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==History==
==History==

⚫
The first ascent was by [[Ron Kauk]] in 1978, and it was the [[List of first ascents (sport climbing)#Solved by men|second-ever]] ascent of a {{boulder grade|7B+}} in history; [[John Bachar]] made the first repeat shortly afterward.<ref name=PMEVOL>{{cite web | website=PlanetMountain.com | url=https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/the-evolution-of-free-climbing.html | title=The evolution of free climbing | date=23 December 2012 | first=Maurizio | last=Oviglia | accessdate=4 January 2022}}</ref><ref name=PM1>{{cite web | website=PlanetMountain | url=https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/midnight-lightning-the-legendary-boulder-problem-in-yosemite.html | title=Midnight Lightning, the legendary boulder problem in Yosemite | date=9 June 2017 | accessdate=3 February 2022}}</ref> Kauk recounted about working on the problem with [[John Bachar]] and John Yablonski: "After 4 months of off and on effort, I was the first one to pull over the lip and complete the climb, which to this day has had an effect on my personal sense of place and history, within the climbing community, throughout the world".<ref name=PM1/> The first female ascent was by [[Lynn Hill]] in 1998, although it was not the [[List of first ascents (sport climbing)#Solved by women|first-ever female]] {{boulder grade|7B+}} (which was by climber {{ill|Catherine Miquel|fr}} in 1989 on ''Le Carnage'').<ref name=PM1/><ref name=PMEVOL/> The second female ascent was by [[Lisa Rands]] in 2001, who unlike Hill, did not [[Top rope climbing|toprope]] the boulder in advance.<ref>{{cite web | website=Climbing.de | url=https://www.climbing.de/news/second-female-ascent-of-midnight-lightning-43136.html | title=Second female ascent of Midnight Lightning | date=17 January 2001 | accessdate=4 February 2022}}</ref>
The problem was identified by a [[chalk]] lightning bolt drawn by [[John Bachar]] after making the second ascent in 1978.<ref name=CI5/><ref name=GR2>{{cite web | website=Gripped.com | url=https://gripped.com/routes/midnight-lightning/ |title=Midnight Lightning |date=26 December 2016 | accessdate=3 February 2022}}</ref> Bacher wrote: "It was Yabo [John Yablonski] who actually 'found' Midnight Lightning. He was sitting in front of it one day and came over to me and Ron Kauk and said he found a new boulder problem. He said it would go. We laughed and said it was impossible. We thought there was about as much chance of doing it as there was the chance that a lightning bolt could strike at midnight (like in the [[Jimi Hendrix|Hendrix]] song ''[[Midnight Lightning]]''), so I drew a bolt on it in chalk. That's it—pretty stupid, huh?"<ref name=CI5>{{cite magazine | magazine=[[Climbing (magazine)|Climbing]]| url=https://www.climbing.com/places/beyond-the-bolt-the-past-present-and-future-of-yosemite-bouldering/ | date=9 January 2018 | accessdate=3 February 2022 | first=James | last=Lucas | title=Beyond the Bolt: The Past, Present, and Future of Yosemite Bouldering}}</ref>

⚫
[[Ron Kauk]] made the first ascent in 1978, and it was the [[List of first ascents (sport climbing)#Solved by men|second-ever]] ascent of a {{boulder grade|7B+}} in history; [[John Bachar]] made the first repeat shortly afterward.<ref name=PMEVOL>{{cite web | website=PlanetMountain.com | url=https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/the-evolution-of-free-climbing.html | title=The evolution of free climbing | date=23 December 2012 | first=Maurizio | last=Oviglia | accessdate=4 January 2022}}</ref><ref name=PM1>{{cite web | website=PlanetMountain | url=https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/midnight-lightning-the-legendary-boulder-problem-in-yosemite.html | title=Midnight Lightning, the legendary boulder problem in Yosemite | date=9 June 2017 | accessdate=3 February 2022}}</ref> Kauk recounted about working on the problem with [[John Bachar]] and John Yablonski: "After 4 months of off and on effort, I was the first one to pull over the lip and complete the climb, which to this day has had an effect on my personal sense of place and history, within the climbing community, throughout the world".<ref name=PM1/> The first female ascent was by [[Lynn Hill]] in 1998, although it was not the [[List of first ascents (sport climbing)#Solved by women|first-ever female]] {{boulder grade|7B+}} (which was by climber {{ill|Catherine Miquel|fr}} in 1989 on ''Le Carnage'').<ref name=PM1/><ref name=PMEVOL/> The second female ascent was by [[Lisa Rands]] in 2001, who unlike Hill, did not [[Top rope climbing|toprope]] the boulder in advance.<ref>{{cite web | website=Climbing.de | url=https://www.climbing.de/news/second-female-ascent-of-midnight-lightning-43136.html | title=Second female ascent of Midnight Lightning | date=17 January 2001 | accessdate=4 February 2022}}</ref>


[[File:Midnight Lightning erased on 5-28-19.jpg|thumb|The iconic chalk [[Thunderbolt|lightning bolt]] has been removed several times.]]
[[File:Midnight Lightning erased on 5-28-19.jpg|thumb|The iconic chalk [[Thunderbolt|lightning bolt]] has been removed several times.]]


