"A Rockhound's Guide to Oregon & Washington" by Alison Jean Cole

Event Details

When
May 22, 2025 from 07:00 PM to 08:00 PM
Where
Third Place Books, Lake Forest Park
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A Nature of Writing speaker series event, in partnership with Third Place Books

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The Pacific Northwest’s complex geologic history makes it a treasure trove for rockhounds! In this guide, artist & geology enthusiast Alison Jean Cole shares 60 sites where you can explore ancient sea-floors, epic lava flows, glacier-carved landscapes, and evidence of 200 million years of tectonic action. Discover agates and jaspers in the volcanic Cascade Range and marine fossils along the Oregon Coast. Search for concretions along the Olympic Peninsula, petrified wood in the Owyhee Uplands, and much more. Cole offers detailed information on where exactly to begin a rock hunt, including an overview of the area’s geologic history and age, what types of rocks are worth finding there, needed tools, land manager, and collection limits. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Alison Jean Cole is a geology enthusiast and artist. Frequently traveling all over the western states in search of material to use in her lapidary craft, she leads rockhounding expeditions, runs a geology festival in Utah, and is a proud member of the Mount Hood Rock Club. She is the author of Beautiful Rocks & How to Find Them, and publishes THUNDEREGG, a zine that focuses on the changing face of rockhounding culture. She lives in Portland, OR. 

ABOUT OUR BOOKSELLER PARTNER
Now celebrating over 25 years in business, Third Place Books is a Pacific Northwest bookselling institution with three locations in the Seattle area, each featuring a partner restaurant and gathering space. Hosting nearly 300 author events a year, Third Place Books has proudly supported Puget Sound authors since 1998.