GEOLOGY OF THE SEVEN SUMMITS: A THEME-BASED COURSE FOR TEACHING TOPICS FROM TECTONICS TO CLIMATE CHANGE

Geology of the Seven Summits provides an opportunity for students to virtually explore and learn about the geology of the highest mountain peak on each of the seven continents: Everest (Asia); Aconcagua (South America), Denali (North America), Kilimanjaro (Africa), Elbrus (Europe); Vinson (Antarctica) and Carstensz Pyramid (Oceania). Reaching the summit of these mountains is considered a great challenge in mountaineering and much more has been written about summit attempts than their geology. The Seven Summits are partially to fully ice-covered and their origin represents the combination of active tectonic and volcanic processes. A range of geomorphic processes that involve ice, water, and mass wasting also shapes these mountains. The course uses readings, maps, photographs, and satellite images to understand the geology of the Seven Summits, as well as several other 8000-meter peaks in the Himalayas (e.g., K2, Nanga Parbat, Annapurna). All these peaks are experiencing climate change and satellite images show both the thinning and retreat of glaciers. For example, the melting of ice and snow on Everest causes flooding and is also having an impact on the availability of freshwater throughout Nepal and India. Students meet and interview climbers that successfully completed the Seven Summits and examine rock samples collected from the summits. While this course is for students in Buffalo State's Honors Program to satisfy a general education natural science requirement, the Geology of the Seven Summits could be considered an alternative to a more traditional physical geology course. This presentation shares resources and suggests strategies for teaching geology using the Seven Summits.