Pegmatites of San Diego county have long been known as a source of gem minerals.  Pegmatites are exposed as far north as Pala and as far south as Jacumba in the southeast corner of the county.  Within this "belt", pegmatites are extremely plentiful.  For example, the world famous Pala district contains at least 400 exposed dikes in an area of roughly 13 square miles...and this isn't even the largest pegmatite district in the county!  Pegmatites hosting gem tourmaline, beryl and lepidolite are only an example of the types of pegmatites found in the county.  PegCamp is situated right in the heart of this "belt" and during our week in California, we will explore the various mineralogical and textural types of pegmatites which have made southern California a favorite amongst mineral collectors and geologists for the past century.  With some luck maybe we'll get to visit some of the classic localities like the Himalaya mine or the Stewart mine.  Or perhaps some student will be fortunate enough to discover a pocket and find a nice gemmy pink tourmaline encrusted with lepidolite crystals.  One thing is for certain...the San Diego county pegmatites are some of the most intriguing pegmatites in all of North America and at PegCamp-West, you can have an opportunity to try and explain all the unusual features that make them so unique.