Golden opportunity at Mount Baker rock show's 50th anniversary

For its 50th anniversary show this weekend, the Mount Baker Rock and Gem Club is featuring an apropos activity - a demonstration of gold-panning techniques.

"Fifty years. How cool is that?" said club member Bob Deurbrouck. "That's a lot of rocks."

The annual show is a popular event, drawing hundreds of people over two days and featuring exhibits, demonstrations and items for sale. There are colorful gems, minerals and fossils collected from around the world; jewelry; items made from rocks; books; rock-collecting tools and more.