Field trips 

We offer five field trips, presenting the geodiversity that originates from the unique position of Slovenia at the Alpine-Dinaric-Pannonian junction. Please note that the number of available places is limited for most field trips due to transport limitations on the mountain roads (we kindly suggest registering early – first come first served!).

As an additional offer, Alpine Workshop participants may choose to join the pre- and post-conference field trips of the Interrad 2022 conference that will take place in Ljubljana at the same time as the Alpine Workshop.

For participation in Interrad 2022 field trips, please contact the organizers directly.

Field Trip A

Adria margin of the Alpine-Dinaric transition area – sedimentary view and a structural glimpse

Prepare yourselves for 3 days of panoramic drives, breath-taking views, 6 km of a tooth-rattling train ride beneath the Julian Alps, a dizzying view of the largest underground canyon in Europe, and, of course, numerous hours of rock goggling.

This field trip will take you from the Permian rocks of the Dovžan gorge, the Permian-Triassic boundary near Jelendol, the deeper marine successions exposed around Bled and in the Bohinj Valley, an insight into the structure of the eastern Southern Alps, and the classical successions of the Tolmin Basin, exposed along the road to Tolminske Ravne. The last day will be devoted to spectacular outcrops of Paleocene flysch in the Soča River valley and a visit to the Škocjan Caves, a UNESCO heritage locality. We will recapitulate the evolution of the Permian – Early Triassic Slovenian Carbonate Platform, the Middle Triassic differentiation and the break-up of the platform, the further evolution of the Julian Carbonate Platform and surrounding Bled and Slovenian (Tolmin) basins, and thriving and final destruction of the largest carbonate factory of the Adria, the Dinaric (Adriatic, Friuli) Carbonate Platform.

1. Fusulinid foraminifer from the Lower Permian Born Formation in the Dovžan Gorge
2. Upper Anisian (lower Ladinian?) Uggowitz Breccia above Lake Bled
3. Thrust contact between the Julian and the Tolmin Nappe, southern slopes of the Bohinj Ridge
4. Huge limestone olistolith within the Paleocene flysch, resulting from the destruction of the Dinaric (Adriatic) Carbonate Platform, Anhovo
5. Exit from the underground canyon of the Škocjan Caves, formed within the Upper Cretaceous Lipica Formation

About

• Duration: 3 days (9-11 September)
• Max. 24 participants
• Costs: €520.00
• Included: transportation, entry fees, field-trip guide, lunches, accommodation
• Field trip participants will be accomodated in shared double rooms. A limited number of single rooms will be available for an extra fee of approx. €50.00, to be payed at the accomodation directly.
• Disclosure: we all hope for good weather, but rain is common in September; be prepared for all weather conditions.

Field Trip B

From Eo-alpine UHP metamorphism to Miocene metamorphic core complex: tectonic, metamorphic, magmatic, and sedimentary evolution of the Pohorje Mountains

This excursion will lead you to the rolling hills of the Pohorje Mts of north-eastern Slovenia, which may provide less dramatic topography than the Alpine terrains of Slovenia but nevertheless reveal a spectacular geological story, centred around the exhumation of the Pohorje metamorphic dome. The first phase of exhumation occurred in the Cretaceous along the subduction channel, followed by post-orogenic extensional exhumation in the late Cretaceous and finally during the mid-Miocene rifting of the Pannonian Basin. The excursion will start by visiting outcrops of the famous diamond-bearing Eo-alpine UHP metamorphic rocks of southern Pohorje, followed by examining the Miocene synrift granodiorite intrusive body, which exhibits a variety of tectonic fabrics.

The main part of the excursion will focus on multiscale evidence of Miocene extensional deformation and exhumation found in the metamorphic basement and in the granodiorite intrusion and its associated volcanics as well as in the mid-Miocene synrift sediments covering the dome. On the final day, the excursion will reach the easternmost outcrop of the Periadriatic Fault, a major trans-Alpine fault structure, and follow a nicely exposed section of basal Miocene synrift sediments, sitting uncomformably on the Periadriatic tonalite.

