FT1: TRES CRUCES AND RAMADAS TUFF RINGS, Northwestern Argentina, Salta Province

Organizer and leader: Dr. José Viramonte, Argentina, viramont@unsa.edu.ar

Purpose: The field trip comprises the visit to Tres Cruces tuff ring in the Quebrada Las Conchas, south of the Salta Cretaceous rift, with well exposed lahar deposits, base surges, impact sags and phreatomagmatic basanite deposits produced by magma-water interaction.

Also travel to the “Puna” and reach San Antonio de los Cobres (3,750 masl) to visit Las Ramadas garnet-rhyolitic volcanic complex with fantastic fall deposits, intraplinian pyroclastic flows, proximal breccias and perlitic base surges.

 Timing and Logistics:  This is a pre-conference excursion and is planned for 4 days/3 nights.

Participants must arrange and pay their own transportation to arrive to Salta and return to Buenos Aires/Mendoza to attend the Conference (Contact Mr. Johnny Albino Choique Tourism, malargue@choique.net or www.choique.net).

The excursion begins Thursday, 9 April in the afternoon – early evening, with the arrival of field trip participants to Salta Airport and ends on 12 April with the transport at 7:30 am to the airport and return to Buenos Aires.

 Note: Airfares not included. Arrival and departure times could vary depending on attendee’s flight schedule.

 Climate: Weather in Salta is pleasant during the day, with fresh to cold nights. Temperatures can reach 30ºC and 13-5ºC by night. The temperature during April in the Puna is subject to much variation in a single day from 15-20ºC to night frost and temperatures below 0ºC. Weather is dry and cold, with high sun radiation and frequent strong winds.
 People may suffer  from altitude sickness (Soroche or apunamiento) due to lack of Oxygen. People with cardiac and arterial hypertension antecedents must consult a doctor before registration. In the Puna physical activity must be reduced, alcoholic beverages must be avoided and only  light food is advice.

Clothing and field conditions: Clothing must be appropriate to all weather and should include a jacket, better if it is of duvet or polar goretex; layered clothing with a warm rainproof overcoat; sweater; warm underwear; T-shirt; walking boots; sunglasses; hat; and sunscreen.

All outcrops to be visited can be reached by vehicle and then by reasonable walking.

Cameras are recommended.

Accommodation, Transport, Meals:

The three nights accommodation are in a four-star hotel in Salta City.

Group transportation to the field will be by bus and/or mini-bus.

For special food requirements (e.g. vegetarian, religious, or allergies), please inform organizers.

 Excursion fee: The price for the excursion is € 670 based on a double room in Salta. The field trip requires a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 20 participants.

The excursion fee covers the following:

The excursion fee does not include:

Booking, Payment and cancellation: The participants must register and book the excursion through the Congress main registration system. Payment will be collected through the registration procedure (see 3rd IMC website for more information). The excursion will not take place if the number of participants is less than ten. In this case, notification of cancellation will take place in January 2009. If the excursion is scheduled, any further conditions for cancellation will be advertised in February 2009.

 Day-by-day stops: The following is a brief outline of the excursion in northwest Argentina. This is still provisional and may have to be adapted to correspond with updated flight timetables.

Day 1: Afternoon – early evening arrival of field trip participants to Salta. Welcome and a brief introduction to the planned excursion. Check in to hotel and dinner.

 Day 2: Departure at 8:00am, travel towards Cafayate. Participants will observe the Valle de Lerma and arrive to Quebrada de Las Conchas and have a general overview of the Cretaceous Salta Rift stratigraphic sequence, with “in situ” characterization of the different formations. In Quebrada El Sunchal, volcanic, volcanoclastic and sedimentary sequences can be seen and also spectacular examples of lahars, base surges, ballistic impacts, and phreatomagmatic deposits from water-basanitic magma interaction.

Field lunch.

Close ups will give insights to the Tres Cruces volcanic centre. Participants will observe and analyze the structure, central neck, radial dykes and base surge deposits.

Visit to a wine cellar in El Cafayate.

Trip back to Salta (arriving at approximately 10 pm).

Very late Dinner

Day 3: Departure at 8:00 am.

The plan for the day is to travel though the Quebrada del Toro, stopping in various general geological interest sites (Gólgota, Gobernador Sola, etc.).

Arriving to San Antonio de los Cobres and nearest  Ramadas riolitic-grarnetiferous complex with  special interest in medium range fall piroclastic facies and intra-plinian piroclastic flows and surge. Visit to the tuff ring to observe proximal facies (proximal breccias, perlitic base surge deposits, pyroclastic flows, degasification pipes, ballistic impacts, central dome, etc.); the complete sequence can be observed in different quarries.

Field lunch.

Afternoon: Return to Salta arriving at approximately 10 pm for dinner.

Day 4: 7:30 transport to the airport and return to Buenos Aires.

Guide book: The guidebook will follow the standard format required by the Conference. It will be made available in an electronic format and a sufficient number will be printed for the needs of the fieldtrip participants.

IMPORTANT Participants in the FT1 North Western Argentina field trip are advised that altitudes of 4,500 meters above sea level will be reached and in consequence, high altitude may affect or worsen respiratory, HBP or heart diseases. If you suffer from any of these disorders, the 3IMC organizers highly recommend you not to take this field trip.  Please inform the leader (Jose Viramonte) in advance of any medical problems you may have.

Note: Information on the route and the stops will be updated regularly to include more details.

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