North Thunder Mountain

Page Type Page Type: Mountain/Rock
Location Lat/Lon: 40.54350°N / 111.7314°W
Additional Information Elevation: 11150 ft / 3399 m
Sign the Climber's Log

Overview

North Thunder Mountain is the slightly lower (by 4 feet) sister summit of South Thunder Mountain, which is located approximately 1 mile to the south. The two peaks are connected by a long and rugged ridge which divides Hogum Gulch on the east from Thunder Bowl on the west.

Long approaches, difficult scrambling, routefinding, and significant elevation gain ensure that North Thunder will be a challenging hike, regardless of the route chosen.

This is a seldomly visited mountain; based on the summit register the peak typically sees only a dozen or so visitors per year, despite the fact that the mountain directly overlooks the Salt Lake valley with a population of over one million.

USGS Quads:
  • Dromedary Peak, Utah (1:24k)
  • Draper, Utah (1:24k)
  • Salt Lake City, Utah (1:100k)


    Getting There

    The three most commonly used routes for an ascent of North Thunder Mountain are as follows:
  • Coalpit Gulch
  • Sam Thomas Gulch
  • West Face via Bells Canyon

    See the individual 'Routes' section for trailhead directions and details on ascending the peak for each of these routes.

    A challenging day is accomplished by combining an ascent of North Thunder with an ascent of 3 other nearby peaks; South Thunder Mountain, Bighorn Peak, and Lone Peak. Details of this route are contained in the Hematoma Quad route description.

    A more difficult route up North Thunder is the hypodermic needle route, accessed via Hogum Gulch.

    Red Tape

    North Thunder Mountain is located in the Lone Peak Wilderness Area. No fees or permits are required for hiking in this area, but the following regulations apply:
  • No motor vehicles, mechanized equipment, hang gliders, or bicycles
  • Group sizes shall not exceed 10 persons
  • No camping within 200 feet of lakes, trails, or sources of water
  • No camping for more than 3 days at one site
  • Short cutting trail switchbacks is prohibited
  • Dispose of all garbage, debris, or other waste

    The Bells Canyon trailhead passes through a residential area, so please show respect to the property owners.


    When To Climb

    Late spring through autumn are ideal. Winter approaches from any direction would potentially be subject to much avalanche danger. Carefully assess snow conditions before considering a winter attempt.

    Camping

    There are numerous possibilities for camping in Bells Canyon. Water is available year round in the canyon - treat before drinking.

    Mountain Conditions

  • National Weather Service forecast.
  • Utah Avalanche Center website.
  • AltaCam - Web cams of the mountains at nearby Alta ski resort in Little Cottonwood Canyon.

    Additions and CorrectionsPost an Addition or Correction

    Viewing: 1-2 of 2
    mtn runr

    mtn runr - Aug 5, 2007 3:49 pm - Hasn't voted

    Lonliest peak in the Wasatch

    I placed a PVC tube and a spiral notebook inside the old Ute Alpine Club mailbox on the summit on August 5, 1997. When we visited the peak on August 1, 2007, almost exactly 10 years later, the spiral notebook was less than 1/2 full!

    _michaelmangum_ - Jun 9, 2016 10:27 pm - Hasn't voted

    Re: Lonliest peak in the Wasatch

    And I signed it today! Only the 6th in the register thus far in 2016.

    Viewing: 1-2 of 2


  • Parents 

    Parents

    Parents refers to a larger category under which an object falls. For example, theAconcagua mountain page has the 'Aconcagua Group' and the 'Seven Summits' asparents and is a parent itself to many routes, photos, and Trip Reports.

    Wasatch Range (Central)Mountains & Rocks
     
    Wasatch Alpine RidgeMountains & Rocks
     
    Wasatch 11,000 foot peaksMountains & Rocks