EFMLS Club Fieldtrip Leader Information
EVENTS CALENDAR - SEE WHAT WEEKENDS ARE OPEN
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ROCKHOUNDING EQUIPMENT - SOME HANDY STUFF TO BRING
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VISITOR INFORMATION / RULES - HAMMERS and CHISELS ALLOWED to be used by your club members only on Insured Club Fieldtrip dates. NOT permitted for use by the General Public.
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CLUB MEETING LOCATION: Ruggles Mine, 286 Underhill Rd (a.k.a Ruggles Mine Rd), Grafton, NH. Take Riddle Hill Rd from Route 4 in Grafton, NH. Follow the gravel road, that turns to asphalt on steeper grades to the clearing where current forestry operations. Pass through the mine gate and continue up hill until you arrive at the parking lot at the top of the mountain. We usually park club fieldtrip attendees in a field on the left before you arrive at the main parking area and mine entrance.
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MEETUP TIME: Ruggle Mine's general open hours this spring and summer will be 9am to 5pm on Fridays and Saturdays, 9am to 3pm on Sundays. Mineral Clubs may arrive starting around 8am to allow your group to gather and get ready. We intend to provide your club's safety briefing and orientation soon after 9am once everybody is ready.
SIGN-IN/SIGN-OUT: Trip Leaders will have all of their club members (all adults and children) sign in so they have a full accounting of all members participating. Trip Leaders will have all participants sign-out with them.
INSURANCE RIDER: Email me the completed Insurance Rider document to patrick@midnightminerals.com . The following information should be provided on your insurance rider, these named individuals to indemnify and the official address of the mine:
• Joe Bodge
• Dorene Haselton
• Patrick Bigos
Ruggles Mine
286 Underhill Rd (a.k.a Ruggles Mine Rd)
Grafton, NH 03240
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MINERAL COLLECTING: $30/person/day. kids under 10 FREE. Club trip leader to collect cash from their members and provide their member sign-in sheet and the funds to one of the above Ruggles Mine representatives. The simple entrance fee allows you to collect a reasonable amount of mineral specimens.
Commonly diggers will make use of backpacks, 5 gallon buckets, etc. Wheeled hand trucks or other devices are sometimes used. Minerals are to be carried or hiked out of their location. Parents, pro tip! Have your kids outfitted with their own backpack so you don't have to carry all their rocks uphill for them. We have found that wagons are more trouble than they are worth since it is hard to climb and descend with these. A backpack is the way to go.
CLUB TRIP LEADERS: You are ultimately responsible for your club members. Please be available to your members to answer questions. Please keep your membership in general view so you can help 0resolve any safety concerns.
DO NOT: Do NOT bring carpentry hammers, wood chisels or screw drivers to Ruggles Mine. These are super dangerous and were not designed for rock impact. Club Trip leaders, please inspect your club members equipment to make sure we don't find it.
DO NOT: Do NOT hammer on any mine rock walls. We have high walls at Ruggles, enjoy the historic views. But do not disturb the rock walls.
DO NOT: NO HAMMERING ON THE ROCK ARCH at the south end of the mine. Do not attempt to chip ANY minerals from that formation either.
DO NOT: Roll rocks down hill or throw rocks. You may think it is clear beneath you. But you may not have full visibility from your location.
DO NOT: Do not hammer on rocks in mineral dumps or on mine floor if YOU or anybody nearby do NOT have safety glasses on. Ensure everybody is aware you are about to break rock and check for eye protection.
DO NOT: Do not leave trash of any sort anywhere at Ruggles Mine except in designated trash receptacles. We ask that take your own trash or wrappers with you in your vehicle if possible.
MINE ROADS: We do not allow visitors to drive vehicles into the mine or over any mine roads other than the main road into the parking lot. This is for everybody's safety as well as because AAA will NOT be able to tow you out when you get stuck. Only mine representatives with their four-wheel drive, high clearance vehicles will be permitted and expected on these trails. PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE ROCK OR EQUIPMENT IN ON MINE ROADS. Please move to the side of the trail if we are moving our vehicles in your area.
CAMPING: Individuals or families who would like to camp at Ruggles Mine the night before the event or the evening after, may coordinate that with Prospector Joe by calling (603) 691-4057. Camping for self-contained RVs or tents will be $10/person/night. Porta-potty's are available on-site. There are no hookups for RVs.
PETS: Pets Allowed, but must be ON LEASH and under your control 100% of the time. You must clean up after your pet.
EQUIPMENT: EFMLS-Affiliated, insured mineral club members will be permitted to utilize hammers and chisels WITH SAFETY GLASSES. NO POWER TOOLS or EXPLOSIVES permitted. Bring appropriate footwear. No open-toed shoes or flip-flops. Sneakers are NOT
RECOMMENDED. Solid boots with ankle support are ideal. Even better are composite-toes boots to prevent foot injury by rocks or boulders. Dress for the weather, cold, hot, wet or dry. Sun block, insect repellant, etc. Long pants, hats. Everybody should arrive with a pair of clear impact-resistant safety glasses.
FOOD/DRINK: It can be a long day. You may want to bring hydration with you in your pack no matter where you go at Ruggles. Lunch time is a good time to head back to the parking lot to wash up and eat up there. We DO have wildlife up on the mountain. So we recommend you do not travel around the property with food that can be attractive to animals.
FLUORESCENT / RADIOACTIVE MINERALS: Ruggles Mine is a world-class locality for various rare radioactive minerals. Some of these minerals, such as Autunite are highly fluorescent under 365nm longwave UV. UV flashlights are surprisingly effective for seeing the bright green glow during the day at Ruggles since there are opportunities to find darkness in tunnels and under the tree foliage. Shortwave or Midwave UV are also useful for other non-radioactive minerals such as Fluorapatite (fl. yellow/orange shortwave or midwave UV), Feldspars (fl. red or blue - shortwave UV) and others we find onsite. Patrick Bigos, as noted above, will usually have high-quality filtered UV flashlight of various wavelengths available at club events. you may order a light ahead of your trip to get familiar with it and to ensure you charge up batteries ahead of your trip at https://midnightminerals.com. Patrick will also be providing some inexpensive, beginner UV flashlights available in the Ruggles Mine gift shop on the date of your event. Mineral collectors are permitted to use Geiger Counters, Gamma Scintillometers, etc. ALWAYS WASH HANDS THOROUGHLY after collecting mineral and before eating.
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FEES: $30 per person, kids 10 and under FREE.
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QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS: Please email me at patrick@midnightminerals.com if this page has something unclear or if you have suggestions.
