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Lightning Rock Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map This is our best guess at this area's location.
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Routes in Lightning Rock

L › R R › L A › Z

	Ground Fall Interceptor (GFI) T 5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
	Off The Grid T 5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c
	Power Shortage T 5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
	Short Circuit T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a R

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GPS:	40.4032, -105.5182 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
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Shared By:	spanky on Apr 10, 2004
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Access Issue: 2024 Partial Seasonal Raptor Closures lifted 7/21/24 Details

From the Denver Post 7/21/24: some of the raptor closures have been lifted, officials announced.

Upper & Lower Twin Owls, Rock One, The Book and access trail, Bookmark, and Left Book were opened based on a park new release.

Closures have been extended for Thunder Buttress, access trail, The Parish, Cathedral Wall.

Closures above the Loch Vale-Sky Pond trail have been extended.

Per Brent Frazier: the raptor closures have been lifted in the Lumpy Ridge and Loch Vale Areas ( nps.gov/romo/raptor-closure…)

Each year, Rocky Mountain National Park initiates temporary closures in certain areas of the park to ensure that birds of prey will be undisturbed during their breeding and nesting seasons. These closures begin on February 15 and continue through July 31, if appropriate. Monitoring by park staff and volunteers have determined that all remaining closures can be lifted on July 28, 2023.

Per Matt Coghill: the Golden eagle nesting activity has extended Lumpy closures through Aug. 15, 2022 on Sundance, Thunder Buttress, and Needle Summit!

Per A.Eaton: the raptor closures have been lifted as of 6/4/2022 at Lumpy for the following formations:

Twin Owls
Rock One
Batman Rock
Batman Pinnacle
Checkerboard
Lightning Rock

Per the Denver Post: as of Feb. 15, 2022, Checkerboard Rock, Lightning Rock, Batman Rock, Batman Pinnacle, Sundance, Thunder Buttress, The Parish, Bookmark Pinnacle, The Left Book, Bookmark, Twin Owls, Rock One, and the Needle are closed for raptor nesting. These closures will continue through July 31, 2022 if needed.

All areas [were] OPEN to climbing for the 2021 post July season.

Closures ending July 31:
Batman Rock, Batman Pinnacle, Lightning Rock, Checkerboard Rock - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Sundance - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
The Book Area: Left Book, The Bookmark, Bookmark Pinnacle, and the entire Book formation (including Renaissance Wall, Isis Buttress, Pages Wall Area, and J-Crack Slab Area)- nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Thunder Buttress and The Parish - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Twin Owls and Rock One - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Cathedral Wall - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…

When closed, the closures include the named rock formations and the areas surrounding the base of the formation. This includes all climbing routes, outcroppings, cliffs, faces, ascent and descent routes, and climber's access trails to the formation.

Areas not listed are presumed to be open. These closures will be lifted or extended as conditions dictate.

Description

Lightning Rock only holds two routes listed in the current Lumpy Ridge guidebook, but it is an impressive cliff nonetheless. The cliff is named for the obvious lightning-shaped white dike that streaks down the center of the cliff. This dike is the line of Meltdown, a bold, old-school affair that face climbs directly up the lightning streak past just three quarter-inch bolts. Lightning Rock is a steep cliff, fairly devoid of features, which probably accounts for its limited number of routes. Also, the rock on the east- and west-facing corners is a bit crumbly, especially up high. The best route on Lightning Rock is Short Circuit, which despite being just two or three pitches, is well worth the short (for Lumpy standards) approach.

Note, Bat Flake is separated out for clarity in the database.

Getting There

Lightning Rock sits just west of Batman Pinnacle, home of the classic 5.6 Batman and Robin. Approach as for Batman Pinnacle (staying close to the cliff below Checkerboard Rock will help you access a trail through the talus slope below Batman Pinnacle), and once below the route Batman and Robin, head straight west next to the cliff for approximately 75 feet to reach the base of Lightning Rock.