Owyhee Mountains - Oregon

This was an afternoon trip driving through the Succor Creak area of the Owyhee Mountains for some rock hunting. Along with the magnificent views, this trip brought a number of surprises. A baby scorpion and then a snake were waiting under a couple of the rocks we turned over. We also came across a horned toad and small lizard. Where's that guy with the camera when you want a picture of these things...???

Throughout the valley, remnants of fine-grained lake sediments that indicate a lake once existed here. This and other similar lakebeds around the state are now known as the Idaho Formation, formed from the ancient "Lake Idaho" somewhere between 1-5 million years ago. With a little looking around, you can find agates with quartz crystals, shale with fossil leaf prints, petrified wood, green jasper, thunder eggs, blue and white opal and much more. Some of this dating back over 16 million years!!! We've got to come back here and camp for a weekend to look around.