IUGG PERUGIA 2007: Glaciological field excursion July

Transcription

1 IUGG PERUGIA 2007: Glaciological field excursion July The field excursion is open to delegates of the session JMS027 Glacier Fluctuations in the Asian High Mountains (UCCS Symposium hosted by IAMAS) and to delegates of the other cryospheric sessions. Discovering the big Italian glaciers: Forni Glacier (upper Valtellina) and Miage Glacier (Mont Blanc massif) The excursion will visit Forni Glacier, the largest Italian valley glacier, and Miage Glacier, the widest debris-covered glacier in Italy. Scientific organizer: Claudio Smiraglia Università di Milano Scientific committee: Guglielmina Diolaiuti, Manuela Pelfini -Università di Milano, Italy Benjamin Brock, Martin Kirkbride, University of Dundee, Scotland (UK) Philip Deline, Université de Savoie, France with the scientific and logistic support of Università di Milano, A. Desio Earth Sciences Department (UNIMI) Italian Glaciological Commettee (CGI), EV-K2-CNR Committee

2 First draft programme The field trip will start on the 14 th of July 2007 (after all the cryospheric sessions have finished) from Perugia. Outline itinerary (14 th July) Travel from Perugia via Milano to Valtellina (Santa Caterina Valfurva) (15 th July) Forni Glacier excursion (16 th July) Travel from Valtellina via Milano to Valle d Aosta (Courmayeur) (17 th July) Miage Glacier excursion The field trip will end in Courmayeur on the evening of 17 th July, from where you may return to Milan or onward to other destinations. For reaching the field sites, you can travel by public transport (a cheaper option but requiring more time) or you can rent a car (a faster and more comfortable option, without the need for changes from train to bus etc). This will be cheaper and more convenient if 3 or 4 people share the rental costs a small car. The excursion organizers will provide the scientific programme. Participants may request help with booking hotels, train and bus tickets (please find approximate costs at the end of the detailed programme) or you may make your own arrangements, in which case we need from you only a confirmation of your field excursion attendance by the deadline, and payment of a deposit of c. 30 Euro to cover the costs of hiring Alpine guides and insurance for the glacier trip. The final costs will be given ASAP. Deadline for confirmation of your participation: 15 th May 2007 (please claudio.smiraglia@unimi.it and guglielmina.diolaiuti@unimi.it In the please indicate whether or not you wish us to help with your bookings. Below are alternative draft programs, the first using public transport, the second a private car. Option 1: public transport Saturday 14 July: To reach Valtellina (Santa Caterina Valfurva, 1850 m a.s.l.) the closest village to Forni Glacier, it is necessary to leave Perugia early in the morning Train from Perugia to Milano Depart 6.21 a.m. from Perugia, arrive Milano Centrale railway station a.m. Train from Milano to Tirano (Valtellina) Depart from Milano Centrale, arrive Tirano p.m. Bus from Tirano to Bormio (1225 m a.s.l.) Depart p.m. from Tirano (the bus station is located in front of the railway station), arrive Bormio 15:45 p.m. Bus from Bormio to Santa Caterina Valfurva (1850 m a.s.l.)

3 Depart p.m. from Bormio, arrive Santa Caterina Valfurva p.m. Accommodation in Santa Caterina Valfurva: there are cheap hotels (c Euros per person half board) and, of course, more expensive ones too! Sunday 15 July: Field trip on Forni Glacier The field trip will take about 6/8 hours visiting the glacier surroundings and the glacier itself. Forni is the largest Italian valley glacier with a surface area of 12 km 2, located in the Ortles-Cevedale group (Stelvio National Park, Lombardy Alps). The north-facing glacier has an elevation range of 2600 to 3670 m a.s.l. The surrounding mountains are typically m high and provide efficient shading from the south and east. The highest is Punta San Matteo (3678 m a.s.l.) On Forni Glacier, the first permanent Italian automatic weather station (AWS) has been established on the ablation zone at the WGS84 coordinates N, E, 2669 m (ellipsoidal elevation) at the base of the Eastern icefall.

