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        • Yak Peak (6640+/6690 ft)
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        • Silvertip Mountain (8517 ft)
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        • Triumph, Mt (7270 ft)
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        • Snowfield Peak (8347/8346 ft)
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        • Sefrit, Mt (7191 ft)
        • Shuksan, Mt (9131/9125 ft)
        • Tomyhoi Peak (7435 ft)
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        • Inspiration Peak (7880+ ft)
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        • Degenhardt, Mt (8000+ ft)
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        • Fury, Mt: west peak (8292/8298 ft)
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        • Storm King Mountain (8520+/8560 ft)
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        • Twin Sisters: north peak (6640+ ft)
        • Twin Sisters: south peak (7000+ ft)
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        • Silver Star Mountain (8876/8892 ft)
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        • Cosho Peak (8332/8333 ft)
        • Katsuk Peak (8680+/8679 ft)
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        • Hozomeen Mtn: south peak (8003 ft)
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        • Oval Peak (8795 ft)
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Thor Peak and Lightning Point rise into a blue sky
Thor Peak (left) and Lightning Point (right) from approach route

Thor Peak via Trap Pass—Thunder Mtn Lakes—West Slope (Upper Icicle Mountains, WA)

Jim Brisbine·July 23, 2006
Central WA CascadesUpper Icicle MountainsThor Peak
·334 views

Trip Date: July 23, 2006

Thor Peak Day Climb

Hope Lake
Trap Pass
Thunder Mountain Pass
Thor Peak aka Wolverine Peak (6804 ft)
Upper Thunder Mountain Lake

Jump ahead to…
show
  • Trip Report Summary
  • Full Trip Report
  • Route Map
  • Photo Gallery

Trip Report Summary

Region: Central Washington Cascades

Sub-Region: Upper Icicle Mountains

Area: Alpine Lakes Wilderness

Starting & Ending Point: Tunnel Creek Trailhead on Tunnel Creek Road #6095 (Elev. 3200 feet)

Way Points: Tunnel Creek & Hope Lake & Trap Pass & Slippery Slab Meadows & Thunder Mountain Pass & Thor Saddle (trail hike & rock scramble)

Summit: Thor Peak (rock scramble via West Slope)

Sidetrip: Upper Thunder Mountain Lake (trail hike)

Approximate Stats: 15 miles traveled; 4800 feet gained & lost; 5.0 hours up.

Full Trip Report

On a sunny Sunday, I did a climb of Thor Peak in the Thunder Mountain Lakes vicinity with Jon, Eileen, Todd, and Adam.

Thor Peak and Thunder Massif

We hiked to Trap Pass via Tunnel Creek and Hope Lake, then followed the footpath (about 20% snow-covered) around to the saddle above Thunder Mtn Lakes.

Thunder Mountain Lake

Due to the midday heat, we almost abandoned our summit in favor of the inviting lake water. Somehow we managed to resist, but it was surely the crux move of the day.  We contoured around the north side of Lightning Point, …

Traversing Around Lightning Point

… scrambled down steep heather and Class 2-3 rock to a 6200-foot saddle, then strolled up alp slopes to Thor Peak’s panoramic summit. The summit register was a glass jar with a roll of steno paper. We were the first group signing in for 2006.

Group On Thor Peak

There were many familiar names, and a running debate about whether to call this Thor Peak or Wolverine Peak. Seems as though the Viking god of thunder and rain is winning. We hung out for 45 minutes before the attraction of Thunder Mtn Lakes pulled us off the summit.

Jim On Thor Peak
Mt Stuart and The Cradle From Thor Peak

We retraced our route around Lightning Point and reached the shore of the upper lake about an hour later.

Descending To Upper Thunder Mtn Lake

This is a gorgeous lake and one of my personal favorites. One avid alpine-lake-bagger rates it as a 9.5 on a 1-10 scale.

Magic Water and Rock

We all took turns jumping/diving into the frigid water.

Todd At Upper Thunder Mtn Lake

On this 90-degree day, the 45-degree water felt really good…for a few seconds, anyway!

