TEPOZTLAN, MEXICO – 2006 12Th International Symposium on Vulcanospeleology Greg Middleton
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TEPOZTLAN, MEXICO – 2006 12th International Symposium on Vulcanospeleology Greg Middleton ABSTRACT The 12th International Symposium on Vulcanospeleology was held at Tepoztlán, Mexico in July 2006. Field trips included visits to the spatter cones and vents of Los Cuescomates, Cueva del Diablo, Chimalacatepec, Iglesia Cave, Cueva del Ferrocarril, Cantona archaeological site, Alchichica Maar, El Volcancillo crater and tubes, Rio Actopan (river rafting). The author later visited some unusual volcanic caves near Colonia Moderna, northwest of Guadalajara. WELCOME TO MEXICO small band of helpers. Attendees included Arriving at Mexico City airport just before IUS Volcanic Caves Commission Chair Jan midnight on 1 July, after flying from Sydney Paul Van Der Pas (and Bep) (Netherlands), a for 25 hours (with a 3 hour stop-over in contingent from South Korea (Kyung Sik Santiago de Chile), can be slightly Woo, Kwang Choon Lee, In-Seok Son and harrowing. Then to find the last bus to others), a contingent from the Azores Cuernavaca (fare 1,100 Peso or US$10) (Paulino Costa, João C. Nunes, Paulo departed at 11:30 pm and be confronted by a Barcelos, João P. Constância and others), rather dubious-looking character offering a Marcus & Robin Gary, Diana Northup, Ken ‘taxi’ to take you there for US$160, can be Ingham and Peter Ruplinger from the USA, positively unnerving. Fortunately, with only Stephan Kempe and Horst-Volker Henschel my wallet considerably lighter, I made it to from Germany, Ed Waters and (of course) the small village of Tepoztlán, arriving at the Chris Wood from the UK, together with a Hospedaje Los Reyes at 1:45 am. I rested number of locals. most of the next day, wandering downtown FIELD TRIP #1 to the Axitla Restaurant for the symposium’s Somewhat unusually, the meeting started opening banquet at 6 pm. with a field trip to introduce us to the Sierra THOSE ATTENDING Chichinautzin Volcanic Field (SCVF), The symposium was ably organised by located south of Mexico City, in the centre of Ramón Espinasa, John & Suzy Pint and a the Transmexican Volcanic Belt (Fig. 1). Fig. 1. Tectonic setting of the symposium and field trips, in the Transmexican Volcanic Belt. Journal of the Sydney Speleological Society, 2007, 51(5): 123 Our first stop was to view the 3,620 m studies in Harrat Khaybar, Saudi Arabia by Pelado Volcano, one of the most John Pint; Al-Fahde Cave, Jordan, longest symmetrical cones in the SCVF and which lava cave on Arabian Peninsula, and Lava contains a rare cave in andesite, the highest cave research in Jordan by Stephan Kempe et mapped cave in North America. From the al. Morelos Memorial we walked into a pine Further presentations on 6 July related to forest to see the Los Cumescomates hornitos/ Gruta das Torres visitor centre, Pico I., rootless vents (Fig. 2) and associated small Azores by Manuel P. Costa et al.; what is lava tubes, formed when lava flowed over a known about Thurston Lava Tube, Hawaii swampy area. Local fare was enjoyed for (the most visited lava tube in the world?) by lunch at a restaurant near the monument. Kempe and Henschel; Geology and genesis We then drove back through Tepoztlán and of Kamakalepo Cave system in Mauna Loa down to Cueva del Diablo. What for most of lavas, Hawaii and Archaeology of the us was our first Mexican lava tube cave is Kamakalepo/ Waipouli/ Stonehenge area, 2,020 m long and is still used by locals for underground fortresses, living quarters and religious rituals honouring the devil, petroglyph fields by Kempe et al.; involving the sacrifice of chickens. Comparison of microbial mats in Pahoehoe This anastomosing tube system (a minor one and Four Windows caves, El Malpais NM, compared to what was to come), is the New Mexico by Diana Northup et al. (are lowest in the Suchiooc lava flow. The cave they impacting on the basalt?); Use of features canyons and multiple superimposed Atlantis Terra 2 in mapping biodiversity of passages; climbing between them can be caves in Azores by Paulo Borges et al.; difficult (Fig. 3). Cueva del Diablo: a batcave in Tepoztlán by Gabriela Segurajáuregui; Troglobites from PRESENTATIONS lava tubes in Sierra de Chichinautzin Tuesday 4 July was devoted to presentations challenge the exclusion principle by Luis at the Symposium venue – an ancient Espinasa & Adriana Fisher; Uranium in convent in the middle of town. Papers were caves by Juan Bernal; Development of a given on Mexican lava caves: Lava tubes of Karst Information Portal to advance research the Suchiooc Volcano by Ramón (detailed and education in global karst science by descriptions, including most important and Northup et al.; A database for the most complex Ferrocarril system – 14 entrances – outstanding volcanic caves