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Pomo Obsidian LbNA #31731

Owner:The Olde Oak
Plant date:Jun 9, 2007
Location:
City:Kelseyville
County:Lake
State:California
Boxes:1
Found by: sun7flour
Last found:Feb 19, 2012
Status:FFOF
Last edited:Jun 9, 2007
Lake County abounds in a variety of wonderful minerals. The Pomo Obsidian Letterbox directions will take you not only to the letterbox, but to an area rich in large and small chunks of indigenous obsidian. Obsidian is the result of volcanic lava coming in contact with water. Often the lava pours into a lake or ocean and is cooled quickly. This process produces a glassy texture in the resulting rock. The influence of different minerals produces different colored obsidian. Mostly you will find black at the letterbox site, but keep your eyes open for variations and browns.

Pomo Indians chipped arrowheads, spears, bird points and tools in Lake County hundreds of years previous to the arrival of white people. Obsidian items were still evident in the Pomo way of life a century ago. Today hobbyists, veterans and novices alive, carve cameos, intaglios, figurines, animals and copies of authentic artifacts.

To locate the letterbox find the junction of Hwy 29 and 175 at Lakeport. Drive approximately 7.7 miles in the direction of Lower Lake. You will pass Finley and Kelseyville on your left. At Bottle Rock Road turn right. Drive about .7 miles. On your right you will note a pull-out spot. {Note 4/27/08: About 3/4 of the turn-out has now been fenced off. There are no signs saying private property or keep out.} It is not particularly attractive and there are several signs asking you not to litter or dump. The obsidian you will see is beautiful, the parking spot not. Walk to the southern end of the fence and go around it. Then continue to the south end of what was a large pull-out space. When you get there you will see that once there was a dirt road. Where did it go? Who knows. Follow that overgrown dirt path. At points there will be gravel in your way, there will be dips and humps and brush threatening to obliterate your progress. Keep going and keep your eyes down to see the obsidian. After perhaps a minute you will arrive at a small clearing where the road appears to be mostly blocked by brush. Were you to keep going the trail becomes noticeably steep in the downhill direction. Stand in the center of the clearing about 10 feet away from the seeming end of the trail. Find a largish scrubby bush bordering the clearing to the northeast. The Pomo Obsidian Letterbox will be right behind the bush next to the small trunk. Please try to rehide the box so it is not easily or casually spied.

Thank you for coming!