Route Map

Thor Peak Route Map

Photo Gallery

Click to enlarge…

Group On Trail
Group On Trail
Molnir Point and Slippery Slab Tower
Molnir Point and Slippery Slab Tower
Thor Peak and Thunder Massif
Thor Peak and Thunder Massif
Thunder Mountain Massif
Thunder Mountain Massif
Lightning Point and Big Thunder Peak
Lightning Point and Big Thunder Peak
Slippery Slab Tower and Trapper Lake
Slippery Slab Tower and Trapper Lake
Hiking Over Thunder Saddle
Hiking Over Thunder Saddle
Thor Peak and Wildflowers
Thor Peak and Wildflowers
Thunder Mountain Meadow
Thunder Mountain Meadow
Hiking Thru Meadow
Hiking Thru Meadow
Big Thunder Mountain
Big Thunder Mountain
Slippery Slab Tower
Slippery Slab Tower
Thor Peak and Lightning Point rise into a blue sky
Thor Peak (left) and Lightning Point (right) from approach route
Traversing Around Lightning Point
Traversing Around Lightning Point
Group On Thor Peak
Group On Thor Peak
Jim On Thor Peak
Jim On Thor Peak
Group On Summit Rock
Group On Summit Rock
Eileen On Summit Rock
Eileen On Summit Rock
Eileen On Thor Peak
Eileen On Thor Peak
Eileen On Summit Rock
Eileen On Summit Rock
Todd On Thor Peak
Todd On Thor Peak
Eileen and Chocolate On Summit
Eileen and Chocolate On Summit
Summit Sojourn
Summit Sojourn
Summit Lunch
Summit Lunch
Mt Daniel and Square Lake
Mt Daniel and Square Lake
Mt Stuart and The Cradle From Thor Peak
Mt Stuart and The Cradle From Thor Peak
View From Thor Peak
View From Thor Peak
Big Thunder Peak and Mt Baring From Thor Peak
Big Thunder Peak and Mt Baring From Thor Peak
Thunder Mountain Lake
Thunder Mountain Lake
Descending To Thunder Lake
Descending To Thunder Lake
Relaxing At Thunder Lake
Relaxing At Thunder Lake
Todd At Thunder Lake
Todd At Thunder Lake
Todd Makes A Splash
Todd Makes A Splash
Slippery Slab Tower From Thor Peak
Slippery Slab Tower From Thor Peak
Magic Water
Magic Water
Magic Water and Big Thunder Mountain
Magic Water and Big Thunder Mountain
Previous ArticleEcho Rock via Spray Park—Flett Glacier—Southwest Face (Mount Rainier Massif, WA)
Next ArticleMt Despair via Thornton Pass—Triumph Pass—Despair Lakes—Southeast Face (Lower Skagit Mountains, WA)
Jim Brisbine

Jim Brisbine has been climbing Washington peaks for over 45 years, while documenting hundreds of summits and thousands of trail miles in words and pictures. As the creator of "Major Peaks of the Cascades and Olympics --- Fraser/Nicola River to Columbia River," he is an avid outdoorsman and lifelong trailcat who only occasionally ventures beyond the Pacific Northwest.

Meet TrailCatJim

Jim Brisbine has been climbing Washington peaks for 40+ years, documenting hundreds of summits and thousands of trail miles in words and pictures. As the author of "Major Peaks of the Cascades and Olympics --- Fraser/Nicola River to Columbia River," he is an avid outdoorsman and lifelong trailcat who only occasionally ventures beyond the Pacific Northwest.

