Due to factors way beyond our control, there has been another location closed for collecting this spring.. In late February, there were some communication gaps that led to confusion about who was allowed to go where down near Needle Peak. To ensure that something like that didn’t happen again, Aaron went down to the Brewster County Tax Office and looked up who owns what down at Needle Peak. He found that the official record at the courthouse did not agree with Jan Woodward’s understanding of what she owns at Needle Peak.
In order to clarify this, deeds will need to be examined and surveys conducted, and legal proceedings may be necessary. I have been told by someone schooled in the law that the county records are not infallible, and that sometimes deeds are not recorded, for a variety of reasons.
But all of this will take time to untangle. So, due to these ownership issues, all of Aaron’s rockhunts for spring at the Woodward’s Needle Peak site have been cancelled.
We know that his is a great disappointment for many, including ourselves. To have this traditional rockhunting area available again was very welcome and had generated a lot of signups from people who will now have to decide what they are going to do.
THIS DOESN’T AFFECT THE EAST NEEDLE PEAK ROCKHUNTS THAT TERI LEADS. Below is a new schedule without the Needle Peak hunts of Aaron’s. If it is at all possible to do something different on the days when hunts had been scheduled to the Woodward’s portion of Needle peak, such as hunt on the roads in Toyah or on Hovey Road, between Alpine and Ft. Stockton, we can certainly do that. Please let us know what you would like to do on those days, and we’ll see if we can do that. Aaron has at least one other ranch that has expressed interest in rockhunting, but he’s going to keep quiet about it until it happens. He sincerely apologizes concerning the problem with the Woodward property. This is his first year of leading fieldtrips, and he is finding out how difficult the vetting process for a landowner can be.
Despite the loss of the Woodward’s Needle Peak site, there are still three wonderful ranches available for rockhunting this season: the Ritchie Ranch, South Larremore Ranch and East Needle Peak. None of the hunts for those ranches has changed.
We look forward to seeing you this Spring!
Teri & Aaron
P.S. I now have my whole rock collection inventoried and available for purchase. It is listed on my website, at http://terismithrockhunts.com/rocks-for-sale/. However, I still intend to publish it as an email in the next few days. It’s first come, first served, so take a look and let me know what you want!
| Date | Location | Leader | Cost | Start Time | Requirements |
| Sat. 3/7 | |||||
| Sun. 3/8 | South Larremore Ranch | Aaron | $65 | 8:00 | Limit of 12 people. Cash or check |
| Sat. 3/14 | South Larremore Ranch | Aaron | $65 | 8:00 | Limit of 12 people. Cash or check |
| Sun.3/15 | |||||
| Mon. 3/16 | Ritchie | Teri | $10 entrance + $1/lb | 9:00 | Cash or check |
| Tue. 3/17 | South Larremore Ranch | Teri | $50 | 8:00 | Cash or check |
| Wed 3/18 | East Needle Peak | Teri | $40 | 8:00 | Cash or check |
| Thu 3/19 | Ritchie | Teri | $10 entrance + $1/lb | 9:00 | Cash or check |
| Fri 3/20 | South Larremore Ranch | Teri | $50 | 8:00 | Cash or check |
| Sat. 3/21 | |||||
| Sun. 3/22 | |||||
| Mon. 3/23 | East Needle Peak | Teri | $40 | 8:00 | Cash or check |
| Tue. 3/24 | Ritchie Ranch | Teri | $10 entrance + $1/lb | 9:00 | Cash or check |
| Wed 3/25 | South Larremore Ranch | Teri | $50 | 8:00 | Cash or check |
| Thu 3/26 | East Needle Peak | Teri | $40 | 8:00 | Cash or check |
| Fri 3/27 | Ritchie | Teri | $10 entrance + $1/lb | 9:00 | Cash or check |
| Sat. 3/28 | |||||
| Sun. 3/29 | |||||
| Thurs 4/2 | South Larremore Ranch | Teri | $50 | 8:00 | Cash or check |
| Fri 4/3 | East Needle Peak | Teri | $40 | 8:00 | Cash or check |
| Sat. 4/4 | South Larremore Ranch | Aaron | $65 | 8:00 | Limit of 12 people. Cash or check |
| Sun. 4/5 | |||||
| Mon 4/6 | Ritchie | Teri | $10 entrance + $1/lb | 9:00 | Cash or check |
| Thurs 4/9 | Ritchie | Teri | $10 entrance + $1/lb | 9:00 | Cash or check |
| Fri 4/10 | South Larremore Ranch | Teri | $50 | 8:00 | Cash or check |
| Sat. 4/11 | South Larremore Ranch | Aaron | $65 | 8:00 | Limit of 12 people. Cash or check |
| Sun. 4/12 | |||||
| Mon 4/13 | East Needle Peak | Teri | $40 | 8:00 | Cash or check |
| Thurs 4/16 | South Larremore Ranch | Teri | $50 | 8:00 | Cash or check |
| Fri 4/17 | East Needle Peak | Teri | $40 | 8:00 | Cash or check |
| Sat. 4/18 | |||||
| Sun. 4/19 | South Larremore Ranch | Aaron | $65 | 8:00 | Limit of 12 people. Cash or check |
| Mon 4/20 | Ritchie | Teri | $10 entrance + $1/lb | 9:00 | Cash or check |
| Thurs 4/21 | South Larremore Ranch | Teri | $50 | 8:00 | Cash or check |
| Fri 4/24 | East Needle Peak | Teri | $40 | 8:00 | Cash or check |
| Sat. 4/25 | South Larremore Ranch | Aaron | $65 | 8:00 | Limit of 12 people. Cash or check |
| Sun. 4/26 | |||||
| Mon 4/27 | Ritchie Ranch | Teri | $10 entrance + $1/lb | 9:00 | Cash or check |