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 participation in program and business meetings will be available in 2025! Invitations will be sent to club members by email.
Important notices for all Field Trips!
We love including everyone 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 read and follow the full Field Trip rules:
Here are some key 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 (then, everyone is $10).
- 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. They should be on at all times.
- Wear real shoes and long pants. Sandals, flip flops and shorts 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. We do not want fires or other dangers on our trips. 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, ask a senior club member. Or go straight to Dan.
The rules will be presented again in full before any trip begins.
Upcoming Meetings & Events (2025)
An outline is posted but still needs officer review; please check back later to ensure the dates are accurate. Filling TBDs will happen as soon as details become available.
April 27th, 2025 - Annual Silent Auction Meeting
Cliffs Shaft @ 1:30pm: Silent Auction! 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, 2025 - Field Trip
Cliffs Shaft parking lot, leaving at 9:30pm: TBD
May 18th, 2025 - Program Meeting
Cliffs Shaft @ 1:30pm: Craig Chesner, Emeritus Professor of Volcanology, Eastern Illinois University will present:
A tale of Two Eruptions: A local Cataclysm and a Regional Apocalypse
On the 45th anniversary of the Mt. Saint Helens cataclysmic eruption, this talk will contrast and compare it to the apocalyptic Toba super-eruption in Sumatra, Indonesia 74,000 years ago.
A business meeting will follow the presentation.
June 15th, 2025 - Business Meeting
Cliffs Shaft @ 7pm: This is a club business meeting, open to the public.
June 21st, 2025 - Field Trip
Cliffs Shaft parking lot, leaving at 9:30pm: TBD
July 19th, 2025 - Field Trip
Cliffs Shaft parking lot, leaving at 9:30pm: TBD
July 20th, 2025 - Business Meeting
Cliffs Shaft @ 7pm: This is a club business meeting, open to the public.
August 1st, 2025 - Field Trip
Cliffs Shaft parking lot, leaving at 9:30pm: TBD
August 2nd, 2025 - Annual Upper Peninsula Gem & Mineral Show
Elks Lodge in Ishpeming, MI: updates will be posted on the show page.
Only the date is certain at this time.
August 3rd, 2025 - Field Trip
Negaunee Township Hall parking lot, leaving at 12:30pm: TBD
August 25th, 2025 - Business Meeting
Cliffs Shaft @ 7pm: This is a club business meeting, open to the public.
September 21st, 2025 - Program Meeting
Cliffs Shaft @ 1:30pm: TBD
A business meeting will follow the presentation.