Liba Kopeckova - Aug 14, 2020 9:30 am Date Climbed: Aug 13, 2020
solitude high up
up west face variation (climber's left of white gully), felt pretty easy, the traverse to Lightning was interesting, especially since I tried to stay on ridge.
Lots of hikers on west maroon trail, but nobody off trail.
theREALCarpeDM - Sep 30, 2018 11:54 am Date Climbed: Sep 29, 2018
Standard W face (White Gully) up
I built this one up in my head so much. Supposedly loose rock, difficult climbing, difficult navigation. I heard it was a nightmare dry and kept missing a window to do it in good snow conditions. I figured I'd just go for it dry. I camped about 10,500 or so Friday night. Went up the White Gully route. This was NOT the mountain I'd expected: not all that loose, not much hard scrambling, not difficult to navigate. I figure people think it's hard because they're all people who concentrate on the centennials immediately after the 14ers. And, yeah, maybe it has been cleaned off the past few years as more people do the Cents. Did the east side ledge traverse to Lightning, then down the gully from the saddle - THAT was a nightmare!
With Rachael and Levi. Standard west face route, second time up. First time was a snow climb so this was my first experience with Thunder Pyramid in dry conditions. Not nearly as bad as advertised, I think a lot of the loose rock has been cleaned by people moving on to the centennials after finishing the 14ers. It still has some loose rock, especially above the gully exit, so bring a helmet and be careful. Even if its not as loose as in the past, its still a tough climb and requires good routefinding and rock management skills.
Senad Rizvanovic - Jun 5, 2017 8:06 am Date Climbed: Jun 4, 2017
South Ridge from Lightning Pyramid
After we climb Lightning Pyramid we went over to Thunder Pyramid. WE took one of couloirs to the top of the ridge, great climb.
seano - May 27, 2017 12:09 pm Date Climbed: May 26, 2017
Brad Snider - Jun 13, 2016 10:22 am Date Climbed: Jun 11, 2016
Snow Climb
An almost uninterrupted 3,200 foot snow climb from the trail. Better conditions than without snow, I'm sure, but still plenty of loose rock near the top.
StephanieLynn - Aug 30, 2010 12:23 am Date Climbed: Aug 13, 2010
From Lightning
Hit Thunder en route from UN 13,631 to Pyramid Peak. Long day but had perfect weather.
Kiefer - Aug 14, 2010 8:28 pm Date Climbed: Aug 13, 2010
South and North Ridges
Beautiful weather all day long!!
We hit Thunder Pyramid on a traverse all the way from Point 13,631 and continued past before finally stopping at Pyramid Peak. 9 hrs on the ridge!
Descending the North Ridge on Thunder is spicy!!
We made it way tougher than it should have been. Successfully navigated through the cliff bands down low but drifted away from the white gully and ended up on the north saddle! Climbed sketcy, loose junk on the n.w. side of the summit block. Stick to the south ridge!
chicagotransplant - Jun 29, 2009 10:10 am Date Climbed: Jun 27, 2009
Snowy West Face
With snow is the way to go on this peak, most of the lower talus gullies, and then the white gully from the shelf at the bottom, all the way to the ridge was snow covered. That's one way to keep the loose rock in check ;-)
Traversed over to Lightning and then back down the west face.
Kiefer - Aug 4, 2008 2:16 am Date Climbed: Aug 3, 2008
West Face Variation
Never thought I'd ever repeat this pile of choss crap. Without snow, it wasn't as hard as I would have thought. Still dangerously loose though.
We ascended the West Face on a serpentine route weaving in and out of the White Gully before finally topping out on the ridge about 75-100m south of the summit.
Continued on to do the traverse to Pyramid Peak.
