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Meeting Planning Services

Brines Across the Solar System: Ancient and Future Brines - May 15–18, 2023

Field Trip

A one-day field trip to Eagle Salt Works and to the Huck Salt Mine is planned for May 19, to explore terrestrial examples of ancient brines deposits and to inspire discussions of the role of ancient brines in the origins life and habitable environments, the detection and characterization of ancients brines, and all associated technologies.

In partnership with the Planetary In Situ Workshop, there will also be an opportunity for instrument developers to demonstrate in situ instruments prototypes. Instrument developers should see the Planetary In Situ Workshop page for more information.

The field trip is open to all registered participants of the Ancient and Future Brines Conference. There is no additional fee, but participants are responsible for their own breakfast and lunch (see below). Due to the nature of the field sites, SUV vehicles and drivers have been arranged, and space may be limited. Hence, we are requesting that all participants planning to attend the field trip please fill out the Registration Form. All participants in the field trip must sign a waiver form and turn it in on the day of the field trip.

The field trip vehicles will depart the Silver Legacy hotel at 7:30 a.m. for Huck Salt. The return trip to Silver Legacy is about 90 minutes, with an estimated arrival of 5:00 p.m.

The first field stop will be at the Huck Salt Mine. Because this is an active mine site, all participants must follow these two safety rules:

  • All participants must always stay within sight of mine personnel.
  • All participants must wear closed toe shoes/boots.


The second field stop will be at Eagle Salt Works. Eagle is abandoned and there is a 0.8-mile walk to the actual site from the road with a slight downhill slope.

For both the Huck Salt Mine and Eagle Salt Works, the following is recommended for all participants.

  • Bring plenty of water for the day.
  • Sunglasses and Sun block are highly recommended! Keep in mind that the sun will bounce off the salt deposits and reflect up.
  • Bring some kind of waterproof boot or “muck boots”. It is still early in the year and so both sites will still have some flooding and/or mud (e.g., Huck salt reports that there is currently 30” of water on the flat and it is at 40% salinity).
  • At Huck Salt, if participants want to go into the flat water (yes, it is allowed), waders are required.


The daytime temperatures in this part of Nevada can start around 42⁰ F and rise to the mid-70s, but conditions can be hotter or colder, and precipitation is still a possibility at this time of year. Comfortable casual clothes for outdoor walking are recommended.

There will be a lunch stop in Fallon, NV where participants will have time to go to one of the local establishments in groups for lunch. Information on the local restaurants will be provided at the meeting. It is recommended that participants bring additional snacks for the day.

Submit Field Trip Photos and Videos

Take photos and videos to document your field trip experience at Eagle Salt Works and to the Huck Salt Mine. As you explore, capture videos or images of natural features of astrobiological significance (landscapes and close-ups), terrestrial analogs that may represent existing features, or features that may have once existed elsewhere in the solar system. We will use the media you submit to create online resources (e.g., image galleries, slideshows, videos) for researchers, educators, students, and the public.

Guidelines and Terms

  • You may submit multiple photos and videos.
  • Do not upload photos and/or videos of tourists.
  • Photo submissions may be in horizontal or portrait format.
  • Photos must be submitted in JPEG, GIF, PNG, or TIFF format. Non-digital formats are not accepted.
  • Videos must be submitted as MOV or MP4 files.
  • USRA/LPI reserves the right to crop photos and trim videos.
  • All photos must be original, meaning you may only submit photos and videos that you took and for which you own the copyright.
  • By submitting photos and/or videos, you give USRA/LPI permanent, non-exclusive, royalty-free permission to display your submitted photo on USRA/LPI websites, on USRA/LPI social media accounts, and in any content associated with USRA/LPI.
  • A submission link will be emailed to participants.
Note: All electronic submission forms are part of the Meeting Portal, which requires users to set up a personal profile to access our electronic forms (setting up a profile is quick and easy, requiring only a few minutes of your time).