Columbine Gem & Mineral Society Chaffee County; Buena Vista, CO; Salida, CO

02/24/2026

This is Michelle Putz, your Columbine Gem and Mineral Society (CGMS) president for 2026. WELCOME to our 2026 meeting and field trip season!

Your CGMS board has been working hard to update the website, find great speakers and presentations, and find and plan a nice array of field trips in 2026. Last year was a great year, but 2026 looks even better! Your best place for finding up-to-date information will be our website, www.rockaholics.org, but we’ll try to update you (and remind you about important dates) through periodic emails.

Remember, everyone (member or not) is welcome at our meetings and picnic – so please bring an interested friend! We’ll have a mineral give-away at most meetings. And we’ll continue to try to make our meetings as family/kid friendly as we can with free minerals, an educational activity, and engaging speakers. Our field trips are reserved for members only…so if you or a friend wish to join us, please make sure the membership packet is in and dues are paid for 2026 (and since we have some new spots to visit, you’ll definitely want to be a member!).

Our first meeting is coming up SOON! March 12, 6:00 p.m. at Mount Shavano Manor (meeting room at 525 W. 16th St. Salida, CO, 81201). zwe hope to see you there!

A public, non-profit club serving the geologists, prospectors, lapidaries, and jewelers of Chaffee County, CO, including Salida, CO, Nathrop, CO; Buena Vista, CO; and surrounding areas

08/07/2025

Looking forward to our meeting and presentation next Thursday evening...who doesn't love "glow rocks"??!!?!

05/05/2025

Had an interesting and lively chat with Brian Busse (https://americangemtracker.com/) yesterday afternoon. He'll be our CGMS speaker on November 13, 2025. Should be educational and entertaining! More information will be on our webpage soon: www.rockaholics.org

A public, non-profit club serving the geologists, prospectors, lapidaries, and jewelers of Chaffee County, CO, including Salida, CO, Nathrop, CO; Buena Vista, CO; and surrounding areas

03/17/2025

Exciting stuff! One of our members donated a rock tumbler to the group...we'll give it away at our April 10 meeting!

03/12/2025

Join us April 10, 6:30 p.m. Mount Shavano Manor (meeting room), 525 W. 16th St. Salida, CO, 81201

This month's presentation: A Discussion on Tumbling Rocks and Minerals. Our own rock tumbler extraordinaire, Marcia Foky, will talk about the processes, tools, and materials involved in tumbling rocks. She’ll give hints and lessons learned and show examples of her work.

And like all our meetings we'll have "Mystery Minerals" (for kids and kids at heart) and a great new mineral giveaway! AND we hope to have field trips to sign up for. If you have not become a member or have not renewed for 2025, go to the Membership page for info.

The place to go to find dates and activities is our website:

A public, non-profit club serving the geologists, prospectors, lapidaries, and jewelers of Chaffee County, CO, including Salida, CO, Nathrop, CO; Buena Vista, CO; and surrounding areas

03/04/2025

Join Columbine Gem and Mineral Society THIS Thursday, March 6, 6:30 p.m. in the Upstairs Conference Room at the “Buena Vista” Airport, 27960 County Rd. 319, Buena Vista, CO 81211 for our first meeting of 2025. Bring everyone who might be interested (KIDS TOO!) to learn:

How to Identify Minerals - An interactive workshop. Cindy Peratt (therockdoc.net) helps us start our rockhounding year off right by teaching us how to identify minerals! At several different stations, you will use identification books, rockhound tools, and characteristics like hardness, color, streak, luster, and crystal form to determine what you are looking at.

AND we'll have a HUGE mineral/rock give-away! You'll not only identify minerals and rocks...you'll get to keep them! This will be a great meeting for rockhounds of ALL ages, so tell and bring kids and grand kids!

01/12/2025

Our Christmas party (and that "rock" cake) was fun...but not as good as our upcoming year of speakers! Join us to learn how to identify minerals, tumble rocks and gems, and learn how to facet gems. Check out the meetings page at www.rockaholics.org for times, locations and updates.

08/01/2024

Mount Antero is always an adventure. The day was beautiful and NO storms however, the wind was brutal! All in all it was a great day to be on the mountain. Big thanks to Craig and Tracie Cardwell for allowing the club to mine on their claim!

07/16/2024

More photos from Last Chance Mine

07/16/2024

The club had the pleasure of mining down in Creede, Colorado at Last Chance Mine. The gang went home with oodles of Sowbelly Agate, Amethyst, Silver, and more! Here are some photos to recap our trip. Thanks to everyone that came out and a BIG thank you to Jack, the mine owner for allowing the Club to come visit!

06/15/2024

Hellloooo Everyone!

Happy Fibark weekend! If you’re out and about tomorrow from 12-2 stop by Centennial Park Pavilion (adjacent to the Salida Hot Springs Aquatic Center and Centennial Courts)
Columbine Gem & Mineral Society Chaffee County; Buena Vista, CO; Salida, CO is hosting an auction for all rock enthusiast. From beautiful local to around the world rocks! All purchases are donated to the club. We hope to see you there!