Thor Peak Loop
John Muir Wilderness (USFS), CAInfo
Distance8.6 mi
Elevation gain4,100 ft
Duration5.5 hr
CruxClass 2
Route typeLoop
Quality6/10
Vehicle to trailheadCar
RegionCentral Sierra Nevada
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Starting along the Mount Whitney Trail.
After about a mile, joining the North Fork Lone Pine Creek Trail.
Following the creek.
View back.
Approaching the base the Ebersbacher ("E") Ledges.
Climbing through a brushy corridor to the start of E Ledges.
Class 2.
Exposed, slabby section of the E Ledges.
View from a switchback. The route continues on the right.
Final climb to the outlet of Lower Boy Scout Lake, top right.
Lower Boy Scout Lake.
Continuing along North Fork Lone Pine Creek Trail at it hugs the south shore of Lower Boy Scout Lake.
Leaving the trail for the north slope of Thor Peak.
View back toward Lower Boy Scout Lake.
View west toward Mount Whitney.
Aiming for a weakness in the cliff band, top left.
Contouring left.
View back toward Mount Carillon (left) and The Cleaver (center).
Approaching the ridge.
Gaining Thor Peak's broad east ridge about 600 vertical feet below the summit.
View back toward Whitney Portal.
Class 2.
Approaching Thor Peak's summit.
Thor Peak summit. View west.
Closeup on Mount Whitney.
View northwest. Mount Russell is top center.
Backtracking to a notch along the ridge.
From the notch, starting down Thor Peak's south slope.
View of Mount Irvine.
View back toward the notch.
Steep, loose terrain on the descent to Mirror Lake.
View back at a Class 3 weakness in a cliff band at 11,400 feet.
A wide shot of the cliff band on Thor Peak's south slope.
View back.
Mirror Lake.
View of Mirror Lake from near the Mount Whitney Trail.
Creek crossing along the Mount Whitney Trail.
An elevated trail cuts through the marsh.
Whitney Portal below.
View back.
One of many switchbacks along the trail.
Turnoff for the Old Mount Whitney Trail (left), a more direct route back to Whitney Portal.
Returning to Whitney Portal. Just a short walk back to the car.
