Volcanic Seven Summits: Defining the Continents

I was inspired to write this blog by an essay written by the late Adam Helman (here). A comment made in my blog on Australia’s highest volcano (here) also gave me a push. Adam Helman’s essay discussed the fact that it is quite possible to define the Seven Summits differently from the traditional Bass (Kosciuszko) and Messner (Carstenz) versions. He identified that (depending on which version of “continent” was adopted) there are 12 mountains that qualify as continental summits. So with thanks to Adam Helman, this blog defines the continents in the manner he adopted and lists the Volcanic Seven Summits (or is it 11?)

Definition by tectonic plate

There are seven continental-sized continental plates, though one is largely under water. Asia and Europe are not separate continents in this respect. Therefore, as Adam Helman pointed out, if you treat the Eurasian plate as one continent Mount Elbrus would have no place on any Seven Summits list because Mount Everest is higher.

In the case of the volcanoes, however, Mount Elbrus just exceeds Mount Damavand in height. So Mount Elbrus retains its place in the list with this definition, and Damavand is relegated.

The Pacific plate is one of the seven continental plates. Therefore the first of the lists includes Mauna Kea on the island of Hawaii on this basis.

So lists I-A and I-B look like this (with list I-B excluding the Pacific plate):

List 1-A.

Name of tectonic plate	Volcanic Seven Summits
African	Kilimanjaro
Antarctic	Mount Sidley
Australian	Mount Giluwe
Eurasian	Mount Elbrus
North American	Pico de Orizaba
Pacific	Mauna Kea
South American	Ojos del Salado

List I-B.

Name of tectonic plate	Volcanic Six Summits
African	Kilimanjaro
Antarctic	Mount Sidley
Australian	Mount Giluwe
Eurasian	Mount Elbrus
North American	Pico de Orizaba
South American	Ojos del Salado

Definition by Topographic Prominence

I have blogged about topographical prominence. I agree with Adam Helman that “Prominence is an excellent, objective measure of a mountain’s vertical stature“. Therefore the essay explains that a list on this basis would need to include mountains that had saddles at or near to sea-level and are well separated from one another.

This approach changes the traditional separation of Asia and Europe. So the Ural mountains are no longer at the divide. Instead the Kuma–Manych Depression is the basis of the divide. Mount Elbrus then reverts to Asia and Mount Etna becomes the European volcano. [It is to be noted that Kazbek, which is higher than Etna, also fails to count as a European mountain for the same reason as Elbrus].

List II-A.

Continent	Volcanic Seven Summits
Africa	Kilimanjaro
Antarctica	Mount Sidley
Asia	Mount Elbrus
Europe	Mount Etna
North America	Pico de Orizaba
Oceania	Mount Giluwe
South America	Ojos del Salado

Definition by Continental Outline

This definition recognises that Europe exists as a cultural and political concept, but cannot be justified on geographical grounds. Therefore there are only six volcanoes on this list. Mount Etna disappears and Brumlow Top makes its first appearance because Australia (and not Australasia or Oceania) is now the continent – see here.

List III-A.

Continental outline	Volcanic Six Summits
Africa	Kilimanjaro
Antarctica	Mount Sidley
Asia	Mount Elbrus
Australia	Brumlow Top
North America	Pico de Orizaba
South America	Ojos del Salado

Political definition

The concepts of geology and topography do not constrain this definition. Using the Helman essay’s approach the intriguing and extremely remote Mawson Peak on Heard Island in the southern Indian Ocean makes an appearance.

Mawson Peak has only ever had a couple of ascents. It would undoubtedly be the most difficult peak of all those listed here to climb. Not only is it remote, but it also suffers from terrible weather and is still occasionally active. Obtaining the relevant access permits could also be a problem.

There is an article on the first ascent here.

So there are two lists depending on whether you apply the political criterion to “Australia” or “Australasia”.

List IV-A.

Continent	Volcanic Seven Summits
Africa	Kilimanjaro
Antarctica	Mount Sidley
Asia	Mount Damavand
Australia	Mawson Peak
Europe	Mount Elbrus
North America	Pico de Orizaba
South America	Ojos del Salado

List IV-B.

Continent	Volcanic Seven Summits
Africa	Kilimanjaro
Antarctica	Mount Sidley
Asia	Mount Damavand
Australasia	Mount Giluwe
Europe	Mount Elbrus
North America	Pico de Orizaba
South America	Ojos del Salado

The Cultural Definition

Adam Helman points out that the first of the lists below follows the traditional Kosciuszko definition. He next overlays that first list with a political angle. My lists do the same. The distinction then becomes that between Australia and Australasia.

List V-1.

Cultural Continent	Volcanic Seven Summits
Africa	Kilimanjaro
Antarctica	Mount Sidley
Asia	Damavand
Australia	Brumlow Top
Europe	Mount Elbrus
North America	Pico de Orizaba
South America	Ojos del Salado

List V-B.

Cultural continent with political overlay	Volcanic Seven Summits
Africa	Kilimanjaro
Antarctica	Mount Sidley
Asia	Damavand
Australasia	Mount Giluwe
Europe	Mount Elbrus
North America	Pico de Orizaba
South America	Ojos del Salado

Conclusion

Therefore the eleven volcanoes that you have to climb in order to complete all of the lists are:

• Ojos del Salado
• Kilimanjaro
• Pico de Orizaba
• Mount Sidley
• Mount Elbrus
• Damavand
• Mount Giluwe
• Mauna Kea
• Mount Etna
• Mawson Peak
• Brumlow Top

The first five appear in all of the lists, so there is no doubting their status. Mauna Kea, Mount Etna and Mawson Peak only make fleeting appearances. The others appear and disappear depending on your view as to what constitutes the continent.

So there you are. The Volcanic Seven Summits: define your continents.

Who will be the first to climb all of them?

For more on the Volcanic Seven Summits, please click this link.