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| "Midnight Lightning" V8, Yosemite, CA is one of my top five all-time favorite boulder problems. It was at the top of my tick-list until I finally did it in 2003. Why: 1. Yosemite is undeniably one of the top classic areas in the U.S. 2. The Problem is Classic in history: Yabo saw it on an psychedelic acid trip, Ron Kauk finally sent it about 25 years ago. It was a world testpiece for ages and is still a defining right of passage for today's top climbers. 3. The setting is as beautiful as it gets: Peferfect hard grey granite next to an amazing stout conifer. The problem sits at the very center of Camp 4, which is the primary birthplace of American climbing and adventure. 4. The climbing. Every move is very hard, precise and committing. The final mantle is crazy unique. 5. Perfect holds the whole way up. 6. Crowds of people gather to watch sometimes, but other times there is total solitude. 7. The feet are tricky and require concentration on body tension. 8. Technique & Power come together. 9. It is highball and proud. 10. Lynn Hill (5'1") did it! I'm 6'2" and that seems unbelievable. Four years of day-dreaming! I worked it in the rain every day, I actually made it to the mantle soaking wet! We had a spell of good weather and I had been having problems with the mantle and still didn't know what to do. The beta came to me in a dream! Yes, dream-beta! I ended up moving my right foot to the right of the obvious mantle-rock-over knob and got more push into it. I think this is helpful beta for bigger people such as myself. 11. I had wanted to bag that problem for 4 years. Even though I only tried it 10 times or so in 1999, I dreamt about it for years. 12. It's Midnight Lightning. |
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