Trips & Meetings
Program Meetings are held at the Cliffs Shaft Mine Museum in Ishpeming. Doors open at 1:00pm to allow visitors time to check out our mineral collection displays.
Zoom is sometimes available for program meetings, and if so invitations will be sent to club members by email.
Here's a map for reference, you can also see the Elks Club location where the show is hosted:
See full area on OpenStreetMaps
Important notices for all Field Trips!
We love including all rock hounds on our trips. However, field trips can be dangerous if participants are not careful. We do not want anyone to get hurt or to lose our visiting privileges to private sites.
You are strongly advised to review and follow the full Field Trip rules:
Here are some highlights:
- You don't need to be a member to attend our trips. Trips are $10 for non-members and $5 for members, except for the Annual Show Field Trips (on these,, everyone pays $10). College students, field trip helpers and family members under 16 are free.
- Children must be 7 years of age or older and must be closely attended at all times. Children under 7 are not allowed on any field trip properties, period. One adult per child - they cannot be wandering off.
- Bring safety glasses. We may have extras available, but if you do not have them, you will not be able to join the trip. Eye protection should be on at all times.
- Wear real shoes and ideally long pants. Sandals or flip flops are not acceptable - dress for the dig!
- Always be careful. Especially watch out above and below you on rock piles, and around you if you're breaking rocks.
- No drones and no smoking. Yes, rock piles can be flammable!
- Follow all directions given by field trip coordinators and helpers!
- Have fun! If you don't know what it is you picked up, feel free to ask seasoned fellow rock hounds.
The rules will be presented again in full before any trip begins.
Upcoming Meetings & Events (2026)
February 15th, 2026 - Program Meeting
Cliffs Shaft @ 1:30pm: Fredrick Stonehouse, Local Historian will present:
Forgotten Heroes, The U.S. Life-Saving Service on the Great Lakes From 1874 until 1915 when it became the U.S. Coast Guard, the men of this remarkable organization displayed incredible courage and bravery in rescuing over 55, 000 people from potential death on the Great Lakes. Despite personal danger or difficulty, the life-savers invariably accomplished the rescue. Their unofficial motto was, “Regulations say we have to go out, they say nothing about coming back.” It was a motto they lived and in some cases, died by.
Frederick Stonehouse has authored numerous books on maritime history. The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald and the Haunted Lakes series are regional best sellers. Wreck Ashore, the U.S. Life-Saving Service on the Great Lakes is the predominant work on the subject.
He has also been an "on-air" expert for History Channel, National Geographic and Smithsonian. He has been honored with the Association for Great Lakes Maritime History award for historic interpretation (2006) and named the Marine Historian of the Year by the Detroit Marine Historical Society (2007). www.frederickstonehouse.com
A business meeting will follow the presentation.
March 15th, 2026 - Program Meeting
Cliffs Shaft @ 1:30pm: Karen Brzys, The Agate Lady and World renowned agate expert will enlighten us on her new agate book, in the process of being published.
A business meeting will follow the presentation.
April 19th, 2026 - Annual Silent Auction Meeting
Cliffs Shaft @ 1:30pm: Mineral Specimens from the local area, the Upper Peninsula and beyond, will be available to purchase through the Silent Auction process. All are welcome.
A business meeting will follow the presentation.
May 17th, 2026 - Program Meeting
Cliffs Shaft @ 1:30pm: TBD
A business meeting will follow the presentation.
August 1st, 2026 - 50th Gem & Mineral Show
More information will be posted here as time goes on. Only this date is established.
Field trips remain TBD. Usually they happen the day before and day after the show.
Upcoming Meetings & Events (2026)
Wow, looking pretty far ahead aren't ya? TBD