brendapotter2061]

My daughter and I are headed there tomorrow 😊

[@MichiganRocks]

Have fun!

[@brendapotter2061]

Thank you it's a little over a 5 hr drive for us coming from the Flint grand Blanc area , we're so excited!

[@morganyoubargainedfor]

I threw my entire agate collection in my tumbler - seeing all these agates was exciting but I miss puddings and petoskeys too.

[@MichiganRocks]

They're all fun!

[@mohammadhamza6607]

Sir.. how to differentiate between agate and jasper ?

[@MichiganRocks]

As far as I understand it, agate is translucent, but jasper is opaque. Some definitions of agate say they have to be banded, but Montana agate, for example, is not typically banded.

[@mohammadhamza6607]

Thank you sir.

[@themidwesternrockhound388]

Really cool I enjoyed the hunt!

[@MichiganRocks]

Me too!

[@tjmartin7477]

Do you have an Instagram account? I would like to get you opinion on a rock I found here in West Michigan.

[@MichiganRocks]

Nope, but you can always post a link to your picture here. I'll warn you that I'm pretty terrible at identifying rocks. Check out the Facebook group "Great Lakes Rocks & Minerals". There are some people there who are pretty good at identifying rocks.

[@francinehibiscus350]

That is some high water!

[@MichiganRocks]

Yes, I think all the Great Lakes are high right now. Huron, Michigan and Superior are for sure.

[@SmallWonda]

Lovely hunt in one of my favouritest places in the WORLD! WOnder if you sliced the purple one...? 👍🐾🦘😎

[@MichiganRocks]

I hadn't thought about cutting it. I was just going to throw it in the tumbler. It's big enough that I suppose I could cut it in half before tumbling. I'll have to think about that.

[@OutlawToys]

@ 1:40, that's where baby rocks come from. 😂

[@davidhile5363]

I had a similar rock one time and thought the same thing !

[@MichiganRocks]

Hmmmm...