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Mt Arriva via South Ridge + Fisher Peak via Northwest Ridge + Silent Lakes (Ragged Range, WA)

2264 views
Big Lou Mountain and Ida Saddle in the background with golden larch trees and fall colors as seen from Painter Pass on the Icicle Ridge Traverse

Icicle Ridge Traverse + Grindstone Mtn + Big Lou Mtn + Lake Ida + Lake Augusta (Chiwaukum Mountains, WA)

2203 views
Sunrise hits the eastern face of Grand Teton as seen from Jackson Hole, Wyoming

Grand Teton via Lower Owen-Spalding Couloir—Wall Street—Upper Exum Ridge (Grand Teton National Park, WY)

1490 views
Klawatti Peak horns and the Upper Klawatti Glacier Seen From North Klawatti Notch on the Inspiration Traverse

Inspiration–Isolation Traverse + Primus Peak + Eldorado Peak + Snowfield Peak (McAllister Mountains, WA)

1802 views
Mountain climbers crossing snowfield below Baby Munday Peak taken from Stewart Peak in the Cheam Range

Baby Munday Peak + Stewart Peak + Knight Peak via Airplane Creek (Cheam Range, BC)

1759 views
Morning sun warms the snowy cone of Mt St Helens before it erupted in 1980

Mt St Helens [Pre-Eruption] via Dogs Head—Nelson Glacier (Southern Cascades, WA)

1634 views
Backcountry skiers on Tam McArthur Rim with Broken Top behind them in the Three Sisters Wilderness

Tam McArthur Rim Ski Tours + Three Creek Lake Yurts (Deschutes Mountains, OR)

1188 views

Instagram Feed

Great memories from a recent four-day mountain bik Great memories from a recent four-day mountain bike traverse along White Rim with @rimtoursmoab in Utah. We rode 77 miles through outstanding desert terrain along the Green and Colorado Rivers, sleeping under the stars each night and eating delicious meals each day. It was a bit of luxury on sandstone. >>>>> Link to recent trip report in bio. #rimtoursmoab #rimtoursmountainbikeadventures #canyonlandsnationalpark #canyonlandsutah #mountainbiking #mountainbikingadventures #mountainbiketours #mtbutah #mtbadventure
The Pasayten Wilderness is a great place to find b The Pasayten Wilderness is a great place to find big mountains and high meadows. In the fall, you will also find golden larch trees, but you’ll rarely find many people. Link to recent trip report in bio. >>>>> #washingtonhikersandclimbers #washingtonmountains #northcascades #pasaytenwilderness #waclimbing
Looking back at a hot summer week spent in the Win Looking back at a hot summer week spent in the Wind River Range. #windriverrange #hikingwyoming #hikingwindriverrange #explorewyoming
It would be difficult to find a more rugged and re It would be difficult to find a more rugged and remote location in the Lower 48 States than the Picket Range. During six days of arduous cross-country travel, we saw only two other people, and for a few days, saw not even footprints. Experienced Picket climbers know that the price of admission is very high, but the reward is even higher. Link to recent trip report in bio. >>>> #northcascades #northcascadesnationalpark #washingtonclimbing #wamountains #washingtoncascades #picketrange #waclimbing
There are more than 400 existing or former fire lo There are more than 400 existing or former fire lookout sites in the mountains of Washington. I’ve visited 100 of them over the years, and I have a half-dozen favorites. My No. 1 favorite is McGregor Mountain above Lake Chelan, so I wanted to do an alpine ascent rather than taking the trail (although the trail is a scrambling challenge on its own). My partners and I had quite an adventure! Link to recent trip report in bio. >>>>> #mcgregormtn #mcgregormtn #mcgregorlookout #northcascades #northcascadesnationalpark #washingtonmountains #climbingwa #climbingwashington #hikingwashingtonstate #firelookout #firelookouts #firelookoutsofwashington #firelookoutsofthenorthwest
On a sunny day when the local crags are very busy, On a sunny day when the local crags are very busy, it was nice to explore some crags that are off the beaten path. Eileen, Andrew @ajwilrad and I had a lot of fun rock-climbing at Black Iron Slab, Cold Creek Slab, and Denny Creek Boulder, even getting in some multi-pitch practice. As a bonus, we got to do a bike approach and a long tunnel approach. >>>>>>> #rockclimbing #cragclimbing #washingtoncrags #snoqualmiepasswashington #washingtonrock #rockclimbingwa #rockclimbingwashington #snoqualmiepassrock
One week in Slovenia gave me a sampling of the his One week in Slovenia gave me a sampling of the historical and recreational riches that this emerging country has to offer. It was a teaser that will bring me back again soon! >>>> #slovenia #sloveniaoutdoor #sloveniatravel
During that shoulder season between winter and sum During that shoulder season between winter and summer, the desert can be a great place for hiking and scrambling. But “desert” doesn’t have to mean the Southwest states; there is plenty to do in the Channeled Scablands of Washington. And a lot more water views. >>>>>> Link to recent trip reports in bio. >>>> #hikingwa #hikingwashington #channeledscabland #grandcoulee #grandcouleewa #bankslake #bankslakewa #bluelakewa #bluelakewashington #steamboatrock #steamboatrockwa #steamboatrockstatepark
April is a month of such contrasts in the mountain April is a month of such contrasts in the mountains. The lowland crags offer climbing on warm rock, while the highlands still offer skiing on fresh snow. And the midland trails are open for mountain biking…although you might get surprised by that unexpected snowstorm! >>>> #rockclimbing #cragclimbing #backcountryskiing #xcskiing #crosscountryskiing #mtbiking #mountainbiking
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Non-Major Peaks and Out-of-Area Peaks