The problem was identified by a [[chalk]] lightning bolt drawn by [[John Bachar]] after making the second ascent in 1978.<ref name=CI5/><ref name=GR2>{{cite web | website=Gripped.com | url=https://gripped.com/routes/midnight-lightning/ |title=Midnight Lightning |date=26 December 2016 | accessdate=3 February 2022}}</ref> Bacher wrote: "It was Yabo [John Yablonski] who actually 'found' Midnight Lightning. He was sitting in front of it one day and came over to me and Ron Kauk and said he found a new boulder problem. He said it would go. We laughed and said it was impossible. We thought there was about as much chance of doing it as there was the chance that a lightning bolt could strike at midnight (like in the [[Jimi Hendrix|Hendrix]] song ''[[Midnight Lightning]]''), so I drew a bolt on it in chalk. That's it—pretty stupid, huh?"<ref name=CI5>{{cite magazine | magazine=[[Climbing (magazine)|Climbing]]| url=https://www.climbing.com/places/beyond-the-bolt-the-past-present-and-future-of-yosemite-bouldering/ | date=9 January 2018 | accessdate=3 February 2022 | first=James | last=Lucas | title=Beyond the Bolt: The Past, Present, and Future of Yosemite Bouldering}}</ref> In May 2013, the iconic lightning bolt was scrubbed off the face of the boulder,<ref name="nobolt">{{Cite web |url=http://www.planetmountain.com/english/News/shownews1.lasso?l=2&keyid=40853 |title=Midnight Lightning bolt, the icon of free climbing in Yosemite disappears for a day |website=PlanetMountain.com |date=7 May 2013 |accessdate=3 February 2022}}</ref> by climber and ''[[Climbing (magazine)|Climbing]]'' magazine contributor James Lucas, who claimed the image had lost its magic, and was now more of a trademark or tourist attraction.<ref name=CI5/><ref>{{cite magazine | magazine=[[Rock & Ice]] | url=https://www.rockandice.com/tuesday-night-bouldering/tnb-erasing-midnight-lightning/ | date=2013 | title=TNB: Erasing Midnight Lightning}}</ref> The bolt was re-drawn in the same location a few days later.<ref name=GR2/> Since then, there have been other incidents, but Kauk and others have repaired and maintained the bolt image regularly.<ref name=CI5/>
In May 2013, the iconic lightning bolt was scrubbed off the face of the boulder,<ref name="nobolt">{{Cite web |url=http://www.planetmountain.com/english/News/shownews1.lasso?l=2&keyid=40853 |title=Midnight Lightning bolt, the icon of free climbing in Yosemite disappears for a day |website=PlanetMountain.com |date=7 May 2013 |accessdate=3 February 2022}}</ref> by climber and ''[[Climbing (magazine)|Climbing]]'' magazine contributor James Lucas, who claimed the image had lost its magic, and was now more of a trademark or tourist attraction.<ref name=CI5/><ref>{{cite magazine | magazine=[[Rock & Ice]] | url=https://www.rockandice.com/tuesday-night-bouldering/tnb-erasing-midnight-lightning/ | date=2013 | title=TNB: Erasing Midnight Lightning}}</ref> The bolt was re-drawn in the same location a few days later.<ref name=GR2/> Since then, there have been other incidents, but Kauk and others have repaired and maintained the bolt image regularly.<ref name=CI5/>


In 2021, when the [[American Alpine Club]] awarded the Underhill Lifetime Achievement award to Kauk, their citation read: "Perhaps Ron's most iconic climbing achievements is a boulder problem right in the middle of Camp 4 known as Midnight Lightning".<ref>{{cite web | website=[[American Alpine Club]] | url=https://americanalpineclub.org/abd-awards | title=MEET THE AWARDEES | date=2021 | accessdate=3 February 2022}}</ref>
In 2021, when the [[American Alpine Club]] awarded the Underhill Lifetime Achievement award to Kauk, their citation read: "Perhaps Ron's most iconic climbing achievements is a boulder problem right in the middle of Camp 4 known as Midnight Lightning".<ref>{{cite web | website=[[American Alpine Club]] | url=https://americanalpineclub.org/abd-awards | title=MEET THE AWARDEES | date=2021 | accessdate=3 February 2022}}</ref>

