White Lightning

Moonshine, Hooch, White Whiskey… call it what you want. White Lightning is a high-proof distilled route that sits nicely high above the hustle of Slide Rock State Park. Like many other Oak Creek classics the approach is likely the crux of this one, but if the approach doesn’t leave you with a burning tongue and blacked out the quality climbing and amazing triple-dipple splitter will leave you cross eyed.

Cody Raber first explored the 80 Proof area in the Winter of 2011. Initially attracted to the giant white wall where “When 80 proof is not enough” sits, White Lightning wasn’t found until after he began a solo-aid hand banging mission (a whole different story) up the giant white face. From the wall and a higher vantage he spotted the splitter second pitch. On 8.21.2011 Cody and partner Danny Hagberg went after the first ascent. After a war mission, botched approach and rattlesnake dilemmas they were unable to complete the route free to the top. Then on 3.17.2012 Cody convinced me to return to the base and try to fire off the FFA and reach the top. I fell on my onsight attempt of the crux and after climbing/cleaning the pitch above a late winter storm moved in and that was the end of the mission.

Cody then moved to California to grow his hair long and the route went to the back of the bar. Then on 3.11.2015 with enough time to forget about the earthscalador approach Zach Harrison and I return to the base and team shot-skied the route to the top.

P1 Charge up the triple splitter, mostly climbing in the left most crack, after the systems come together decide whether to climb up the right system or out to the left and up to belay ledge above. A little bit of everything. 2 bolt anchor 5.9+ 100’

P2 The White Lightning Splitter. Climb the obvious straight in thin hands, finger, ring-lock hand size dependent splitter. 2 bolt anchor. 5.11+(-+) 100’

P3 Climb up the wild colored pillar, tight jamming in a strange facing varied crack. Once the crack ends, take the moonraker traverse right and up to the belay. 2 bolt anchor. 5.10+ 80’

3 Rappels from the top, down the route.

From 80 Proof Canyon Wash take the gully up and towards the West. Gully starts at a large undercut bivy boulder in the wash. You should NOT go up the gully that is directly below 80 Proof Wall! Do your best to not give up and continue up several steep sections of dirt and a fixed rope boulder problem. Eventually move around a slick rock ledge into a smaller sub gully to the North and eventually to the base of White Lightning. 4th class Earthscalador 45-75min.

70m Rope Doubles #.3 - #3 C4 1 x #4 C4 Extra Fingers - Thin Hands Runners