Diamonds! LbNA #31540 (ARCHIVED)
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Add Location| Owner: | The Olde Oak  |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | Jun 3, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| City: | Lower Lake |
| County: | Lake |
| State: | California |
| Boxes: | 1 |
| Found by: | The Olde Oak |
|---|---|
| Last found: | Apr 27, 2008 |
| Status: | FaOr |
| Last edited: | Jun 3, 2007 |
*****Down for maintenance*****
This letterbox will take you to Perini Hill, a known area for Lake County “diamonds.” There is controversy over the accuracy of the term “diamonds.” The best time to find them is just after a rain, but when I went it was dry and dusty and I found a modest scattering of the small gems right along the roadside. The box is a drive-by because of access problems onto other than the roadside. Still it is interesting and surprising to see the diamonds at your feet.
Lake County "diamonds", also called "Moon Tears", are semi-precious stones of volcanic origin found nowhere else in the world. While not equal in hardness to real diamonds (7.5 - 8 compared to a diamonds 10) Lake County diamonds have been used commercially and are capable of cutting glass. They are prized by collectors and can be faceted and polished to make beautiful jewelry which can be almost as brilliant as real diamonds.
According to one Indian legend a Pomo Indian Chieftain and the Moon fell in love. The Moon could not stay with the Chieftain because she was needed by the people to light the night sky and mark the seasons. She was so sad to leave the Chieftain that she wept "Moon Tears" which became Lake County diamonds.
The Diamonds! Letterbox is not difficult to find. Start on Hwy. 29. coming from either the Kelseyville direction toward Lower Lake or the Lower Lake direction toward Kelseyville. You will be looking for Siegler Canyon Road which is right off Hwy. 29. I come from Kelseyville so I turn right onto Siegler Canyon Road. From Lower Lake turn left onto it. In half a mile you will make a left turn onto Perini Road. Drive 3.1 miles up Perini Hill following Perini Road.
Until about the year 2000 this area was wooded. However, now most of it’s a fancy vineyard called Snows Lake Vineyard and there are few legal spots to pull over to the side of the road. I found myself feeling rather angry at these Snows Lake Vineyard people for making it so unnecessarily difficult. As you proceed you will notice the soil becoming redder and redder. The redness of the soil seems to correspond to the quantity of diamonds you may find. If you see a spot that looks OK to pull off the road do so and note the small, shiny chunks of “diamonds” in the soil.
Anyhow, at 3.1 miles you should arrive at a Y in the road with an adequate spot on your left to park. Do so. Should you take the left fork you will find it gated just around the bend. Should you take the right the road goes I know not how far, but vineyards are many and the soil becomes less red with no perceivable diamonds.
At the Y note that across the road and down the hill there is a muddy looking lake. I think this is the picturesquely named Snows Lake. In June it’s not impressive, but perhaps in a rainier year there’s more appeal to it. You will observe nine large boulders adjacent to your parking area. Face them. Look behind the second boulder from the right under a couple medium sized rocks. There you will find the Diamonds! Letterbox.
Thank you for coming.
This letterbox will take you to Perini Hill, a known area for Lake County “diamonds.” There is controversy over the accuracy of the term “diamonds.” The best time to find them is just after a rain, but when I went it was dry and dusty and I found a modest scattering of the small gems right along the roadside. The box is a drive-by because of access problems onto other than the roadside. Still it is interesting and surprising to see the diamonds at your feet.
Lake County "diamonds", also called "Moon Tears", are semi-precious stones of volcanic origin found nowhere else in the world. While not equal in hardness to real diamonds (7.5 - 8 compared to a diamonds 10) Lake County diamonds have been used commercially and are capable of cutting glass. They are prized by collectors and can be faceted and polished to make beautiful jewelry which can be almost as brilliant as real diamonds.
According to one Indian legend a Pomo Indian Chieftain and the Moon fell in love. The Moon could not stay with the Chieftain because she was needed by the people to light the night sky and mark the seasons. She was so sad to leave the Chieftain that she wept "Moon Tears" which became Lake County diamonds.
The Diamonds! Letterbox is not difficult to find. Start on Hwy. 29. coming from either the Kelseyville direction toward Lower Lake or the Lower Lake direction toward Kelseyville. You will be looking for Siegler Canyon Road which is right off Hwy. 29. I come from Kelseyville so I turn right onto Siegler Canyon Road. From Lower Lake turn left onto it. In half a mile you will make a left turn onto Perini Road. Drive 3.1 miles up Perini Hill following Perini Road.
Until about the year 2000 this area was wooded. However, now most of it’s a fancy vineyard called Snows Lake Vineyard and there are few legal spots to pull over to the side of the road. I found myself feeling rather angry at these Snows Lake Vineyard people for making it so unnecessarily difficult. As you proceed you will notice the soil becoming redder and redder. The redness of the soil seems to correspond to the quantity of diamonds you may find. If you see a spot that looks OK to pull off the road do so and note the small, shiny chunks of “diamonds” in the soil.
Anyhow, at 3.1 miles you should arrive at a Y in the road with an adequate spot on your left to park. Do so. Should you take the left fork you will find it gated just around the bend. Should you take the right the road goes I know not how far, but vineyards are many and the soil becomes less red with no perceivable diamonds.
At the Y note that across the road and down the hill there is a muddy looking lake. I think this is the picturesquely named Snows Lake. In June it’s not impressive, but perhaps in a rainier year there’s more appeal to it. You will observe nine large boulders adjacent to your parking area. Face them. Look behind the second boulder from the right under a couple medium sized rocks. There you will find the Diamonds! Letterbox.
Thank you for coming.