Thor Temple facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Thor Temple
North aspect, from North Rim
Highest point
Elevation	6,741 ft (2,055 m)
Prominence	769 ft (234 m)
Isolation	2.12 mi (3.41 km)
Parent peak	Wotans Throne (7,740 ft)
Geography
Thor Temple Location in Arizona Show map of Arizona Thor Temple Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Grand Canyon National Park Coconino County, Arizona, US
Parent range	Kaibab Plateau Colorado Plateau
Topo map	USGS Walhalla Plateau
Type of rock	limestone, shale, sandstone
Climbing
First ascent	Alan Doty, May 1977
Easiest route	class 4 climbing

Thor Temple is a 6,741-foot (2,055 m)-elevation summit located in the Grand Canyon, in Coconino County of northern Arizona, United States. It is situated 2.5 miles (4.0 km) west-northwest of Cape Royal on the canyon's North Rim, 3.5 miles (5.6 km) east of Brahma Temple, and 2 miles (3.2 km) north-northwest of Wotans Throne. It rises 4,300 feet (1,300 m) above the Colorado River in 5 miles (8.0 km). According to the Köppen climate classification system, Thor Temple is located in a cold semi-arid climate zone.

Thor Temple is named for Thor, the hammer-wielding god associated with lightning, thunder, and storms in Germanic mythology, and son of Wotan. This name was applied by geologist François E. Matthes, in keeping with Clarence Dutton's practice of naming geographical features in the Grand Canyon after mythological deities. A variant name for this landform is "Thors Hammer." This geographical feature's name was officially adopted in 1906 by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names.

Geology

Thor Temple is composed of strata of the Pennsylvanian-Permian Supai Group. Further down are strata of Mississippian Redwall Limestone, Cambrian Tonto Group, and finally Proterozoic Unkar Group at creek level. Precipitation runoff from Thor Temple drains southwest to the Colorado River via Clear Creek.

Thor Temple bottom, Wotans Throne upper left, Angels Gate right.
Looking south from Francois Matthes Point, 1951.