Revision as of 21:05, 7 February 2023

Midnight Lightning
Michael Rael Armas on Midnight Lightning
LocationYosemite National Park
Coordinates37°44′30″N 119°36′07″W / 37.7418°N 119.602°W / 37.7418; -119.602[1]
Climbing areaCamp 4 (Yosemite)
Route typeBouldering
Vertical gain7.62-metre (25.0 ft)[1]
RatingV8 (7B/7B+)[1]
First ascentRon Kauk, 1978

Midnight Lightning is a 7.62-metre (25.0 ft) grade 7B+ (V8) bouldering problem on the granite Columbia Boulder in Camp 4 of Yosemite National Park. It is considered to be one of the world's most famous bouldering problems. Ron Kauk did the first ascent in 1978.[2][3][4]

History

The problem was identified by a chalk lightning bolt drawn by John Bachar after making the second ascent in 1978.[5][6] Bacher wrote: "It was Yabo [John Yablonski] who actually 'found' Midnight Lightning. He was sitting in front of it one day and came over to me and Ron Kauk and said he found a new boulder problem. He said it would go. We laughed and said it was impossible. We thought there was about as much chance of doing it as there was the chance that a lightning bolt could strike at midnight (like in the Hendrix song Midnight Lightning), so I drew a bolt on it in chalk. That's it—pretty stupid, huh?"[5]

Ron Kauk made the first ascent in 1978, and it was the second-ever ascent of a 7B+ (V8) in history; John Bachar made the first repeat shortly afterward.[7][8] Kauk recounted about working on the problem with John Bachar and John Yablonski: "After 4 months of off and on effort, I was the first one to pull over the lip and complete the climb, which to this day has had an effect on my personal sense of place and history, within the climbing community, throughout the world".[8] The first female ascent was by Lynn Hill in 1998, although it was not the first-ever female 7B+ (V8) (which was by climber Catherine Miquel [fr] in 1989 on Le Carnage).[8][7] The second female ascent was by Lisa Rands in 2001, who unlike Hill, did not toprope the boulder in advance.[9]

The iconic chalk lightning bolt has been removed several times.

In May 2013, the iconic lightning bolt was scrubbed off the face of the boulder,[10] by climber and Climbing magazine contributor James Lucas, who claimed the image had lost its magic, and was now more of a trademark or tourist attraction.[5][11] The bolt was re-drawn in the same location a few days later.[6] Since then, there have been other incidents, but Kauk and others have repaired and maintained the bolt image regularly.[5]

In 2021, when the American Alpine Club awarded the Underhill Lifetime Achievement award to Kauk, their citation read: "Perhaps Ron's most iconic climbing achievements is a boulder problem right in the middle of Camp 4 known as Midnight Lightning".[12]

Route

Sam Moses, writing in Sports Illustrated said the most difficult move on Midnight lightning is a "spider-monkey swing 15 feet (4.6 metres) off the ground. The climber must suspend himself by the fingertips of his left hand, swing around a ledge of rock, and propel himself far enough up, about four feet, to grab a precarious fingertip hold with their right hand. To do that he has to create momentum from stillness."[13]

Filmography

  • Documentary with Ron Kauk, David Sjöquist and Caro North on Midnight Lightning: The Classics Boulder Episode 1 Midnight Lightning (Motion picture). Mammut. June 2017. Retrieved January 3, 2022.

Bibliography

  • Yosemite Bouldering (Shannon Joslin, James Lucas, Kimbrough Moore), 2020, Sentinel Press. ISBN 9781735608006.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Midnight Lightning V8". TheCrag. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  2. ^ "Adam Ondra: Climbing the Americas (Part 1)—Midnight Lightning". Climbing. November 14, 2018. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  3. ^ "Tom Herbert, 51, Sends Midnight Lightning V8 in Yosemite". Gripped.com. March 26, 2021. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  4. ^ "Midnight Lightning: Filippo Manca explores the legendary Ron Kauk boulder problem in Yosemite". PlanetMountain. November 6, 2017. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  5. ^ a b c d Lucas, James (January 9, 2018). "Beyond the Bolt: The Past, Present, and Future of Yosemite Bouldering". Climbing. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  6. ^ a b "Midnight Lightning". Gripped.com. December 26, 2016. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  7. ^ a b Oviglia, Maurizio (December 23, 2012). "The evolution of free climbing". PlanetMountain.com. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  8. ^ a b c "Midnight Lightning, the legendary boulder problem in Yosemite". PlanetMountain. June 9, 2017. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  9. ^ "Second female ascent of Midnight Lightning". Climbing.de. January 17, 2001. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  10. ^ "Midnight Lightning bolt, the icon of free climbing in Yosemite disappears for a day". PlanetMountain.com. May 7, 2013. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  11. ^ "TNB: Erasing Midnight Lightning". Rock & Ice. 2013.
  12. ^ "MEET THE AWARDEES". American Alpine Club. 2021. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  13. ^ Moses, Sam (June 2, 1986). "On The Rocks, Kauk Is It". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved May 9, 2013.
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