SarahThompson - May 23, 2008 3:28 pm Date Climbed: Aug 4, 2007
White Gully (standard route)
Climbed this interesting peak on a very strange weather day. It was cloudy and rained a little off and on, but the rock stayed fairly dry and there was no electricity. Afterwards, traversed to "Lightning Pyramid" (3rd or 4th class) and then onto UN 13,631 (very low 5th class but dangerously loose - don't attempt this unless you have experience scrambling on total junk). One of my favorite climbs of the summer.
Climged to the saddle of Thunder and Lightning and summited Lightning first. Then traversed to Thunder. Both incredible summits with great views of all the Elk 14ers. I've been wanting to climb this peak for years and finally made it yesterday.
miztflip - Aug 26, 2007 10:41 pm Date Climbed: Apr 26, 2007
Traversed from Lightning
Climbed the Class 4 route to the Thunder/Lightning saddle. Found the rock on the right of the gully to be fun scrambling. The traverse over from Lightning was class 3 with a little routefinding. Descended the West Slopes route and found it to not be as bad as the stories. Definately climbing the class 4 and descending class 3 was the way to go.
shanahan96 - Jul 16, 2007 9:56 pm Date Climbed: Jun 23, 2007
white gully
climbed the white gully with some friends before heading for lightning pyramid. brutally long day, 19hrs and 40 mins. it was still a throughly enjoyable adventure!
jamie
iskibc - Jun 28, 2007 9:33 am Date Climbed: Mar 25, 2007
Ski Descent of West Face
Made a successful first ski descent off the summit of Thunder Pyramid with some nice and light powder and great weather. Fun climb, great ski.
Liba Kopeckova - Aug 14, 2020 9:30 am Date Climbed: Aug 13, 2020
solitude high upup west face variation (climber's left of white gully), felt pretty easy, the traverse to Lightning was interesting, especially since I tried to stay on ridge.
Lots of hikers on west maroon trail, but nobody off trail.
theREALCarpeDM - Sep 30, 2018 11:54 am Date Climbed: Sep 29, 2018
Standard W face (White Gully) upI built this one up in my head so much. Supposedly loose rock, difficult climbing, difficult navigation. I heard it was a nightmare dry and kept missing a window to do it in good snow conditions. I figured I'd just go for it dry. I camped about 10,500 or so Friday night. Went up the White Gully route. This was NOT the mountain I'd expected: not all that loose, not much hard scrambling, not difficult to navigate. I figure people think it's hard because they're all people who concentrate on the centennials immediately after the 14ers. And, yeah, maybe it has been cleaned off the past few years as more people do the Cents. Did the east side ledge traverse to Lightning, then down the gully from the saddle - THAT was a nightmare!
chicagotransplant - Jul 30, 2018 9:43 am Date Climbed: Jul 28, 2018
West FaceWith Rachael and Levi. Standard west face route, second time up. First time was a snow climb so this was my first experience with Thunder Pyramid in dry conditions. Not nearly as bad as advertised, I think a lot of the loose rock has been cleaned by people moving on to the centennials after finishing the 14ers. It still has some loose rock, especially above the gully exit, so bring a helmet and be careful. Even if its not as loose as in the past, its still a tough climb and requires good routefinding and rock management skills.
Senad Rizvanovic - Jun 5, 2017 8:06 am Date Climbed: Jun 4, 2017
South Ridge from Lightning PyramidAfter we climb Lightning Pyramid we went over to Thunder Pyramid. WE took one of couloirs to the top of the ridge, great climb.
seano - May 27, 2017 12:09 pm Date Climbed: May 26, 2017
Traverse from 13,631This traverse is tough with snow. Trip report.
Brad Snider - Jun 13, 2016 10:22 am Date Climbed: Jun 11, 2016
Snow ClimbAn almost uninterrupted 3,200 foot snow climb from the trail. Better conditions than without snow, I'm sure, but still plenty of loose rock near the top.
rockymountaindiva - Jul 26, 2013 4:50 pm Date Climbed: Sep 11, 2012
Glad its overMost dreaded centennial due to many deaths on this one. Also just noticed that we did this on a 9/11 - what were we thinking?