1. Rolling hills, typical of the Pohorje Mts. and their surroundings (view from SE Pohorje).
2. Deformed Miocene granodiorite
3. Outcrop of the main detachment of the Pohorje Miocene core complex, showing tectonically tilted Miocene sediments sitting on the fault gouge and mylonite
4. Pohorje eclogite

About

• Duration: 3 days (15-17 September)
• Max. 24 participants
• Costs: €540.00
• Included: transportation, entry fees, field-trip guide, lunches, accommodation
• Field trip participants will be accomodated in shared double rooms. A limited number of single rooms will be available for an extra fee of approx. €50.00, to be payed at the accomodation directly.

Field Trip C

Marine reptile-bearing Anisian limestone of the Velika planina mountain pasture

Led by Luka Gale and Tomaž Hitij

Seemingly only a short step from the highest peaks of the Kamnik-Savinja Alps lies the Velika planina plateau. A popular place for family hiking, the Velika planina plateau sports numerous pastures, sprinkled with iconic huts and mountain flowers. But the main attraction for geologists (besides some large karstic caves) is a few tens or perhaps a few hundred metres thick succession of dark platy and often finely laminated limestone, sandwiched between Anisian peritidal carbonates. Platy limestone is intensively folded and thus often attracts the attention of a regular hiker. However, it is only in the last decade that some well-preserved fish and Pachypleurosaur fossils were found within this member. The field trip will take us to some exposures of the Velika planina limestone member. Macroscopic observations will be supplemented by photos of microfacies. We will discuss possible interpretations of sedimentary environment and enjoy sedimentary and deformational structures. Upon safe return to the valley, we will visit a small collection of fossils collected in this stratigraphic unit.

Intoxicating panorama of the Velika planina pasture (assuming the weather is good).

About

• Duration: 1 days (15 September)
• Max. 15 participants – first come first served!
• Costs: €80.00
• Included: transportation, cable car, field-trip guide, lunch
• Disclosure: weather can be severely unkind at high altitudes; in case of bad weather, a substitute field trip will be organized

Field Trip D

Jurassic limestone succession at the edge of Ljubljana Moor: from microfacies to Romans

This field trip will take place near Ljubljana, on the edge of Ljubljana Moor. The main topic of this field trip will be the stratigraphic succession from the Hettangian to the Aalenian in the northern part of the Adriatic Carbonate Platform. We will also connect the stratigraphic data with accurate provenance determination of ancient carbonate artefacts.

We will visit outcrops of Hettangian and Sinemurian limestone deposited in a peritidal environment, a quarry of Pliensbachian limestone containing beautiful accumulations of lithiothid bivalves deposited in restricted lagoons, and a karst cave where we will observe the deeper-water platy Toarcian limestone followed by thick deposits of Aalenian oolites. Numerous limestone artefacts are found in the broader area, and some are on display in a local lapidarium, which we will visit and where we will present the multimethod analysis for provenance determination. Join us for this 1-day field trip where you will have the opportunity to visit some of the most picturesque geological and archaeological sites in the region.

1. Part of the Pliensbachian succession at Podpeč quarry
2. Roman stelae made of Pliensbachian limestone
3. panorama from St. Anne’s Hill with a view of Ljubljana Moor.

About

• Duration: 1 days (15 September)
• Max. 15 participants – first come first served!
• Costs: €60.00
• Included: transportation, lapidarium entrance fee, field-trip guide, lunch

Field Trip E

Geological tour of Ljubljana

On a geological walk through the centre of Ljubljana we will introduce you to the most interesting types of Slovenian and foreign natural stones that decorate the streets and cultural monuments of Ljubljana. Through the story of their use, you will learn about the history and architectural features of the capital of Slovenia. The walk will take about 2 hours.

Types of Slovenian ornamental stone in the streets and buildings of Ljubljana

About

• Duration: half day (15 September)
• Max. 30 participants
• Costs: free
• Included: guided tour and pleasant walk