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Around 300 million years ago, in the Pennsylvanian Period, they were similar in height to the present-day Himalayas. The collision of the African tectonic plate (Gondwana) into the North American continent spread a collision belt from Maine (White Mountains) to Texas (Marathon Mountains). This roughly marked the complete formation of Pangea, +/- a few million years--geologically marginal. The mountains of northern Scotland and western Morocco were formed in the very same collision, and during the latter breakup of Pangea, that land pulled apart to it's present spot.

The gist is, the Appalachians were once the centerpiece of Pangea, and rose to Himalayan heights, nearing at least 30,000 feet. 300 million years of erosion knocked about 4 miles of bulk off the top. It is extremely difficult to estimate exact height, but it is entirely possible that Mt. Mitchell, NC has been the tallest mountain in the history of the earth!

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16y ago

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