Cane Creek Mountains 300–350 million years ago during the formation and rifting of Pangaea. This earlier range is thought to have had peaks more than high, which would rival the Himalayas, the Andes, and the Alaska Range. However, erosion has worn this old mountain range down. The highest peaks of this old range are now found in the Appalachian Mountains on the eastern coast of North America and in the Anti-Atlas Mountains of Morocco in Africa. The heavily eroded hills of piedmont, including the Cane Creek Mountains, are remnants of the sizable mountain chain. The Cane Creek Mountains lie in the Carolina Slate
Ojos del Salado reports indicate the absence of glaciers on Ojos del Salado. Permafrost exists on the mountain and its melting nourishes several lakes; one lake fed by a creek lies at altitude. Ojos del Salado is an active volcano, but the question of whether it should be considered "currently" (or "historically") active is arguable. According to the Smithsonian Institution's Global Volcanism Program, the most recent known eruption was about 1,300 years ago, with a large margin of uncertainty. However, there is also some evidence for a minor ash emission in 1993, which would definitely qualify the volcano as historically active. The presence