Geology of North Carolina

A Journey Through Time from Mountains to Shore: A Two-Part Course

During Basic Geology, we will discuss the formation of the mountains around us, and visit Pilot Mountain. We will learn about the three main rock types – igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary – how to recognize them and what major geologic processes produce them. We will also visit NC Granite. In part two, Physical Processes, we will discuss various landforms, such as water flow at the surface (river systems) as well as underground, shore development, and ice (glaciers); we will discuss how to understand those lines on topographic maps and visit the Yadkin River. The ultimate goal is the appreciation for the beauty and intricacies of our planet’s history, geologic processes, and landforms, in addition to an appreciation of the relationships of natural processes and human activities. This is a personal interest course. It does not include tests or exams, and there are no books to purchase. The course does not earn college transfer credit.

Classes