4 For this excursion you will need to bring mountain equipment: mountain boots, crampons, heavy clothes, and sunglasses. Overnight hotel accommodation in Santa Caterina Valfurva (a list of the available hotels will be provided) Monday 16 July To reach Valle d Aosta (where Miage Glacier is located) it is necessary to leave from Valtellina early in the morning again Bus from Santa Caterina Valfurva to Bormio Depart a.m. from Santa Caterina Valfurva, arrive 7.35 a.m. Bormio Bus from Bormio to Tirano Depart a.m. from Bormio, arrive 8.35 a.m. Tirano Train from Tirano to Milano Depart a.m from Tirano, arrive Milano Centrale railway station a.m. Bus from Milano to Courmayeur Depart from Milano Garibaldi station p.m. arrive Courmayeur p.m. Milano Garibaldi station can be reached by the underground (tube) Green Line or Line 2. The ticket costs 1 euro and trains run every 10 minutes. It takes 10 minutes to reach Milano Garibaldi from Milano Centrale. Overnight hotel accommodation in Courmayeur. Hotel prices start at s for a cheap single room, bed and breakfast. Courmayeur also has many more expensive ones. Tuesday 17 July: Field trip on Miage Glacier The field trip will take about 6/8 hours, approaching the glacier along the Checrouit mountain path with an extensive view of the glacier and upper Val Veny. We will follow this with a visit to the Miage moraine amphitheatre and its eponymous lake, where calving of the ice cliff is active. Then we will cross the debris-covered glacier where an AWS is located as part of an Italian-Scottish research project on energy and mass budgets, and where we can admire the unique landscape created by differential ablation under the debris layer. Colonising trees are also present on the glacier surface (Larix decidua and Picea alba). Miage Glacier (11 km 2 ) drains the south flank of the Mont Blanc Massif (45 47 N, E). Over half of the ablation zone is debris-covered due to high rates of debris supply, mainly from surrounding deglaciated rock walls (macrogelivation processes, permafrost degradation and rock falls) and from avalanching from accumulation zones between 3000 to 4800 m a.s.l. Medial moraines, which form below tributary confluences, develop into a continuous debris cover below 2400 m a.s.l. Debris thickness increases from a few centimetres of patchy cover on the upper tongue to >1 m at the terminus at 1775 m a.s.l.

5 For this excursion you will again need to bring mountain equipment: mountain boots, heavy clothes, and sunglasses. (Crampons are not needed on Miage Glacier). A small reception in the CRGV base (the local agency responsible for coordinating the glaciological surveys in Aosta Valley Region) will follow the field trip. Overnight hotel accommodation in Courmayeur (a list of available hotels will be provided) To return to Milan by public transport: Wednesday 18 July Bus from Courmayeur to Milano Depart from Courmayeur 6.45 a.m. or p.m. arrive Milano Garibaldi am or p.m. Approximate costs:

6 Train from PERUGIA to MILANO Train and bus from MILANO to Santa Caterina Valfurva (SCV) Accommodation (half board) in SCV 14th July Accommodation (half board) in SCV 15th July Train and bus from Santa Caterina Valfurva (SCV) to MILANO Bus from MILANO to COURMAYEUR Accommodation (bed and breakfast) in COURMAYEUR 16th July Accommodation (bed and breakfast) in COURMAYEUR 17th July Bus from COURMAYEUR to MILANO Contribution for alpine guides, organization costs c. 20 Euro c. 20 Euro c. 15 Euro c. 15 Euro c. 30 Euro c. 300 Euro To this you will need to add the cost of dinner and refreshments for 16 and 17 July, and extras such as equipment rental (boots, etc) which is possible both in Courmayeur and in Santa Caterina Valfurva at a cost of c. 20 Euro) 2 nd option: by car Saturday 14 July: To reach Valtellina (Santa Caterina Valfurva, 1850 m a.s.l.) the closest village to Forni Glacier, it is necessary to leave Perugia early in the morning Train from Perugia to Milano Depart 6.21 a.m. from Perugia, arrive Milano Centrale railway station a.m. Milano to Santa Caterina Valfurva (1850 m a.s.l.) (Valtellina) Car rental Pick up at 12.00, Milano Centrale railway station economy car (small, 4 places) Arrive in Santa Caterina Valfurva (208 km from Milano) at p.m. Accommodation in Santa Caterina Valfurva: there are cheap hotels (c Euros per person half board) and, of course, more expensive ones. Sunday 15 July: Field trip on Forni Glacier The field trip will take about 6/8 hours visiting the glacier surroundings and the glacier itself. Forni is the largest Italian valley glacier with a surface area of 12 km 2, located in the Ortles-Cevedale group (Stelvio National Park, Lombardy Alps). The north-facing glacier has an elevation range of 2600 to 3670 m a.s.l. The surrounding mountains are typically m high and provide efficient shading from the south and east. The highest is Punta San Matteo (3678 m a.s.l.) On Forni Glacier, the first permanent Italian automatic weather station (AWS) has been established on the ablation zone at the WGS84 coordinates N, E, 2669 m (ellipsoidal elevation) at the base of the Eastern icefall. For this excursion you will need to bring mountain equipment: mountain boots, crampons, heavy clothes, and sunglasses. A small reception in the ARPA base (Lombardy Regional Environmental Agency) will follow the field trip.

