We've spent a fair amount of time in the Delta area, with good reason - rockhounding! We'd been out to visit U-Dig a few months ago and were super excited to see Topaz Mountain this time.
We stayed the night in Delta so that we could be at the Topaz Quarry Dome site by 10 am without waking up super early.
When we arrived, there was a group waiting for the public blast at Topaz Mountain. Anyone can go and check the Topaz Mountain Adventures website to see when their next blast will be and watch for free. If you want to dig in the blasted rubble, you'll have to pay an entrance fee. There are other sites nearby that are free to look through, but Topaz Mountain Adventure owns the lease to dig from their area. So, don't trespass and don't explore from their quarry - it's theft! There are signs up everywhere, so it's not too hard to see where the public/private areas are.
Our friends from Off the Couch and Wandering Families came on the adventure too!
You can see the mine above where the white smoother stone is.
You can pay to be the one who pushes the detonator to blow up the mountain! It's pricey, but not everyone can say they blew up a hillside with dynamite!
Before the explosives are detonated, everyone parks at the main parking lot to watch from a safe distance.
We could see David (the owner) up on the mountain, placing the dynamite.
Our kids thought it was super cool to watch a mountain explode!
After the mountain is blown up, you drive up in your car to a second parking lot. Here you'll want to bring your sunscreen, water, and good sturdy shoes to climb through the rubble.
Each prospector gets a toolbox full of the appropriate tools that they'll need.
Rhonda and Dave own the lease to dig at Topaz Mountain. They are incredibly lovely and helpful. Rhonda goes through the groups and teaches everyone what to look for and how to extract topaz.
After our Topaz 101 class, we released the children into the wild.
I'll admit, Topaz is much more intense than the trilobite hunting we'd done previously.
We were digging through stone with chisels and other tools to find topaz crystals.
After an hour or so, the kids were ready for a break and some lunch.
Plan on bringing your own food and water! Also, there are no garbage facilities, so plan on packing out everything you bring in.
After a quick lunch, we headed back out into the rubble.
The kids moved from place to place, finding small topaz crystals.
David showed us this rock the Rhonda found just the day before us. While this is a super RARE find, it is possible to find them. Rhonda literally just found this poking out the side of a rock!
We spent a couple of hours trying new places and chiseling away at the rocks.
After a few hours, the kids stopped digging and set out to explore the rubble in general. The kids thought it was super fun, but the big hammers were a bit tiring for them after a while. We suggest bringing kids around 8+ to Topaz Mountain.
We, the adults, thought it was super cool! Everyone was able to bring home various pieces of topaz that we dug out of the rocks ourselves!
We totally suggest coming out at least once in your life to dig for topaz!
Don't forget to tip David and Rhonda on your way out! If you have any questions, be sure to ask, they are super helpful. Don't forget to check out their rock shop on site!
Thanks to Topaz Mountain Adventures for hosting us! We'll be back!
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