Abernathy Peak (1)Abiel Peak (1)Alta Mtn (3)Amabilis Mtn (1)Amphitheater Mtn (1)Angels Landing (UT) (2)Apex Mtn (1)Arrowhead Mtn (2)Art's Knoll (1)Atalaya Mtn (NM) (1)Atrium Peak (1)Avalanche Peak (NZ) (1)Axis Peak (1)Bandit Peak (1)Banshee Peak (3)Barn Bluff (Tasmania) (1)Barrier Peak (1)Bean Peak (1)Bear Skull Peak (1)Beauty Peak (1)Beaverhead Peak (BC) (1)Bedal Peak (1)Beta Peak (1)Big American Peak (1)Big Beaver Peak (2)Big Chief Mtn (1)Big Jim Mtn (2)Big Lou Mtn (2)Big McWaukum Peak (2)Big Snow Mtn (3)Bills Peak (1)Black Crater (OR) (1)black tower (2)Blackwall Peak (1)blizzard peak (1)Bogachiel Peak (1)Bojo Mtn (1)Bootjack Mtn (1)Boulder Butte (3)bowan mtn (2)Breccia Peak (1)Bridge Mtn (NV) (1)Brothers, The: no peak (1)Bryant Peak (1)Buckhorn Mtn (1)Bulls Head (1)Burroughs Mtn (1)Camelback Mtn (AZ) (1)Camp Robber Peak (1)Cape Horn (Chiwaukum) (2)Capitol Butte (AZ) (1)Carne Mtn (3)Castle, The (Tatoosh) (1)Catt Peak (1)Cerro Grande (NM) (1)Challenger 2 Pinnacle (1)Challenger west peak (1)Cheops Peak (1)Chilly Peak (1)Chimney Rock: so peak (1)Chinook Peak (1)Choral Peak (1)Chumstick Snag (1)Church Mtn (1)Circle Peak (1)Clouds Rest (CA) (1)Coleman Pinnacle (2)Conical Hill (NZ) (1)Cooney/Switchback Peak (2)Cornice Peak (1)Cougar Mtn (Issy) (1)Courtney Peak (3)Cowlitz Middle Chimney (2)Cowlitz Rocks (2)Cradle Mtn (Tasmania) (1)Crescent Tower (Bugaboo) (1)Cusick Mtn (OR) (1)Daemon Peak (1)Davis Peak (Waptus) (1)Deadhorse Peak (2)Deadwood Peak (1)Denny Mtn (1)Desolation Peak (2)Devils Dome (Skagit) (2)Devils Head (Tean) (1)Devils Peak (Sauk) (1)Devils Smoke Stack (2)Dewey Peak (2)Dirtyface Mtn: NW Peak (1)Dirtyface Mtn: SE Peak (1)Dot Mtn (1)Dungeon Peak (2)Dysprosium Peak (2)Eagle Cap (OR) (1)easy peak (Picket) (3)Echo Rock (Rainier) (1)Elephant Butte (2)Elizabeth Peak (1)Escondido Point (1)Excelsior Point (1)Ferry Peak (Sawtooth) (1)Fifes Peaks (1)Fifth of July Mtn (1)Finney Peak (Sawtooth) (1)Fisher Peak (2)Fortune Mtn (Beckler) (1)Fortune/Headlight Peak (1)Freedom Peak (1)Freezer Peak (2)French Cabin Mtn (1)Frigid Mtn (1)Frisco Mtn (1)Goat Island Mtn (1)Goat Mtn: East Peak (1)Goat Mtn: West Peak (1)Gopher Mountain (1)Gothic Peak (2)Governors Peak (1)Graham Mtn (1)Grand Teton (WY) (1)Granite Mtn (Icicle) (1)Granite Mtn Main (Snoq) (1)Granite Mtn West (Snoq) (2)Gray Peak (1)Graybeard Peak (1)Green Mtn (Suiattle) (1)Greyhorn Peak (1)Grindstone Mtn (2)Gunn Point (2)Gunnshy Peak (1)hahlakl peak (2)Half Dome (CA) (1)Harding Mtn (1)Hawkins Mtn (3)Hessong Rock (1)Hi-Jack Peak (1)Hidden Lake Peak (1)High Esmerelda Peak (1)High Rock (Nisq) (1)Highchair Mtn (1)Hoch Joch Spitz (1)Horsethief Peak (1)Huckleberry Mtn (Snoq) (1)Huckleberry Mtn (Suiattle) (1)Hurricane Peak (1)hurry-up peak (1)Icebox Peak (1)Icicle Peak (7)Icy SE Peak (1)Ida/Rover Peak (1)Indian Head Peak (1)Ingalls East Peak (2)Ingalls South Peak (2)Iron Cap Mtn (1)Ironview Peak (AZ) (1)Isolation Peak (1)Jackaroo Peak (1)Jim Hill Mtn (3)Jolly Mtn (1)jumbo mtn (1)kangaroo temple (1)Keechelus Peak (1)Kendall Peak (2)Kitling Peak (1)Knight Peak (1)Kololo Peak (2)Labyrinth Mtn (3)ladies peak (1)Lake Peak (NM) (1)Lakeview Mtn (1)leconte mtn (1)Lemah Thumb (1)Lembert Dome (CA) (1)Libby Mtn (1)Liberty Cap (Chiwawa) (2)Lichtenberg Mtn (3)Little Giant Peak (1)Longs Peak (1)Lookout Mtn (Teebone) (1)Louis Peak (1)Lundin Peak (2)Lynch Peak (1)Magic Mtn (1)Malachite Peak (1)Marmolata Spire (Bugaboo) (1)Marys Peak (Tean) (1)Mastodon Peak (CA) (1)Matterhorn (OR) (1)McClellan Butte (1)McCue Peak (1)Merchant Peak (1)Miller Peak (1)Mirror Mtn (1)Monument 83 Hill (2)Morning Star Peak (1)Mountaineer Peak (1)Mt Amos (Tasmania) (1)Mt Berge (1)Mt Catherine (2)Mt Cleator (1)Mt Conness (CA) (1)Mt Dickerman (1)Mt Ellinor (1)Mt Fernow (Beckler) (1)Mt Forgotten (1)Mt Gibbs (1)mt hood (OR) (2)mt howard (2)Mt John (NZ) (1)Mt Jonathan (1)Mt Laura (1)Mt Lena (1)Mt Margaret (1)Mt Mastiff (1)Mt McCausland (2)Mt Oberlin (MT) (1)Mt Ollivier (NZ) (1)Mt Ossa (Tasmania) (1)Mt Persis (2)Mt Pleasant (1)Mt Rolo (1)Mt Ruth (Rainier) (1)Mt Saul (1)Mt Seattle (1)Mt Sinclair (NZ) (1)Mt Skokomish (1)Mt St Piran (AB) (1)Mt Suappoa (AZ) (1)Mt Teneriffe (1)Mt Torment (1)Mt Watson (1)Mt Whitney (CA) (1)Mt Wilson (NV) (1)mt wintrop (1)Napeequa Mtn (1)Navaho Peak (1)Navarre North Peak (1)Navarre South Peak (1)Nimbus Peak (1)Nordic Mtn (Selkirk) (1)Norse Peak (4)Oakes Peak (1)Old Desolate (1)old maid mtn (1)Paddy-Go-North Peak (2)Paddy-Go-South