in the world by archaeological values, problems with rubbish João Constância et al.; Morphogenesis of dumping); Surveyed lava tubes of Jalisco, lava tube caves: a review by Chris Wood. In Mexico by John Pint et al. (small but only addition, there were at least 10 poster tubes in region); Cueva Chinacamoztoc, presentations ranging from local caves to a Puebla (cave of bats, first recorded 1851, 15 number on lava caves in the Azores islands. m high entrance now filled with sediment) #2 – SISTEMA CHIMALACATEPEC by Ramón; Cueva Chapuzon in lithic tuff, Jalisco by Chris Lloyd and the Pints (water- On 5th it was back to the field. After eroded); Limestone dissolution driven by breakfast at our hotels we met downtown and volcanic activity, Sistema Zacatón, Mexico took taxis up to the village of San Juan by Marcus Gary et al. (spectacular El Tlacotenco. (Under this village lie 12 caves Zacatón is the deepest phreatic sinkhole in that form the Sistema Tlacotenco, the longest the world – Fig. 4.) Later sessions were and most complex lava tubes in Continental devoted to lava caves of the world, including America – but more on them later.) the potential of Korea’s Jeju Island caves for We climbed up a steep path from the village World Heritage inscription (Prof. Woo); the to the lowest entrance to the Sistema recently discovered calcite-decorated Chimalacatepec, Cueva de Iztaxiatla. This Yongchon Cave on Jeju Island and its 1,390 m cave system is the deepest lava tube structural characteristics (Profs Lee & Woo in Continental America, with a vertical and Dr In-Seok Son); Recent contributions to extent of 201 m. (see Fig. 5). Icelandic cave exploration by Shepton Mallet Caving Club, UK by Ed Waters; Lava-cave Journal of the Sydney Speleological Society, 2007, 51(5): 124 Fig. 5. Profile of Sistema Chimalacatepec showing entrances, etc. [from Espinasa 2006] The organisers rigged two abseiling ropes, abstracts were published for the Iceland plus a wire ladder for those without SRT (2002) symposium. Proceedings of this gear, and we descended the 15 m entrance symposium will be published by the Assoc. shaft into Cueva de Iztaxiatla (Fig. 6). A for Mexican Cave Studies, which is willing scramble down a sloping passage brought us to include previously presented, but to a wire ladder down a further 2-3 m drop. unpublished, papers. From there it was a gradual descent with A proposal to hold the next symposium in only one short crawl to the terminal lava seal Jeju Island, South Korea, in 2008 presented or sump. The passage is generally a few by Dr In-Seok Son was unanimously metres high – e.g. the Las Repisas section accepted. The author foreshadowed the (Fig. 7). The cave was found to contain likelihood of a bid by Australia to host a archaeological remains at three distinct sites, symposium in 2010. comprising incense burning pots, earthen- Dr Kempe raised the matter of problems of ware bowls, 50 figurines carved from jadeite access to caves on State land on Hawaii. It and fireplaces. Dating indicates a post- was agreed that the authorities should be colonisation age for this material. On our urged not to hinder speleological research. visit, Ramón found some small pieces of A proposal from the Azores to prepare a coloured stone at the furthest site and Jan world catalogue of significant lava caves was Paul found a quartz crystal at the penultimate accepted in principle, with a group being site. Diana was happy as she found plenty of designated to examine the criteria, etc, on cave slime. behalf of the Commission. After a few hours we returned to San Juan FIELD TRIP #3 – CUEVA DE LA for a traditional meal comprising prickly pear IGLESIA – MINA SUPERIOR ‘leaves’ with cheese in an egg batter, a We returned to San Juan Tlacotenco on 7 tomato sauce, beans and rice, washed down July to visit a small part of the Sistema with guava juice. Australia might never have Tlacotenco: the 6 km long Cueva de la needed the Cactoblastis caterpillar if we had Iglesia – Mina Superior; second longest lava just developed a taste for prickly pear! tube in Continental America (see Fig. 8). A local bus took us back down to Tepoztlán. The guidebook (Espinasa 2006) describes COMMISSION MEETING Iglesia as “a complex network of anasto- The IUS Commission on Volcanic Caves mosing passages” – as is demonstrated by met on 6 July at the Ex-convento de Nuestra the plan (Fig. 8). We were very impressed Señora de la Natividad, Tepoztlán. A matter when Ramón conducted us through much of of concern has been the publication of the this cave with barely a glance at the map. proceedings of the previous 3 symposia. The Our party entered via the only accessible Catania (1999) proceedings appeared on CD entrance (5 others have been blocked), in the in 2005 and the Azores (2004) proceedings SE of the town, and were immediately have also been published on CD.