Auverne with OUGSME 2003

On top of the Puy de Sarcouy: other Puys in the distance. A quarry on the north side of Puy de Sarcouy: onion skin weathering on a large bomb. A quarry on the north side of Puy de Sarcouy: bombs among the tephra layers. A quarry on the north side of Puy de Sarcouy: the fish bomb. A quarry on the north side of Puy de Sarcouy: surface weathering caused the coloured striations visible on the surface of the fish bomb, and the white nugget is a piece of country rock. A quarry on the north side of Puy de Sarcouy: view of the scoria quarry. A quarry on the north side of Puy de Sarcouy: a bomb containing pieces of embedded country rock (the pale blobs). A quarry on the north side of Puy de Sarcouy: a closer view of the surface weathering on a small piece of broken bomb. Back at the gîte: Mike, Frank and Paul relaxing after a very hot day. At Rochefort Montagne, a 25 m 30 m thick ignimbrite deposit, with Nico in the foreground showing us where it is located on the map. A photo of those who decided to be brave and spend a night in a cave at the top of a trachyte dome. From the cave at the top of the trachyte dome (where we spent the night), this is the view of the nearest puy quite early in the morning. A puy in the morning. Rochefort Montagne, a 25 m 30 m ignimbrite deposit. Roche Sanadoire with Frank in the foreground. Basaltic in composition. Le Cheix quarry: Nadine is standing in front of a cross-section through a lahar (a fast flowing mixture of water and rock debris, mostly volcanic in origin). A road cutting next to the view point for Roche de Tuillières and Roche Sanadoire. There appears to be 4 layers: dark grey, pale cream, pinky-orange and light grey. Close inspection reveals the contacts between each to be sharp and uneven, with a darker rind apparent at some of the contacts. Nico suggested this could represent a debris flow or possibly a hot lahar flow. Le Cheix quarry: columnar basalt jointing in the cliffs at the top of the quarry were spied from the path. Réserve Naturelle de la Vallée de Chaudefour: Stuart standing in front of the waterfall. La Source St Anne in the Vallée de Chaudefour: the water had a slight fizziness to it, and tasted strongly of iron and sulphur, but it was very refreshing. Réserve Naturelle de la Vallée de Chaudefour: the Dent de la Rancune with Frank in the foreground. Lac Pavin: Nico preparing the ropes for a spot of abseiling. The lake has formed in the crater of an extinct volcano. Lac Pavin: Mike getting kitted up. On top of the Puy de Sarcouy: more flowers.

Slideshow Auvergne Trip 2003