Peak (1)Paintbrush Peak (WY) (1)Pass Butte (Pasayten) (1)Peak Hill (NZ) (1)Pemmican Peak (1)Perfect Peak (Selkirk) (1)Picketpost Mtn (AZ) (1)Pickhandle Point (1)Pico Perico (MX) (1)Pinnacle Peak (Tatoosh) (1)Pirate Little Peak (1)Plummer Mtn (Suiattle) (1)Plummer Peak (Tatoosh) (1)Poe Mtn (1)Portal Peaks (Baker) (1)Pratt Mtn (2)Pyramid Mtn (Chelan) (3)Pyramid Peak (Greenwater) (1)Quiniscoe Mtn (1)Ragged Peak (1)Rainy Peak (1)Rampart Mtn (Entiat) (1)Rampart Peak (Keechelus) (2)Rattlesnake Mtn (Issy) (3)Red Mtn (Kachess) (3)Red Mtn (Ragged) (1)Red Mtn (Snoq) (1)Red Top Mtn (2)Rennie Peak (1)Revolution Peak (1)Rhino Butte (2)rock mtn (Nason) (8)Rooster Finch Tower (1)Round Mtn (Nason) (1)Round Mtn (Stilly) (1)royal peak (2)ruby mtn (1)Ruth Mtn (Nooksack) (2)Ryan Mtn (CA) (1)Salvation Peak (1)Sauk Mtn (2)Seymour Peak (1)Sherpani Peak (1)Siligo Peak (CA) (1)Silver King Peak (1)Silver Peak (Snoq) (3)Silvertip Peak (Monte Cristo) (1)Sitting Bull Mtn (1)Skykomish Peak (1)Skyscraper Mtn (1)Sluiskin Mtn: The Squaw (1)Snoqualmie Mtn (2)Snoqualmie Tooth (2)Sobieski Mtn (1)Sourdough Mtn (1)spectacle north butte (1)Sperry Peak (1)Squak Mtn (Issy) (1)Squaretop Mtn (1)St'auk Mtn (1)Stetattle Buttes (2)Stillaguamish Peak (1)Stone City Mtn (2)Stormy Mtn (2)Stroud Peak (WY) (1)Sulphur Mtn (1)Sun Top (2)Superstition Peak (AZ) (2)Tailgunner Peak (2)Tamanos Mtn (1)Teanaway Butte (1)thea foss peak (1)Thompson Point (2)Thor Peak (1)Thornton Peak (1)Thorp Mtn (1)Three Brothers Mtn (2)Three Queens: middle peak (1)Three Queens: west peak (1)Thunder Mtn (Icicle) (1)Tiffany Mtn (1)Tiger Mtn East (1)Tinkham Peak (1)Tolmie Peak (1)Tourmaline Peak (1)Trappers Peak (Skagit) (1)Trico Mtn (1)Tricouni Peak (1)Tronsen Head (7)Tumalo Mtn (OR) (1)Tumble Mtn (1)Tuolumne Peak (CA) (1)Turtlehead Peak (NV) (1)Twentymile No Peak (1)unicorn peak (1)Uno Peak (1)Verrado Peak (AZ) (1)Vesper Peak (2)Volcanic Neck (Tean) (1)Warren Peak (CA) (1)Wheeler Peak (NM) (1)white mtn (sauk) (2)White Rock Peak (NV) (1)Whittier Peak (1)Wild Goat Peak (1)Windy Joe Mtn (2)Wing Peak (Sky) (1)Wolframite Mtn (1)Yakima Peak (1)Yellow Hill (Tean) (1)Yellow Rock (UT) (1)Zorro Point (Snoq) (1)
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