Thor Peak (California)

Thor Peak is a 12,306-foot-elevation (3,751-meter) mountain summit located east of the crest of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in Inyo County, California.^[3] It is situated in the John Muir Wilderness on land managed by Inyo National Forest. It is 12.5 miles (20.1 km) west of the community of Lone Pine, and 1.5 miles (2.4 km) east of Mount Whitney. Topographic relief is significant as it rises 3,937 feet (1,200 meters) above Whitney Portal in 1.5 mile. Hikers on the Mount Whitney Trail pass below the impressive south face of the peak.

Thor Peak
East aspect, from Whitney Portal Road
Highest point
Elevation	12,306 ft (3,751 m)[1]
Prominence	265 ft (81 m)[1]
Parent peak	Mount Whitney (14,494 ft)[1]
Isolation	1.04 mi (1.67 km)[2]
Listing	Sierra Peaks Section
Coordinates	36°34′37″N 118°15′57″W[3]
Geography
Thor Peak Location in California Show map of California Thor Peak Thor Peak (the United States) Show map of the United States
Location	Inyo County, California, U.S.
Parent range	Sierra Nevada
Topo map	USGS Mount Whitney
Geology
Rock age	Cretaceous
Mountain type	Fault block
Rock type	granitic
Climbing
First ascent	Norman Clyde
Easiest route	class 2[2] Southwest side

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification system, Thor Peak has an alpine climate.^[4] Most weather fronts originate in the Pacific Ocean, and travel east toward the Sierra Nevada mountains. As fronts approach, they are forced upward by the peaks, causing them to drop their moisture in the form of rain or snowfall onto the range (orographic lift). Precipitation runoff from this mountain drains east to Owens Valley via Lone Pine Creek.

Climbing

The first ascent of the summit was made by Norman Clyde, date unknown.^[5]

Established rock climbing routes:^[6]

• Southwest side – class 1-2 – First ascent by Norman Clyde
• West Arête – class 2
• Southeast chimney, aka Stemwinder – class 5.4 – FA 1936, by Glen Dawson, Robert K. Brinton, William Rice
• South face – class 5 – FA 1937, by Howard Koster, Arthur B. Johnson, James N. Smith
• Odin’s Wrath – class 5.10d^[7]

Gallery

• 
  Thor Peak seen from Outpost Camp along Mt. Whitney Trail
• 
  South aspect
• 
  Thor Peak from Lone Pine Lake along Mt. Whitney Trail
• 
  Thor Peak (center) from Whitney Portal Road
• 
  Thor Peak (left of center) with Mt. Whitney
• 
  Sunrise on Thor Peak, from Mt. Whitney Trail
• 
  Snow-covered Thor, with Mt. Whitney (right)
• 
  Snow-covered Thor Peak (left), with Mt. Whitney (right)
• 
  Thor Peak in center of photo
• 
  Thor Peak above Mirror Lake
• 
  from Whitney Portal

See also

• Mountains portal

• List of mountain peaks of California

References

1. "Thor Peak, California". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2021-05-07.
2. "Thor Peak - 12,306' CA". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved 2021-05-07.
3. "Thor Peak". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 2021-05-07.
4. Peel, M. C.; Finlayson, B. L.; McMahon, T. A. (2007). "Updated world map of the Köppen−Geiger climate classification". Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. 11. ISSN 1027-5606.
5. Norman Clyde - Mountaineer, Owensvalleyhistory.com
6. John D. and Ruth Mendenhall, Arthur B. Johnson, Braeme Gigas, Howard Koster, A Climber’s Guide to the High Sierra, (1954)
7. Pat Brennan, Thor Peak, South Face, Odin's Wrath, American Alpine Journal, 1997

External links

• Weather forecast: Thor Peak
• Thor Peak climbing: Mountainproject.com