“There aren’t any sapphires around Yellowstone. No, we aren’t going that way.” “…And to our east is Montana! Sorry, there are no sapphire hunting excursions planned at this time.” “We don’t carry no Montana sapphires, just local stones.” (In response to the question: “What gemstones do you sell?”) “I have opals, but I am unfortunately unable to get Montana sapphires.” (Different miner, also in response to the above question….) “I used to have Montana sapphires, but no one m

Sunset Crater was too hot! There were no trees (or bushes, or grass), too much dust and I had a rock in my shoe. I was walking around the base of a giant pile of bits of red cinder of the sort I had previously encountered in xeriscape gardens looking for olivine. Even the breeze was hot. And worst of all, I didn’t even know what I was looking for. Olivine? We had been informed the bright orange and red cinder cone had bright green gemstones and then our class had been tu