7 Overnight hotel accommodation in Santa Caterina Valfurva (a list of the available hotels will be provided) Monday 16 July To reach Valle d Aosta (where Miage Glacier is located) it is necessary to leave from Valtellina. By road, the route is from Santa Caterina Valfurva to Milano (208 km) and then from Milano to Courmayeur (225 km). Depart Santa Caterina Valfurva 10:00 a.m. to arrive in Courmayeur at 15:00 p.m. Overnight hotel accommodation in Courmayeur. Hotel prices start at s for a cheap single room, bed and breakfast. Courmayeur also has many more expensive ones. Tuesday 17 July: Field trip on Miage Glacier The field trip will take about 6/8 hours, approaching the glacier along the Checrouit mountain path with an extensive view of the glacier and upper Val Veny. We will follow this with a visit to the Miage moraine amphitheatre and its eponymous lake, where calving of the ice cliff is active. Then we will cross the debris-covered glacier where an AWS is located as part of an Italian-Scottish research project on energy and mass budgets, and where we can admire the unique landscape created by differential ablation under the debris layer. Colonising trees are also present on the glacier surface (Larix decidua and Picea alba). Miage Glacier (11 km 2 ) drains the south flank of the Mont Blanc Massif (45 47 N, E). Over half of the ablation zone is debris-covered due to high rates of debris supply, mainly from surrounding deglaciated rock walls (macrogelivation processes, permafrost degradation and rock falls) and from avalanching from accumulation zones between 3000 to 4800 m a.s.l. Medial moraines, which form below tributary confluences, develop into a continuous debris cover below 2400 m a.s.l. Debris thickness increases from a few centimetres of patchy cover on the upper tongue to >1 m at the terminus at 1775 m a.s.l. For this excursion you will again need to bring mountain equipment: mountain boots, heavy clothes, and sunglasses. (Crampons are not needed on Miage Glacier). A small reception in the CRGV base (the local agency responsible for coordinating the glaciological surveys in Aosta Valley Region) will follow the field trip. Overnight hotel accommodation in Courmayeur (a list of available hotels will be provided) Wednesday 18 July Return to Milan by car. Depart Courmayeur at a.m. to arrive in Milano at am to return the car Approximate costs: Train from PERUGIA to MILANO Car rental from MILANO to Milano at c. 250 Euro per car For a small 4-person car and a 900 km journey, cost per person = c. 63 Euro

8 Accommodation (half board) in SCV 14th July Accommodation (half board) in SCV 15th July Accommodation (bed and breakfast) in COURMAYEUR 16th July Accommodation (bed and breakfast) in COURMAYEUR 17th July Contribution for alpine guides, organization costs c. 30 Euro c. 290 Euro To this you will need to add the cost of dinner and refreshments for 16 and 17 July, and extras such as equipment rental (boots, etc) which is possible both in Courmayeur and in Santa Caterina Valfurva at a cost of c. 20 Euro)