Matt Lemke - Jun 13, 2012 6:41 pm Date Climbed: Jun 8, 2012
Not a pile of crap...Climbed standard route day before doing Pyramid Peak. The rock was much more solid than I was led to believe
climbingfurry - Jan 24, 2011 10:25 am
kind of gnarlykind of gnarly but glad i did it
StephanieLynn - Aug 30, 2010 12:23 am Date Climbed: Aug 13, 2010
From LightningHit Thunder en route from UN 13,631 to Pyramid Peak. Long day but had perfect weather.
Kiefer - Aug 14, 2010 8:28 pm Date Climbed: Aug 13, 2010
South and North RidgesBeautiful weather all day long!!
We hit Thunder Pyramid on a traverse all the way from Point 13,631 and continued past before finally stopping at Pyramid Peak. 9 hrs on the ridge!
Descending the North Ridge on Thunder is spicy!!
shknbke - Jul 21, 2009 6:57 pm Date Climbed: Jul 18, 2009
West FaceWe made it way tougher than it should have been. Successfully navigated through the cliff bands down low but drifted away from the white gully and ended up on the north saddle! Climbed sketcy, loose junk on the n.w. side of the summit block. Stick to the south ridge!
chicagotransplant - Jun 29, 2009 10:10 am Date Climbed: Jun 27, 2009
Snowy West FaceWith snow is the way to go on this peak, most of the lower talus gullies, and then the white gully from the shelf at the bottom, all the way to the ridge was snow covered. That's one way to keep the loose rock in check ;-)
Traversed over to Lightning and then back down the west face.
Kiefer - Aug 4, 2008 2:16 am Date Climbed: Aug 3, 2008
West Face VariationNever thought I'd ever repeat this pile of choss crap. Without snow, it wasn't as hard as I would have thought. Still dangerously loose though.
We ascended the West Face on a serpentine route weaving in and out of the White Gully before finally topping out on the ridge about 75-100m south of the summit.
Continued on to do the traverse to Pyramid Peak.
SarahThompson - May 23, 2008 3:28 pm Date Climbed: Aug 4, 2007
White Gully (standard route)Climbed this interesting peak on a very strange weather day. It was cloudy and rained a little off and on, but the rock stayed fairly dry and there was no electricity. Afterwards, traversed to "Lightning Pyramid" (3rd or 4th class) and then onto UN 13,631 (very low 5th class but dangerously loose - don't attempt this unless you have experience scrambling on total junk). One of my favorite climbs of the summer.
xskier77 - Sep 23, 2007 3:00 pm Date Climbed: Sep 22, 2007
Thunder and LightningClimged to the saddle of Thunder and Lightning and summited Lightning first. Then traversed to Thunder. Both incredible summits with great views of all the Elk 14ers. I've been wanting to climb this peak for years and finally made it yesterday.
miztflip - Aug 26, 2007 10:41 pm Date Climbed: Apr 26, 2007
Traversed from LightningClimbed the Class 4 route to the Thunder/Lightning saddle. Found the rock on the right of the gully to be fun scrambling. The traverse over from Lightning was class 3 with a little routefinding. Descended the West Slopes route and found it to not be as bad as the stories. Definately climbing the class 4 and descending class 3 was the way to go.
shanahan96 - Jul 16, 2007 9:56 pm Date Climbed: Jun 23, 2007
white gullyclimbed the white gully with some friends before heading for lightning pyramid. brutally long day, 19hrs and 40 mins. it was still a throughly enjoyable adventure!
jamie
iskibc - Jun 28, 2007 9:33 am Date Climbed: Mar 25, 2007
Ski Descent of West FaceMade a successful first ski descent off the summit of Thunder Pyramid with some nice and light powder and great weather. Fun climb, great ski.
Downy - Dec 26, 2008 10:02 am
Re: Ski Descent of West FaceNo you didn't!!! It was done long before you even moved to CO.