Day 3: Tuesday, 1/9/2018
by Tina Chen (18′) and Sam Cartwright (18′)
Today we ascended the flanks of Volcán Turrialba in our hearty van (named Weefee). Upon our arrival, we were welcomed by falling ash from an eruption that occurred earlier in the morning. Donning our hard hats, we armed ourselves with rock picks before carrying on. Heading north, we passed through a town that was abandoned in the mid-2000s due to the hazards posed by the increasingly active volcano and stopped for a quick lunch. Eventually, rolling green hills of cow pastures gave way to a stark, barren landscape inhabited only by trees killed by the outgassing of CO2. It was there that we discovered an enigmatic mud channel deposit filled with uniform, sand-sized ash that left us both puzzled and entranced. After a wonderful first day in the field, we made our way back to San José.
Many thanks to Carlos José Ramírez Umaña of Volcanoes sin Fronteras for making this day possible!
With our trusty Scooby Doo van, Weefee and our amazing driver, Elliott (PC Andrew Hollyday).
A warm welcome into Turrialba Volcano National Park (Accompanied by local geologist Carlos Ramirez).
Turrialba Volcano
Having lunch by the abandoned town of Finca Retiro.
Panoramic view of Finca Retiro (PC Bryce Belanger).
Professor Kristina Walowski next to the ash flow deposit.
GEOL 1035 and Carlos Ramirez (to the right) posing in No Man’s Land!
On the drive home, the group stopped to sample the local cheese varieties, including “queso Turrialba”