Blog

For anyone who’s spent time rockhounding in the Pacific Northwest, there’s a good chance you’ve heard the name Nick Zentner. Maybe it was through a YouTube recommendation, a late-night geology rabbit hole, or a road trip podcast where his voice filled in the volcanic gaps between pit stops. However you found him, his lectures and interviews have become a kind of unofficial companion guide to the region’s wild geology—especially for those of us who like to collect a physical piece of it.

While Zentner isn’t a rockhound in the traditional sense (he’s a geologist and professor at Central Washington University), his work has had a real impact on the hobby. He connects the dots between landscapes and deep time, giving context to the strange, colorful, and sometimes frustrating rocks we dig out of the dirt. Whether you’re collecting thundereggs in Oregon, agates in Washington, or jasper in the Columbia Basin, there’s a good chance Nick’s explained the volcanic chaos that made it all possible.

Continue reading “Digging Deeper: How Nick Zentner Enriches Rockhounding in the Pacific Northwest”

When it comes to finding rocks, minerals, and especially thundereggs, few tools are more powerful (or underutilized) than Mindat.org. Built and maintained by the mineral community, Mindat is the world’s largest open mineral database—and it’s surprisingly useful for rockhounds, even if you’re not a crystallography nerd or museum curator. Whether you’re hunting agate in central Oregon or chasing copper minerals in Arizona, Mindat can help you discover spots, identify finds, and plan trips smarter.

In this post, I’ll walk you through how to use Mindat as a rockhound, with tips on reading the maps, finding thunderegg beds, and avoiding some common pitfalls.

Continue reading “Rockhounding with Mindat: How to Use the Internet’s Best Mineral Tool in the Field”

After years of digging, cutting, and collecting, I’m excited to finally open the virtual doors to Cascade Lapidary. What started as a personal obsession with thundereggs, saws, and volcanic mud has slowly taken shape into a proper outlet where I can share some of the stones and stories I’ve uncovered along the way.

This site—caslap.com—is still growing. Right now, it’s home to a small but curated selection of thundereggs and other lapidary materials, mostly from Oregon and Washington. I’ll be adding more soon: rough rock, polished cuts, maybe even some equipment and build guides if things go right. Whether you’re a seasoned cutter or just someone fascinated by what hides inside a dusty old nodule, you’re welcome here.

Check back often—there’s plenty more coming. And thanks for stopping by.