OverviewNorth 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 ThereThe 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.
Red TapeNorth 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 exceeding 10 persons
Camping within 200 feet of lakes, trails, or other sources of water
Camping for more than 3 days at one site
Short cutting trail switchbacks
Disposing of garbage, debris, or other waste
The Bells Canyon trailhead passes through a residential area, so please show respect to the property owners.
When To ClimbLate 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.
CampingThere are numerous possibilities for camping in Bells Canyon. Water is available year round in the canyon - treat before drinking.
Mountain ConditionsNational Weather Service forecast .
Utah Avalanche Center website.
Images
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Wasatch Range (Central)
