Thor Peak

Canada’s Thor Mountain is said to have the largest uninterrupted cliff face in the world. The West wall of Thor is 1250 meters high and at 105 degrees, meaning it is slightly overhanging. Because of its unusual appearance, Thor Peak was made famous in climbing related stunts advertising world’s longest free-hanging rappel and the highest BASE jump. Named after the mighty Thor, the God of thunder in the Norse mythology, who had the power over the winds and the frost giants, the mountain is also an admired attraction in a snowy and windy environment. More than that, it is believed that this is the area where the Pleistoscene or North America’s last Ice Age started.
Thor Mountain is located in Baffin Island, an area where mountains played an important role in the people’s life and in Auyuittuq National Park. The park established in 1976 mainly to protect the natural beauty inside is also referred to as the land of superlatives or the “land that never melts”. The inhospitable environment is due to the fact that the Arctic Circle passes through the park and the temperatures are very low.
The mountain of Thor is part of the Baffin Mountains, which are part of the Arctic Cordillera mountain range.
You can find Thor Peak on the East side of the Weasel/Owl River valley, a glacial valley which increased the formation of steep cliffs.
Thor Mountain looks like a steep ramp; it is granite, almost vertical peak and is one of the most technically challenging mountains. Thor Peak was first climbed in 1953 by a team from the Arctic Institute of North America. Auyuittuq National Park incorporates a high number of vertical peaks, most of them between 500 and 1000 meters high and Thor Mountain is not the highest.
Hiking and climbing Thor Mountain may be a very difficult task as the area is known for having regular rock falls and many logistical difficulties. The inhospitable environment embraces the idea of solitude where the vegetation is rare and the fauna is represented by Arctic animals. The winters here bring temperatures around -40 degrees Celsius and winter expeditions are usually taking place only in late March of April.
Thor Mountain is one of the most appealing touristic destinations in Canada. Its steep and out of the ordinary shape but also the arctic environment it is located in, make Thor Peak one of the most challenging mountains all over the world.