Midnight Lightning (climb)
| Midnight Lightning | |
|---|---|
Climber holding the "lip" on Midnight Lightning, preparing for the mantel-move | |
| Location | Yosemite National Park |
| Coordinates | 37°44′30″N 119°36′07″W / 37.7418°N 119.602°W |
| Climbing area | Camp 4 (Yosemite) |
| Route type | Bouldering |
| Vertical gain | 7.62-metre (25.0 ft) |
| Rating | V8 (7B/7B+) |
| First ascent | Ron Kauk, May 1978 |
Midnight Lightning is a 7.62-metre (25.0 ft) high granite bouldering route on the Columbia Boulder in Camp 4 of Yosemite National Park. When first solved in May 1978 by American rock climber Ron Kauk, it was graded at V8 (7B/7B+), which was the world's second-ever boulder route at that grade, and the first in North America. Even today, the route is still considered a "hard" V8 grade. Midnight Lightning is the most notable bouldering route in climbing along with Dreamtime, and its ascent is considered an important moment in the history and the development of bouldering as a sport in its own right.