GSA’S FIRST STUDENT-ORIENTED GEOVENTURES TRIP: ICELAND—2002

To promote student interest in international geology, the Geological Society of America initiated Student-Oriented Geoventures trips. Twenty-six students from twenty-one colleges and universities across the United States participated on the first Student Geoventures trip: a two-week camping excursion to Iceland, in August 2002. Our route generally followed the Ring Road around the country.

Students provided their own camping equipment. Two large communal kitchen tents, tables, chairs, and cooking facilities were provided. Students shared cooking responsibilities on a rotating basis. A charter bus was used throughout the trip for transportation between established, modern campsites and to field sites. A faculty leader and camp manager supervised the daily activities. An English-speaking, Icelandic driver added his vast local knowledge to the trip.

Tectonics, volcanism, and glaciers were the primary fields of concentration but geomorphologic themes such as stream and coastal erosion, geothermal and periglacial phenomena, mass movement, and near-surface hydrology were also discussed. More than 80 km of optional hikes were provided. These included hikes through volcanic centers at Krafla and Askja calderas, the Skútustaðagígar pseudocraters, Dimmuborgir and the Hverfjall tuff cone, and Landmannalauger.

Rifting was investigated at Thingvellir, Lakigígar, Eldgjà, Namafjäll Hverir, and Krafla. A hike along the Skaftafellsjökull valley glacier descending from the Vatnajökull ice cap took place in Skaftafell National Park. Geothermal sites included Geysir, Hveravellir, Namafjäll Hverir, Krafla, Askja Viti, Landmannalauger, and the Blue Lagoon. Numerous waterfalls and lava flows were also examined to break up the drive between campsites.

In spite of frequent rain, students remained undampened in their enthusiasm and deemed the trip a raging success. No one wanted to leave.